Apollo Color Scrollers

[Morpheus]

So, I'm currently the ME for a production of Much Ado About Nothing, and the guest LD has spec'd out about 20 Apollo color scrollers. They are all very recently purchased, the SmartColor series i believe?
Anyway, the one question we have about them is the fan - it's rather loud, even when they're in the cats, ~25' up.

Basically, we are wondering if there is a way to stop the fan, or at least severely slow it down... I know there is the dip-switch on the front for fan control, but I'm not exactly clear on what it does, or if it would help (although, it seems it will.) I'm not sure of the current position of this switch, although I have a feeling they are all set to the 'activated' position, the normal LD is very sensitive to noise.

Any help would be appreciated, especially if you happen to work with these particular units... (Kelite )

 

[Footer]

The fan switch can be set to slow or fast. It can also be setup to be controlled via a DMX channel. I have used smartcolors for a good amount of time and the only time I have set the fan speed to high is if it was on a 1k par or 1k fresnel. If you are using S4's at either 575 or 750, you can set it to low. I do not recommend you run the fan speed DMX channel because it can easily be forgotten about.

 

[Morpheus]

The fan switch can be set to slow or fast. It can also be setup to be controlled via a DMX channel. I have used smartcolors for a good amount of time and the only time I have set the fan speed to high is if it was on a 1k par or 1k fresnel. If you are using S4's at either 575 or 750, you can set it to low. I do not recommend you run the fan speed DMX channel because it can easily be forgotten about.

Ok. Well, I didn't know about the DMX channel, but it's good to know about.

The specific use is S4 PARnels at 750. There are actually two sets, Front A/Front B... so one set will be used while the other rolls into position, and then they'll swap. Also, the designer has told me that he isn't using them that heavily, so burn-out isn't a big deal (for him, anyway.)
Tomorrow when I go back in, I'll check out the speed options, including via DMX.

 

[Kelite]

Hi guys,

As Footer correctly stated, the SmartColor family has fan speed control options both on the unit as well as DMX controlled. Also, the DMX channel for the fan speed is handy, assuming the programmer/user remembers this function when one project is finished and next one begins.

The fan noise concerns me, and I would like to know more about these particular units as time allows you to check on them up close and personal. With the Apollo Gel Shield attached to the units as a factory standard, the fan speed can certainly be run slower with the fixtures you've mentioned. The factory default for the fan speed is quite quick, as long gel string life is very important to us. You should find the strings last a really long time, which in turn brings the long-term cost of the scrollers down significantly...

 

[GageStryker]

I've been working with the SmartColor 7.25s for some time now in an install location on ETC S4 PARs (750W MFL). There's a dip switch for fast/quiet - I've found the "quiet" setting isn't that much slower end to end, and the noise is much quieter (although I have 30 units at a 38' trim height, running in "fast" mode, and I'm just fine for noise (although I'm doing concerts, not theatre, so noise isn't as big of a deal).

I would reccomend the "quiet" setting, and if you're looking long-term, check and replace the fans. I originally had mine running always on and on fast fan speed and ended up burning out some fans (although they're fairly straightforward to replace - your local electronics store should have some, they cost me about $12 apiece and took 3 min to swap out).

I've lost fans and subsequently burned through the gel shield, but STILL haven't managed to lose a gel string in over two years.

Hmm... I might have to set mine to "quiet" next maintenance cycle and see if that helps with the fan life.

 

[Kelite]

Gagestryker,

Are/were the scrollers and PSUs turned on the entire time, running the fans and at the ready?

 

[Syphilis]

It can also be setup to be controlled via a DMX channel.

I swear, by next year my coffee will be DMX controlled.

 

[Morpheus]

I swear, by next year my coffee will be DMX controlled.

...I think Doug Fleenor has one.


Anyway, what I think happened, for those that know what I'm talking about, was they flipped switch 1, fan control/always high and then flipped switch 4, fast/quiet...

today the LD called apollo, and we got instructions how to change speed... set to channel 992 etc. etc.


And that's that, now we just need to actually change all of them.
Thanks all.

 

[Kelite]

think[/i] happened, for those that know what I'm talking about, was they flipped switch 1, fan control/always high and then flipped switch 4, fast/quiet...

today the LD called apollo, and we got instructions how to change speed... set to channel 992 etc. etc.


And that's that, now we just need to actually change all of them.
Thanks all.

Ah, kind of the worse case scenario- fast fast fast, and fast fast fast.

I'm glad Dave or Gary was able to assist you! Please let us know if this solves your db issue-

 

[GreyWyvern]

Morpheus, I'm glad I could help! If you have anymore questions or issues, please call back. If any of the fans are making more noise than just the typical whirring/air moving noise, they should be swapped out for good ones. When they go bad, they either quit running at all or make a much louder noise.

Gage, If you get fans from an electronics store for about $12, rather than from us for less than $12, just be sure you are getting the correct fan.

Just to clarify some...
Dip switch 4 is for the gel string speed. Fast is a set speed at about 2 seconds end to end. Quiet is a user set variable speed that can range from about 2 seconds up to 30 seconds end to end.
Dip switch 1 is for the fan speed. Fan On is high speed. Fan Speed Control is user set for low, medium, DMX address +1 (variable), or DMX address 512 (variable).

Also, just to note, it is not recommended to leave scrollers powered up all of the time. It puts added wear an some components, such as the fan, which sucks in more dust. Also, if they are never powered down, they don't get the power on reset, which can lead to calibration problems.

 

[ajb]

If the fans are still loud or make a grinding or warbling sound they may need to be cleaned if not replaced as well, especially if they've been exposed to lots of dust. If this is the case, take a look at the optical encoder as well, since dust buildup there can cause erratic operation.

 

[Kelite]

Gagestryker,

Are/were the scrollers and PSUs turned on the entire time, running the fans and at the ready?

 

[Morpheus]

Keith and Dave, thanks for the help!
The scrollers are now quiet enough to not be heard - the default "low" setting works just fine.

I've got the power set up so that the outlet the suppies are on is controlled by a breaker down on stage... behind a panel people know not to mess with


And yes, we reset dip switch 4, so that it scrolls as fast as we tell it to.

 

[bdkdesigns]

Just goes to prove that you learn something new everyday. I didn't realize that the Quiet mode was adjustable. How do you adjust the speed that it goes through.

We most commonly use our scrollers in "The Open Space" which is a open layout dance studio that turns into a small proscenium style dance space. The grid is about 18' in the air and we often assign beginning lighting design students in that space. Thirty scrollers quickly changing frames in between pieces in a small space is distracting but on the factory default setting, sometime we can't get to the proper gel in time. It would be awesome to split that difference!

 

[Kelite]

Just goes to prove that you learn something new everyday. I didn't realize that the Quiet mode was adjustable. How do you adjust the speed that it goes through.

We most commonly use our scrollers in "The Open Space" which is a open layout dance studio that turns into a small proscenium style dance space. The grid is about 18' in the air and we often assign beginning lighting design students in that space. Thirty scrollers quickly changing frames in between pieces in a small space is distracting but on the factory default setting, sometime we can't get to the proper gel in time. It would be awesome to split that difference!

Glad you asked, bdkdesigns-

(EDIT: Depending upon the age of the Smart Color scroller, DIP switch 4 has had this feature...)

The FAST and QUIET mode (DIP switch #4) allows the user to select either 2 second or 8 second end-to-end calibration of the gel string. Actual string speeds are controlled by resetting the factory default scrolling speed, and is easily done in the following manner:

Set the three rotary switches to 900 for the fastest speed or 915 for the slowest speed. The 901-914 range fine tunes the range of gel scrolling speeds available with 909 being the factory default speed.
Press the TEST button to set the default speed. (The lil' black button on the
front)
Then set the DMX address with the rotary switches and press TEST again.

You're done!

Please let me know if this answers your question!

 

[Kelite]

Apologies for previously posting a link to the current 2010 Apollo Smart Color scroller (which has been removed), as the 'how-to-change-calibration-speed' affects older Smart Color scrollers. As Dave Stauss noticed, the DIP switch #4 feature I mentioned is not present in the current manual at the Apollo web site. After speaking with one of our marketing specialists, we may add an ARCHIVED PRODUCT MANUAL area within our site to assist those with older Apollo products.