Suspending Line Arrays w/ Genie Super Towers

[MNicolai]

I got the numbers back from the rigging contractors on this project and it's really quite expensive to include the weight of line arrays on the lift lines for the truss. The use of line arrays may represent only one or two percent of the use of the venue in a given year. As such, I want to remove (2400) lbs of the safe working load (SWL) from the truss and knock it down to just the (1500) lbs for the lighting.

Doing that gives me a few different options. We can work out something with a structural engineer to make certain we can suspend line arrays from the roof structure that does not influence the SWL of the lighting truss, or we can suspend line arrays from a Super Tower (or equivalent). I'm about to contact a couple lift distributors to talk to them about the costs of renting or purchasing Super Towers. Really, it doesn't even make a lot of sense for us to own Super Towers if we'd only use them a few times a year. I worked a concert a couple weeks ago that even carried two Super Lifts in their truck for any venues they went to that didn't have locations to rig line arrays from.

So Super Towers? Are they any good? Are there any problems that we'd run into if we wanted to suspend line arrays from them? Are there reasons groups might not want us to suspend their arrays from these?

[Footer]

They have a rather large footprint from what I remember. Its a back pocket thing IMO. If you are going to be renting the array, adding the towers will be a drop in the bucket. I would have them point in a few points in your ceiling and walk away.

[MNicolai]

Ideally we could have get the points setup after we talk to the structural engineer, but the problem is that the location is directly above our orchestra pit covers. That means we can't drive a scissor lift over it because it weighs too much. Although, if we purchase a good one-man lift we can get high enough to hook the chains up each time.

I hadn't thought of that until now. I've done that a couple times on this project. I design around us not having a one-man lift, but it's gotten to the point I think it's just so much cheaper to buy the one man lift. We did truss because you could focus without needing a lift. I was thinking about not being able to have permanent points for chain hoists installed because we don't have a one-man lift to get to the points with. All in all, I'm just going to cut a lot of the crap out and include the cost of the lift in the project.

[mstaylor]

If you can make them hangable it is always better. A Supertower is a good lift but only rated for 600lbs so you have to think how big an array you want to hang. Also they do have a large footprint, as mentioned, and if you are putting them in the pit you have to make sure you have room to put them where they need to be but aren't hitting steps or pit walls.
I have used this method many times, you just have to make sure you have room.

[TimmyP1955]

This might be a good reason to review whether a line array is truly the right rig for the room. There may be a trap system that's as well or better suited that would cut the weight way down and allow you to stick with using the truss (Danley comes to mind).

[themuzicman]

A few outdoor gigs I worked used Super Tower's to raise our line arrays, from what I remember about using them was that the footprint was rather big, so 2 of our 4 arrays ended up being attached to the frame of the building and the other 2 were on super towers.

The super towers were great though, 1 operator, got the speakers off the truck, attached, and up in about 20 minutes! Load out was just as easy.

[MNicolai]

This might be a good reason to review whether a line array is truly the right rig for the room. There may be a trap system that's as well or better suited that would cut the weight way down and allow you to stick with using the truss (Danley comes to mind).

We already have a house system that's not a line array. As a roadhouse though, we want to make certain we have the ability to hang arrays when groups come in, either from the roof structure or from towers.

I'm trying to arrange getting rigging points setup that arrays can be flown from via hoists, but we'd need to use a lift to hook the chains to them. Our apron where these would be flown above is primarily a Wenger orchestra pit cover system, and even the part that's concrete is actually a concrete overhang that the orchestra pit is below. So the apron is basically a big shelf. If we can't use a lift because they're too heavy on those structures, we'd be screwed -- probably either way.

A one-man 40' lift would be required to rig the chains to the roof structure, or we would need to use Super Towers (or equvialents) to suspend arrays from, which would then also concentrate lots of weight onto our apron floor. So before we can proceed with anything, I need to get a structural engineer to tell us how much the concrete shelf can support, and Wenger to give us an idea how much their pit covers can support.

[Footer]

If you guys did not want to buy a lift, it might be cheaper to hang 4 motors "motor up". Not the best solution, but... there it is.

I would still move towards the installing the points and buying the lift... but its an option. You would have to take into account installing a controller in the building and all that fun stuff. It would cut down on labor later on if thats a concern. It might also give you some additional options in lighting world or something like that.

[BillESC]

I agree, if the points are available, motor up eliminates most if not all of your problems.

[fx120]

At my company we have a total of 8 super towers in our inventory that we have been using for about 15 years now and they're still going strong.
There are several problems with hanging arrays off of super towers, the main one being that the forks aren't long enough to support really wide arrays, so anything bigger than the "compact" arrays are out. Trim height and working load are also quite limiting, at only 24' and 600lbs respectively.

The large footprint isn't so much of an issue for us because we mainly use them outdoors or in exhibition halls where flat floorspace isn't hard to come by, but there are no available permanent points. But in a theater I could see it being much more of an issue.

I think in the long run you're going to miss having permanent points, even if they're not part of the lighting truss.