Control/Dimming apollo color scrollers
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sdauditorium
Active Member
What you'll have to do is purchase/rent a power supply unit from Apollo that not only acts as a data relay from the board to the scrollers for the DMX signal, but it also acts as the power supply to the scrollers. The 4-pin scroller cable that is used to daisy-chain the scrollers sends both the signal and power to the scrollers. As a result, the power supply itself is the only thing that gets plugged in to an electrical outlet. I suppose you could plug that unit into a stage dimmer. HOWEVER, I would have it parked or whatever at 100% all the time as dimming it could definitely ruin the power supply.
We are a high school theatre and have 24 of the smart color scrollers from Apollo. For precaution, I always plug it into a non-dimmed source whether its on our electrics or on-stage somewhere.
We are a high school theatre and have 24 of the smart color scrollers from Apollo. For precaution, I always plug it into a non-dimmed source whether its on our electrics or on-stage somewhere.
The set up would be as follows:
DMX from lighting board -> power supply (this not only supplies power to the color scrollers but also the data) -> daisy chained color scrollers (each with their own DMX address).
Your colors would be limited by the string in the scrollers.
The colors would essentially (depending on your lighting board) be dimmers/channels and the level that you set them at gives you various positions on the string.
DMX from lighting board -> power supply (this not only supplies power to the color scrollers but also the data) -> daisy chained color scrollers (each with their own DMX address).
Your colors would be limited by the string in the scrollers.
The colors would essentially (depending on your lighting board) be dimmers/channels and the level that you set them at gives you various positions on the string.
zuixro
Active Member
It's been said here many times, a dimmer _even parked at 100%_ does not put out clean power. It will fry the power supply. Someone said that if an Apollo power supply has been plugged in to a dimmer at any time in it's life, that the warranty is voided.
You'd be better off running a cable off the batten to one of the wings and plugging it into the wall. Or put a Constant Current or Relay module in your dimmer rack.
You'd be better off running a cable off the batten to one of the wings and plugging it into the wall. Or put a Constant Current or Relay module in your dimmer rack.
Plug the scroller power supply into a wall outlet in the wing. The DMX will take care of the color that you want to have the scroller display. There's nothing wrong with having spare circuits available for more lights in case you want a special or something 
The apollo scrollers can be set up for either one channel or two channel control. The first channel is for the actual color, and the second channel is for fan speed, which is only really useful if the scroller is being used FOH. You can throw in up to 16 colors on a colorstring.
Basically, run the female end of the DMX cable running from your light board to the power supply. From here, depending where you place your power supply, you can just plug the 4 pin power cable into the back of the scroller, or run a 4 pin power cable out to it.
Remember to get the correct size power supply for how many scrollers you want to use. Here's the link for the manual, in case you do not have a hard copy.
http://downloads.goapollo.com/Smart Color Manual April09.pdf
Hope this helps
The apollo scrollers can be set up for either one channel or two channel control. The first channel is for the actual color, and the second channel is for fan speed, which is only really useful if the scroller is being used FOH. You can throw in up to 16 colors on a colorstring.
Basically, run the female end of the DMX cable running from your light board to the power supply. From here, depending where you place your power supply, you can just plug the 4 pin power cable into the back of the scroller, or run a 4 pin power cable out to it.
Remember to get the correct size power supply for how many scrollers you want to use. Here's the link for the manual, in case you do not have a hard copy.
http://downloads.goapollo.com/Smart Color Manual April09.pdf
Hope this helps
Sony
Active Member
DO NOT plug your power supply into a Dimmer on your electrics. I have personally witnessed at least 3 Apollo color scroller powersupplies die from this. Two of them were at a high school I used to work at where the previous person in my place had powered 2 150w Apollo supplies using a dimmer. They both stopped working properly within a couple months. You must plug your PSU into a non-dimmed source of power, i.e. a wall outlet, a constant power circuit or a distro, otherwise you are going to have serious problems. Sure it may work for a little while but eventually you are going to ruin your PSU and 100ft of 12ga SOOW with Edison ends to run off the end of your fly pipe and plug into the wall is MUCH cheaper than a new PSU.
It's great to hear all you scroller users helping each other out, kinda makes me feel all warm and fuzzy!
As commented a few times already, color scroller PSUs certainly do not like dimmed power. But they aren't the only animals allergic to dimmed circuits- moving lights and other stepper motor devices live shorter lives when pure wall power isn't used.
Thanks again to you scroller gurus for keeping the solutions flowing while I was away at ProLight + Sound last week.
As commented a few times already, color scroller PSUs certainly do not like dimmed power. But they aren't the only animals allergic to dimmed circuits- moving lights and other stepper motor devices live shorter lives when pure wall power isn't used.
Thanks again to you scroller gurus for keeping the solutions flowing while I was away at ProLight + Sound last week.
