dimmer testing

Is there a little button on the front labeled "Test"?

Normally, one tests a dimmer by plugging in a known-working fixture, then running the dimmer's level up and down on the control console.

Providing us with Brand, make, and model# will allow us to offer trouble-shooting tips.
 
not real sure. there old case dimmers. installed in 1989. will post more info.its a mess. i am helping our churches teck guy. yesterday we where operating intelligent lights plugged into the dimmers. when all of a sudden one side quit working. we went to try and find out what plugs are on what dimmer, but nothing!!! and the old lighting guy has already left. what would yall sugjest we do.
 
yesterday we where operating intelligent lights plugged into the dimmers.

Yea, don't do that. It is possible that you broke the light. Getting an extension cable and running it from a basic wall outlet is a much safer decision. The only time you should run movers out of a dimmer rack is if you have a non-dim module. Otherwise the dimming circuit can seriously damage the internal components of the moving light. (and even if its not a moving head, if it has moving components inside its basically a moving light)

Grab a multi meter, turn on the dimmer however you normally do. Bring it to full and meter the power. You should get 120v (in the US of A) between hot and ground, and hot and neutral. Neutral to ground should be 0v. If your not getting this, there is a problem. If your getting this, be upset, cause you probably broke your mover.

Let us know the type of dimmers and we can possibly help if its a dimmer problem.
 
Grab a multi meter, turn on the dimmer however you normally do. Bring it to full and meter the power. You should get 120v (in the US of A) between hot and ground, and hot and neutral. Neutral to ground should be 0v. If your not getting this, there is a problem. If your getting this, be upset, cause you probably broke your mover.

By the way, for a meaningful measurement, your dimmer needs a load on it. A 75 or 100-watt test light would probably suffice, and it's a good thing to have in the kit anyhow.

If you get no juice into the test light, your dimmer's not working. Check the breakers or fuses, whichever it has (probably breakers) and reset them if they're tripped. If you still get no juice (which is unlikely) you may have blown up your output devices. If your intels don't work plugged into the wall, you may have blown them up. It's likely that only one of these conditions has happened (more likely to the intel) , but I suppose it's possible for both to have happened.
 
STOP! "Before using any electrical equipment or monitoring or measuring device, be sure to read, understand, and follow the manufacturer's safety instructions. And there's no more important safety device than these, safety glasses."
-Norm Abram.

Here is a good resource, from our friends at Fluke.
 
Very true. If your unsure of what your doing, then don't do it. Electricity can kill.
 
...Grab a multi-meter, turn on the dimmer however you normally do. Bring it to full and meter the power. You should get 120v (in the US of A) between hot and ground, and hot and neutral. Neutral to ground should be 0v. If you're not getting this, there is a problem. If you're getting this, be upset, 'cause you probably broke your mover. ...
Several incorrect/incomplete/inaccurate items in the above. For starters, see this thread: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/question-day/8453-voltage-but-no-current-new-post.html
 
1980s dimmer? Some of the dimmers back then used a silver-sand fuse (located inside) in addition to the circuit breaker. (TTI comes to mind) The idea was that the breaker would trip on sustained overloads, but the fuse would catch the type of short super-overloads that would blow SCRs. These fuses were also called "rectifier fuses" as they were often used in other industries to protect rectifiers. (Same concept.) Usually, a 2.4k dimmer would have a 20 amp breaker on front, but also have a 35 amp silver-sand fuse inside. As SCRs got bigger and more durable the SS fuses became a thing of the past.

The response time of the SS fuses was much quicker than the breaker. Often, the SS would go before the breaker, especially on lamp failures.

Type: KAA or KAW Sample- http://www.nextag.com/KAW-fuse/search-html
 
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Oh wow. Yea, intels get pricey quick. I think it was CB member TimMiller who had to deal with a school that did the same thing you did. The school quickly found out how many thousands of dollars repairs can cost.
 
One of these, usually called a Moving Light Power Distro (ML PD).
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Or just plug the intels directly into the wall.

The data link handles all control functions, including dimming, dowsing, color, all that stuff. Feed 'em always-on-without-dimmer-or-anything electricity and then DMX data.
 
Or just plug the intels directly into the wall.

The old handy wall outlet! Did a gig last month at Dover Downs and the house electrician was very late showing up. There were six 20 amp wall outlets stage side so I just ran all the movers off of them and programmed up my routines. Good thing as the house guy showed up 40 minutes before show time, which gave me just enough time to aim the conventionals and get off the stage. Never did switch them over to my distro. Show went fine. (Same guy with the "Fused Distro" argument.)
 

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