PAL Treo Lights Stuck on Red

[RKF]

I have three PAL Treo lights in my pool that are supposed to glow in a variety of selectable colors. Unfortunately all three lights are now stuck on red and cannot be changed to another color.

It should be noted that the original power supply failed last year and was replaced with a generic 12 VAC transformer.

The lights are designed to change color each time the power is momentarily interrupted. They worked just fine until a few days ago.

Any advice or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[jonpcar]

I have these lights and am also controlling them with a generic 12VAC transformer. Each light has its own built-in control circuitry so it would be highly unlikely that all three failed simultaneously. I suspect your switch/relay that interrupts the power is not (or is no longer) turning on/off in a “compatible” fashion. How is your turn on/turn off accomplished? Do you manually have to cycle the power or is there an automated method that you are using? There is a way to sync/re-sync those lights using a power sequence.

 

[Katodude]

I have the same lights on a generic transformer. I agree with Jon on his assessment.

On a different note, I hate these lights, they are really under powered at 7 watts. Not really bright enough for my pool. At some point they are going to get changed out.

 

[jonpcar]

On a different note, I hate these lights, they are really under powered at 7 watts. Not really bright enough for my pool. At some point they are going to get changed out.

Kato, mine replaced an old Fiberstars fiber optic installation that were never as bright and had degraded over 35 years to something even dimmer...perhaps effectively something less than a couple watts or so. In any case, the physical compatibility (size, threads) of the Treos was the reason to go with them. If you find something else compatible, let me know.

On a side note, I like how these “control” with my controller. Don’t know if you have automated your control for these yet...The on/off sequences can be very fast to cycle through the colors (100ms on, 50ms off)...but you have to take the re-sync pattern into account. Also, those fast sequences burned out one of my cheap relays, haha...I am replacing it with a mosfet driver today to see how that works out.

EDIT: I just realized that this topic called out “PAL Treo”. My current lights are SR Smith Treo lights, not sure if those are exactly the same as the PAL Treo...I looked it up and they look the same, branding?

 

[RKF]

<<I suspect your switch/relay that interrupts the power is not (or is no longer) turning on/off in a “compatible” fashion. How is your turn on/turn off accomplished? Do you manually have to cycle the power or is there an automated method that you are using? There is a way to sync/re-sync those lights using a power sequence. >>

I have a normally-closed push-button switch that interrupts the AC to the transformer, in order to cycle through the colors. In retrospect, this may have been what blew the individual lamp controllers. I suspect there is a momentary high-voltage spike when the AC power to the transformer is interrupted. I will change that switch to interrupt the 12 volt output side of the transformer instead of the 120 V supply line.
I have gone through the re-sysc procedure several times to no avail.
It looks like I'll be buying three replacement lights $$$

 

[jonpcar]

<<I suspect your switch/relay that interrupts the power is not (or is no longer) turning on/off in a “compatible” fashion. How is your turn on/turn off accomplished? Do you manually have to cycle the power or is there an automated method that you are using? There is a way to sync/re-sync those lights using a power sequence. >>

I have a normally-closed push-button switch that interrupts the AC to the transformer, in order to cycle through the colors. In retrospect, this may have been what blew the individual lamp controllers. I suspect there is a momentary high-voltage spike when the AC power to the transformer is interrupted. I will change that switch to interrupt the 12 volt output side of the transformer instead of the 120 V supply line.
I have gone through the re-sysc procedure several times to no avail.
It looks like I'll be buying three replacement lights $$$

Have you manually tried "touching/removing" the wires to the activated 12V side of the transformer to try and switch them? I initially tested mine like that. I am really surprised that all 3 would suffer the same failure at once. I actually debated switching the 120V side of the transformers when I installed them...if that ends up being your problem, I had a close call as well.

When I was testing out the timing (fast on/off sequences) for color switching the Treos using my "arduino-like" Photon, the lights DID enter some weird states at times, and I also thought a couple times that I "blew" them. I seem to remember one like your scenario....just getting red lights...and it didn't easily reset until some time (and/or attempts) passed. Sorry, I don't remember specifics but I wouldn't give up quite yet.