Kessil A160WE/Spectral Controller issue.

[donnievaz]

Good Luck!

Let us know what the problem was

Will do, thanks.

 

[donnievaz]

I've eliminated the controller out of the equation. I don't know why I didn't think of it before but last night it occurred to me to test the output with my multimeter. 9.9v at 1oo% and 4.9v at 50% on both channels. This was through the cable. Then I decided to clean the jack on the light with an interdental brush and some alcohol. That SEEMED to fix it initially but it wouldn't stay working. Sideways pressure on the plug in the jack would get it to work temporarily but It wouldn't hold. Looks like it either need a better cleaning or it's got a bad solder joint. Now I have to figure out how to get it apart. It's not very obvious.

 

[GoVols]

I've eliminated the controller out of the equation. I don't know why I didn't think of it before but last night it occurred to me to test the output with my multimeter. 9.9v at 1oo% and 4.9v at 50% on both channels. This was through the cable. Then I decided to clean the jack on the light with an interdental brush and some alcohol. That SEEMED to fix it initially but it wouldn't stay working. Sideways pressure on the plug in the jack would get it to work temporarily but It wouldn't hold. Looks like it either need a better cleaning or it's got a bad solder joint. Now I have to figure out how to get it apart. It's not very obvious.

Thanks for the update!
Will keep fingers crossed for you on finding an easy fix in the unit.

 

[minus9]

If it's past warranty, then opening it up won't matter, but I would contact Kessil support and they'll give you the size of the set screw.

 

[donnievaz]

If it's past warranty, then opening it up won't matter, but I would contact Kessil support and they'll give you the size of the set screw.

It's out of warranty.

 

[Tyler Caviness]

Is it stuck on blue or white? If you have the color turned to the right, the controller won't change the color past where the knobs are turned to. So if you have the color knob turned all the way to white, the controller can't turn the light blue. So check to make sure that your knobs are turned all the way down

 

[donnievaz]

Is it stuck on blue or white? If you have the color turned to the right, the controller won't change the color past where the knobs are turned to. So if you have the color light turned all the way to white, the controller can't turn the light blue. So check to make sure that your knobs are turned all the way down

That's not true, the dials are completely disabled when a control cable is inserted.

 

[GoVols]

That's not true, the dials are completely disabled when a control cable is inserted.

+1
I'm running 4 Kessil's with 1 controller and the knobs do nothing once the controller is plugged into the first unit.

I had to get into the a350 unit back in 2012. I had to pull off the little round rubber thingy's to get to the screws, but it did not take long to pull apart that old a350.

 

[Tyler Caviness]

That's not true, the dials are completely disabled when a control cable is inserted.

Try it. I had an a160 hooked up until about three months ago, and maybe I'm mixing up the color and the intensity, but when I first began using my controller, either the color or the intensity wouldn't go all the way down because the knob was turned up.

 

[GoVols]

Try it. I had an a160 hooked up until about three months ago, and maybe I'm mixing up the color and the intensity, but when I first began using my controller, either the color or the intensity wouldn't go all the way down because the knob was turned up.

tagging on this post.

 

[donnievaz]

Try it. I had an a160 hooked up until about three months ago, and maybe I'm mixing up the color and the intensity, but when I first began using my controller, either the color or the intensity wouldn't go all the way down because the knob was turned up.

I'll give it a shot tonight...

 

[Tyler Caviness]

So I took a video and then realized R2R wouldn't let me upload it. I just took these pics with the controller on manual for port 1
In the first pic, according to the controller the light should be blue and off. But both knobs are wide open.
In the second pic, color knob is all the way down, but intensity knob 100% and it doesn't matter what the controller does.
I'm saying that the controller can't go down past where the knobs are. Might not be your problem at all, but it's something that confused me for a few minutes when I first got my controller going

 

[donnievaz]

So I took a video and then realized R2R wouldn't let me upload it. I just took these pics with the controller on manual for port 1
In the first pic, according to the controller the light should be blue and off. But both knobs are wide open.
In the second pic, color knob is all the way down, but intensity knob 100% and it doesn't matter what the controller does.
I'm saying that the controller can't go down past where the knobs are. Might not be your problem at all, but it's something that confused me for a few minutes when I first got my controller going

Thanks for taking the time to do this. It's very interesting because that's not the way it's supposed to work. I'm definitely going to play with mine tonight although I'm 99% sure my problem is with my control input jack.

I just noticed that it looks like you have the control cable in the output jack vs. the input. It's kind of hard to tell from the pic though.

 

[Tyler Caviness]

You're exactly right! I never noticed that. I just plugged it in the input and you're right that the knobs don't work at all. That explains why it did that for me, and it's interesting that the controller would work at all that way.
I guess that means this isn't the source of your issue, but at least I learned something!

 

[GoVols]

So I took a video and then realized R2R wouldn't let me upload it. I just took these pics with the controller on manual for port 1
In the first pic, according to the controller the light should be blue and off. But both knobs are wide open.
In the second pic, color knob is all the way down, but intensity knob 100% and it doesn't matter what the controller does.
I'm saying that the controller can't go down past where the knobs are. Might not be your problem at all, but it's something that confused me for a few minutes when I first got my controller going

@Tyler Caviness
You have your controller plugged into output. It's suppose to jack into the input port.

 

[Tyler Caviness]

@Tyler Caviness
You have your controller plugged into output. It's suppose to jack into the input port.

Just when you think you know something haha

 

[donnievaz]

OK, looks like I'm in business. Took it apart last night and the jacks were rock solid, everything is covered in some sort of siliconized goo so there wasn't really much I could do. Got some contact cleaner and foam tipped cleaning swabs and went to town cleaning the inside of the jack. So far it seems to have fixed the issue. (knock on wood)

 

[minus9]

Good to hear.

 

[scott11]

Any update? I am having similar issues, but I cannot even get the light to turn on unless the controller is in the output jack. Tried cleaning with alcohol, but that didn't help. Have a email in to Kessil, but not sure what to do.

 

[donnievaz]

Any update? I am having similar issues, but I cannot even get the light to turn on unless the controller is in the output jack. Tried cleaning with alcohol, but that didn't help. Have a email in to Kessil, but not sure what to do.

Mine's still going strong, was definitely a dirty jack.