Daktronics

Indoor LED Driver Troubleshooting

Topic

  • Only (2 wires) 16VAC power source is needed, to J-17.
  • J-17 also has the signal input and 'redrive output'.
  • NO triacs. If part of a digit isn't working it isn't the driver.
  • Low power usage, Low heat, no stress on the circuits, NO fan.
  •  Indoor horn voltage is 120v, and is ran off of a relay in the driver, through a 4-pin connector.
  • Has a startup sequence when power is applied to the board, and NO signal.
Indicators are a quick tool:
🟢Green - Power, remains steady.
🔴Red - Signal, should be on and flickering when data is present.
🟡Amber - Should be on and flashing once a second. This indicates that the processor is running.

Environment

  • Product: 
  • Component: 
  • Control System: Indoor scoreboards
INDOOR LED DRIVER TROUBLESHOOTING DP-09867

Steps

Scoreboard will not light.

Check green power indicator to see if it is on.
Check voltage ofJ-17 to see if it is 16 VAC.
Check signal voltage, 7-14v DC.
Replace the driver.

String of digits or one digit does not work

Bad wiring, check the common wire (pin-7).
Plug the 9-pin plug for the bad digit into a different jack that is working.
Bad output chip on the driver, exchange the driver.

Horn doesn't work

 JJumper from output jack (J1-J16) to Horn jack (J18) isn't connecter.
No power to J-18.
No power to the Horn.

String of LED's in a segment doesn't work

Bad LED in the string. Look for one that is bent to the side, broken, or in backwards.

Bad segment in a digit

Check the wire harness at the driver, and then check it in the back of the digit.
Plug the digit into a different jack on the driver to see if it works.

Concepts of an LED

  • LED stands for Light Emitting Diode.
  • Diode is an Electronic component that only allows electricity to flow in one direction. An LED also glows when electricity is flowing through it. It is commonly used to show a status of electronic equipment. As an example, the power, signal, and 'heartbeat' on our drivers.
  • By changing the shape of the material, composition of the junction of the LED, the color or 'Dye', and the amount of electricity flowing through the LED you can create a strong light in a narrow beam or a softer light in a broad beam.
  • LED's are a low power consumption, low heat, and long-life component. It is also a high response device. It will show any change in the power supplied to the LED extremely fast. As an example, the Data or Signal LED on a driver flickers with the data sent from an All Sport Console. This data is sent very fast, and the LED can show those changes.
  • LED's are placed in series with each other to create a segment for digits.
  • If the two pins on the LED are soldered together or shorted, then only THAT LED will not work. But electricity is still going across to the next one in series.
  • If the LED is broke, burnt out, or in backwards, then electricity cannot flow to the next one in series and every LED after it will stay off.
  • You can check for a backwards LED by holding the Digit up to the light and looking through the LED. Notice that there is a little flag inside of the colored material, make sure all the flags are pointing in the same direction.
  • You can check the LED with a Voltmeter that has the Diode option. You need to check it in both directions. One direction will read Infinity or OL on the meter, the other direction should read around 1500mv +/- 200mv. If both directions read
  • Infinity or LO then the LED is bad. If you check all the LED's in that strip and each one reads 1500mv +/- 200mv except one reads the other direction, that LED is in backwards.
Screenshot 2023-10-02 140240.jpg

KB ID: 000027729

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