Apollo Smart Color Color Scrollers Fan

[hamlett22]

I am setting up some Apollo Smart Color scrollers.

I use an ETC Element board (brand new... loving it)

I set the fan to run off the 2nd DMX channel expecting the fan to power off when the unit is not used (luminaire at 0%). However the fans stay running when the unit is off or not scrolling ... when the light is at 0%. Mmm, how can I turn the unit off (or at least the fan) when it is idle and not in use.

I can control, via the board, the fan speed when the unit is on (slow, med. high).

Any idea on what I am doing wrong?

I assumed those fans would be off when not in use. I don't want them to run forever and a day eating juice and making noise when not needed.

Thanks

Hamlett22

 

[starksk]

... I set the fan to run off the 2nd DMX channel expecting the fan to power off when the unit is not used (luminaire at 0%). However the fans stay running when the unit is off or not scrolling ... when the light is at 0%. Mmm, how can I turn the unit off (or at least the fan) when it is idle and not in use.

I can control, via the board, the fan speed when the unit is on (slow, med. high).

Any idea on what I am doing wrong?

I assumed those fans would be off when not in use. I don't want them to run forever and a day eating juice and making noise when not needed.

Hi Hamlett22,

The Scroller_Fan parameter does not fade with intensity at this time. You can however record into your cues the level at which you want your fan to be at the same time you write your intensity off move instruction.

I am curious which software version and fixture template you are using. I just looked at the latest (version 1.9.1) Smart Color templates with fan control and they do home with the fan off. If you are using this version, you might simply want to home the fan in the cues that you do not want the fan on in.

Also, as more of an under the hood explaination of how the Scroller_Fan parameter is defined by default, the output is inverted. This means that the display on the screen in percentage reads as the percentage of the fan's speed you are using (e.g.: 80 = 80% of full speed). The output however is inverted, thus DMX 255 = fan off. This is to match what is specified in the Smart Color Manual.

 

[hamlett22]

HI

thank you for the reply.

Can i tell the smart color scollers to stop the fan when I power off the board or when I am not using them?

think of it this way... no cues are set... or we are between shows... the units are not used for a week or two weeks at a time... i don't want the fans to sit there and run all that downtime.

what can i do to tell the scrollers to power down the fan when i am not using them?

hamlett22

 

[starksk]

I am sure Kelite will correct me if I am wrong, but my reading of the manual is that the fan will be on when the Scroller is receiving power and it is set in a mode looking for remote control of the fan from a lighting desk. As it would be essentially seeing no DMX on the fan channel, the fan would stay on at high speed until changed by the console.

I would recommend that you power off the power supplies when you are not using the scrollers in between shows.

During shows, you could home the Scroller_Fan attribute on the Element and that should tell the fan to be off (until you shut off the console).

 

[icewolf08]

Can i tell the smart color scollers to stop the fan when I power off the board or when I am not using them?

think of it this way... no cues are set... or we are between shows... the units are not used for a week or two weeks at a time... i don't want the fans to sit there and run all that downtime.

what can i do to tell the scrollers to power down the fan when i am not using them?

Short answer: Yes, turn them off.

Long Answer:

As long as power is applied to the power supplies (I assume SmartPower units) the scrollers will be on. Since the fan speed control channel is inverted, when there is no DMX signal the scroller sees is as 0, thus the fan will run. So, the only solution is to power off the scrollers when they are not in use. I find that the easiest way to do this is to put a relay card in my dimmer racks and then plug any devices like scroller PSUs into those circuits. If this is not an option for you, then plug the scrollers in to a standard switched circuit or in an an easy to reach outlet where you can unplug them at the end of the day.

 

[coldnorth57]

I use a number of smart color scrollers and we unplug them between shows. As for fan noise, we have the scrollers mounted on source 4 pars with 575w bulbs and with heat shield gel in place we can turn the fans right down low. Also we have had to lube the fan bearing every once in a while, you can get at the bearing that is under the sticker in the center of the fan and then put a drop of oil on the bearing and then cover it back with gaft tape.

 

[hamlett22]

HI

thank you for your responses....

Looks like I will have to power them off at the end of the day.

I appreciate your advice.

Note to Apollo- program the device with a Control Board template that shuts off the fan power when the luminaire is set to 0 or there is NO dmx signal asking the device to increase the fan's speed. Since board's like the ETC Element have a built in template, that marries the device as a part to a luminaire, it should be fairly simple to increase the fan speed as the luminaire's intensity is increased and vice versa.

Thanks all,

hamlett22

 

[icewolf08]

HI

thank you for your responses....

Looks like I will have to power them off at the end of the day.

I appreciate your advice.

Note to Apollo- program the device with a Control Board template that shuts off the fan power when the luminaire is set to 0 or there is NO dmx signal asking the device to increase the fan's speed. Since board's like the ETC Element have a built in template, that marries the device as a part to a luminaire, it should be fairly simple to increase the fan speed as the luminaire's intensity is increased and vice versa.

There actually is a logic behind why the fan speed channel works the way it does. With the inverse channel, it helps to protect users from burning up their gel strings. If you forget to adjust the fan speed channel it would default to on, this saving your gel.

As for your request to Apollo, that is kind of misdirected. A scroller is inherently a dumb device. It has no idea when the fixture it is attached to is on or off. Your request would be better directed at the people who write the fixture profiles for control consoles.

 

[coldnorth57]

There is in the ETC Element pacth profiles something called "Scroller Fan Curves" that can be set to change fan speed as the intensity changes. So go and look into the latest ECT update;
http://www.etcconnect.com/docs/docs...ly_v1.9_Operations_Manual_Supplement_RevA.pdf