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Proper DMX Wiring Guide | White Paper

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Insight Lighting Cable Guide

Congratulations on your decision to embark on the thrilling of wiring DMX, the universal language through which lights
converse, mingle, and occasionally throw dazzling parties. This guide will ensure your voyage of DMX wiring is as
smooth as possible.

TOOLS REQUIRED

Essential implements for successful DMX installation
  • • Wire Strippers
  • • Screwdrivers
  • • Electrical Tape
  • • Multimeter

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

The core components for your DMX network
  • • DMX Controller – The brains of the operation.
  • • DMX Data Splitter – The heart of the operation.
  • • DMX Configuration Tool – Your trusty configuration & installation setup companion.
  • • RS-485 cable – critical for clear and safe communication across dangerous building electrical environments (with cores for DMX+, DMX-, and DMX Reference).
  • • Leader Cables – Your conversion cable between bare wires and a connectorized main bus (optional depend ing on fixture models).
  • • Jumper Cables – To extend your main bus (optional depending on fixturemodels).
  • • Main Bus Tap Cables (aka Tee Taps) – To give each singular fixture its own private view of the main bus, (optional depending on fixture models). Not to be used to create multiple runs in different directions.
  • • Lighting Fixtures – The main event that everyone is going to appreciate.
  • • Data Terminator – Small but mighty and easily lost, always required and critical to prevent data reflections, noise, and other undesirable symptoms, always connected across DMX+ and DMX- at the end of every data bus run, no exceptions.

Live to Live, Neutral to Neutral, Earth to Earth:

  • • Connect these power wires first, ensuring your lights have the juice needed to perform.
  •    - Live (Black, power)
  •    - Neutral (White, return path for power)
  •    - Earth Ground (Green, safety line)
  • • DMX+ to DMX+, DMX- to DMX - These are your data carriers; ensure they're connected correctly to facilitate clear communication.
  • • DMX+ (Red, aka data positive or data true)
  • • DMX- (Orange, aka data negative or data false, opposite of DMX+)
  • • DMX Reference to DMX Reference
  • • The unsung hero, common low voltage for the data wires, wrapped around DMX+ and DMX- preventing data interference, data storms, and other unwanted issues. This hard working wire cannot be allowed to make contact with chassis ground or earth ground, as this would take all of it’s miraculous strengths away.
  • • DMX Reference (Gray, aka shield common, data common, or data link common)
  • • Strip the ends of your cables
  • • Twist the strands to ensure they're neat and ensure there are no stray wires on the DMX Shield or any where else that could incidentally contact somewhere they should not.
  • • It’s important to take care on this, as these incidental connections can cause all kinds of noise and issues that can be very difficult to track down after installation and in some cases can cause permanent damage to the equipment.
  • • All wiring should be connected through out the entire system properly according to the diagrams specified by each fixture (please refer to our website product library if required)
  • • https://insightlighting.com/allproducts/
  • • Controller to data splitters; data splitters to lights, lights to terminators.
  • • One terminator for every one output port.
  • • The output port always starts the run, and the terminator always finishes the run.
  • • No data splits without data splitters.

The RDM Tool is a powerful DMX/RDM measurement and test tool. It allows for RDM addressing and monitoring of Insight Lighting (and 3rd party) products that have RDM capability while also being able to test all elements of the DMX data signal to ensure proper system operation. It includes a 9V battery for portable operation, micro-usb option, and hardwire cable adapter for non-XLR applications.
Daisy Chaning Wiring Image

The RDM Tool is a powerful DMX/RDM measurement and test tool. It allows for RDM addressing and monitoring of Insight Lighting (and 3rd party) products that have RDM capability while also being able to test all elements of the DMX data signal to ensure proper system operation. It includes a 9V battery for portable operation, micro-usb option, and hardwire cable adapter for non-XLR applications.

With everything connected, it's time to test and use your handy multimeter. These tests should be done as follows:

  • • All power should be off to every device (controller, splitters, and fixtures)
  • • Using the resistance function of your multimeter
  • • At the beginning of each data bus run typically at the data splitter
  • • Specify the units in case this information is required later

Some measurements have been pre-filled in for you. These are typical of every installation, and yours should be approximately the same. Additionally, there should be no continuity between any of the following measurements. If this continuity is found, it is indicative of a wire gone astray from its job, and touching somewhere it should not.

Testing Chart Image

Each fixture in your DMX universe may need a unique address depending on the design and requirements of your installation, a number from 1 to 512, which tells it when to dance and when to rest. Setting addresses is like telling your f ixture where it lives on a street; it's crucial for understanding which party to go to, or where to deliver the mail. This will be done using one of the available DMX configuration tools.

If a fixture doesn't respond, double-check your wiring. A single misplaced wire strand can cause all kinds of symptoms in an entire system. Use your multimeter to check for continuity and correct voltage levels. A misbehaving fixture(s) often just needs a little extra attention to detail.

If you require further assistance after this point, please reach out to one of our tech support people, and they’ll be glad to go over your project with you.

support@insightlighting.com
505-835-2826

Thank you!