If power is reaching your controller box but the fuses are repeatedly blowing, it’s crucial to identify and address the root cause. Blown fuses can interrupt your lighting setup and indicate underlying issues that require attention.

Important Initial Step - Check the Fuses

1. Safety Warning: Do not touch anything inside the controller box while it is plugged in.

2. Fuse Indicator Lights: If the fuse is good, a green light will appear next to it. A red light indicates the fuse is blown.

3. Replace the Fuse: Before troubleshooting further, replace the blown fuse with one of the same rating. Using a fuse with a different rating can cause additional issues.

Here are some common causes and their solutions:

1. Incorrect Settings for the Maximum Current Limiter

Cause: Settings in the app for the maximum current limiter may be set too high, causing excessive current draw and blowing fuses.

Solution:

• Adjust the maximum current limiter in the app:

  1. Open the app and navigate to Config > LED Preferences.

  2. Locate the box for the current limiter at the top of the screen.

  3. Reduce the current limit by 500-1000 mA and test the system to see if the issue resolves.

2. Possible Short

Cause: Improper wiring or short circuits can lead to a direct connection between positive and negative wires, which will likely blow a fuse immediately.

Solution:

• Double-check all wiring connections for shorts.

• Ensure that no exposed wires are touching and that the positive and negative wires are properly aligned.

3. Oversized Lighting Runs

Cause: Controller boxes are designed for a maximum number of LEDs per output. Newer boxes with two data outputs are meant for 150 feet per output, while older boxes with a single data output are designed for 100-200 feet depending on the kit size. Exceeding these limits can draw excessive power and blow a fuse.

Solution:

• Adjust the maximum current limiter in the app:

  1. Open the app and navigate to Config > LED Preferences.

  2. Locate the box for the current limiter at the top of the screen.

  3. Reduce the current limit by 500-1000 mA and test the system to see if the issue resolves.
     

• The ideal solution is to adjust your installation so that your runs are not over the maximum, but the easiest solution is to reduce the maximum current as described above. 

4. Not Enough Power Injection

Cause: When insufficient power is injected into the setup, it may cause too much current to flow through a single output on the controller, resulting in blown fuses.

Solution:

• Verify that power injection is done correctly.

• Power should be injected roughly every 50 feet to distribute the load evenly and avoid overloading any single output.
  

• If you don't want to redo your power injection, you can lower the current limiter as described in the previous steps.

5. Loose Connections

Cause: Loose or intermittent connections can create spikes in current draw, which can blow fuses unpredictably.

Solution:

• Inspect all splices and connections thoroughly.

• Redo any connections that appear loose or unreliable. This issue can often be intermittent, so be meticulous when checking.