Flickering Lights

[Chaos is Born]

Ok, So this has been puzzling me for some time now. Our house lights in one section of one of our dimmer racks are flickering every so often. Up until today i thought it was caused by humidity. But today when they flickered i went up to the Racks and there was a RH of 30%, Usually the flickering hadn't happend till twice that amount.

What else could cause flickering in a set of dimmers, Dims and Non-Dims alike?

There are 4 of them in a T pattern in the Rack, the three on one level and the center one on the level below them.

[jmabray]

Ummm, I have never seen humidity cause flickering. Not saying that it can't - I just have never seen it.

We need some more information before we can help. What rack is it? Can you describe more about this "T" Pattern?

[avkid]

Originally Posted by jmabray

Ummm, I have never seen humidity cause flickering. Not saying that it can't - I just have never seen it.

It rains inside our building when it rains outside.(through a pipe into a trash can now)
I have never seen that happen either.

[JD]

Need a lot of more information!
How many dimmer units are involved?
If more than 1, do they flicker in sync with each other?
Is it an analog or digital control system?
Flickering can be caused by anything from a loose lug in a power distribution panel (bad) to a bad capacitor in a dimmer's ramp generator. On analog systems, noise can occur in the control snake if there is moisture inside. On digital systems, the dimmer interface module could be going bad. Generally, humidity is not a factor unless something else is compromised. (Insulation, mold on a control board, cracked capacitors, etc.)

[Chaos is Born]

How many dimmer units are involved?
4 the most recent time, 2 previously

If more than 1, do they flicker in sync with each other?
in sync with each other

Is it an analog or digital control system?
Strand SLD Rack with Sin wave dimmers


The T pattern:

1, 2, 3
4, 5, 6

That pattern, Dimmers 1, 2, 3, and 5 flashing, all right above the control module.

[jmabray]

Which two were doing it previously?

Have you talked to Strand about this problem?

Sine wave dimmers in a community Theatre???

[Chaos is Born]

the two in that pattern that were doing it before was: 2 and 5

Strand doesn't know whats going on, and it hasn't replicated itself when they have been here so they say they can't help us.

Its considered a Regional theatre. It is a city building so someone somewhere along the lines of getting equipment pulled some strings to get one Sin Wave Dimmer rack and two standard SLDs

We do mostly rentals of the space, and we have a local community theatre group that does their shows here that has first priority on dates. We've even done a few weddings in the theatre.

[avkid]

Call the city electrician and have the power monitored for a period of time.
Voltage and frequency could be fluctuating.

And/or call Duke Energy to see if they have been having been problems(tis peak season)

[Chaos is Born]

Originally Posted by avkid

Call the city electrician and have the power monitored for a period of time.
Voltage and frequency could be fluctuating.

Wouldn't this effect more than just 4 dimmers out of the 15 that are on the same rack?

[avkid]

Originally Posted by Chaos is Born

Wouldn't this effect more than just 4 dimmers out of the 15 that are on the same rack?

It possible they are just a tad more sensitive.