Page 1 of 2

Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Mon Feb 02, 2015 11:45 pm
by mhoppes
What does a flashing green power light on the main PWR LED on the front of the switch mean?

I'm guessing either input voltage or Hz out of range?

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:24 am
by Dave
Mat

The green front panel power LED should just be solid on, indicating that the internal 3.3 volts is up & running. If it is flashing it might be that
the input power to the unit is no good & the switch power supply is cycling, turning on/off.

Is the switch still working when the green light is flashing?

Dave

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:25 am
by sirhc
What is this plugged into?

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:31 am
by mhoppes
It was not working, we had it plugged into an inverter in a car to program it.

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:43 am
by sirhc
mhoppes wrote:It was not working, we had it plugged into an inverter in a car to program it.


My guess is the switch does not like that power, either it is insufficient amps, it Hz are wrong, or the wave form is off.

It could damage the switch so I would not plug it into that again.

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 10:58 am
by sirhc
You know the inrush on our switches is higher because the power supplies are beefy.

You also need an inverter with a true sin wave at the proper Hz that is rated for computer equipment.

A lot of the inverters you buy to plug into your cigarette lighters are too small and use a modified sin wave which is NOT guaranteed to work well with computer equipment.

wave.png
wave.png (83.63 KiB) Viewed 18947 times


If you are powering a 250 watt switch you would need at least a 500 watt pure sin wave or a very clean modified sin wave.

If you are powering a 400 watt switch you would need at least a 1000 watt pure sin wave or a very clean modified sin wave.

Now that is not to say that a 250 watt power inverter that is well built with the ability to deliver Peak Power of 500+ watts for several seconds would not work but cheaper inverters tend to be built and rated at their limit. It is like rating a wireless link at the aggregated throughput, not a lie but is all hype!

The inverter rating is based on its ability to deliver constant power but the Peak Power depends on the cold start up or surge rating if the inverter which is just as importent.

Cheap inverters can not surge very far above their rating and if they do it is for a short duration.

Better inverters use a clean modified sin wave or pure sin wave and can usually surge to 200% or more for several seconds which is referred to as "Peak Power" but an import thing to look at is how long it can hold up at Peak Power. Inverters are rated ay Continuous Power but the Peak Power is important as most all electronics surge at start up usually well over double their ratted watts. Cheaper power supplies are incapable of dealing with spike or peak demands for long. Being able to handle spikes requires larger caps and coils which drive the proves up.

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:00 am
by mhoppes
Indeed. I posted this post more to see if there was a known reason this would happen and to document it in the event someone else sees it...

Signed,
Your beta tester that tries to break things.... and wants DC.

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:05 am
by sirhc
mhoppes wrote:Your beta tester that tries to break things.... and wants DC.


Mission accomplished star command!

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:12 am
by lligetfa
sirhc wrote:
mhoppes wrote:Your beta tester that tries to break things.... and wants DC.


Mission accomplished star command!

Say what?

Re: Flashing Green Power Light?

Posted: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:16 am
by mhoppes
I was wondering the same thing.

Chris - do I need to come down and see you? (and bring back the stuff I owe you?)