Control/Dimming Change channel that controls house lights?

[twalker1998]

In the theater that I design in, we have 5 channels dedicated to the can lights (I believe they are PAR38 incandescent flood lights) that we turn on before/after the shows and during intermission. There is no way to access the wiring of these lights, so does anybody know if it is possible to change which channel operates them? It would be nice to have them on channels that we for sure won't have any other fixtures plugged into.

 

[sk8rsdad]

It would help to know what sort of control console and/or dimming system you have.

 

[danTt]

It would also help if you can clarify if you are talking about console channels or dimmer "channels", because they are quite different.

 

[twalker1998]

It would help to know what sort of control console and/or dimming system you have.

We have an ETC Express 250 console and a Sensor+ Dimming System, also from ETC.

It would also help if you can clarify if you are talking about console channels or dimmer "channels", because they are quite different.

I would want to change the dimmer "channel."

 

[Lsly]

We have an ETC Express 250 console and a Sensor+ Dimming System, also from ETC.



I would want to change the dimmer "channel."

So you want it come come up on a different channel number than it is right now? First save your current show to a disk. This will be used as a restore point if you have problems. Next you need to re-patch those dimmers to the new channels. You will do this in "Patch", there you will see that the current channel has dimmer/address numbers. Write these down.......then you resign the dimmer to a new channel. The syntax you will use is something like this. "Dimmer X Enter, Channel X Enter" X=the number you type in. Please look at the manual for this console you will find it at ETC's web site, there you will learn all kinds of things. As always you can call ETC and they can help you. ALSO the ETC Forums are great fro info. If you have issues reload that disk I said to make and you will be back to where you were before the changes were made.

Good luck

LS

 

[Lsly]

So you want it come come up on a different channel number than it is right now? First save your current show to a disk. This will be used as a restore point if you have problems. Next you need to re-patch those dimmers to the new channels. You will do this in "Patch", there you will see that the current channel has dimmer/address numbers. Write these down.......then you resign the dimmer to a new channel. The syntax you will use is something like this. "Dimmer X Enter, Channel X Enter" X=the number you type in. Please look at the manual for this console you will find it at ETC's web site, there you will learn all kinds of things. As always you can call ETC and they can help you. ALSO the ETC Forums are great fro info. If you have issues reload that disk I said to make and you will be back to where you were before the changes were made.

Good luck

LS

Here is the link to the manual http://www.etcconnect.com/DOCS/DOCS_DOWNLOADS/MANUALS/EXPRESS_125_250_V3.1_USER_MANUAL.PDF

 

[Amiers]

This would also be a great time to set yourself up with a magic sheet of everything you are running. So that you don't double patch a channel. It's pretty basic 101 for design. Are you new to the console or just lighting in general?

Channel number. Dimmer number. Circuit. Purpose. Location. Color.

 

[twalker1998]

So you want it come come up on a different channel number than it is right now? First save your current show to a disk. This will be used as a restore point if you have problems. Next you need to re-patch those dimmers to the new channels. You will do this in "Patch", there you will see that the current channel has dimmer/address numbers. Write these down.......then you resign the dimmer to a new channel. The syntax you will use is something like this. "Dimmer X Enter, Channel X Enter" X=the number you type in. Please look at the manual for this console you will find it at ETC's web site, there you will learn all kinds of things. As always you can call ETC and they can help you. ALSO the ETC Forums are great fro info. If you have issues reload that disk I said to make and you will be back to where you were before the changes were made.

Good luck

LS

That's not quite what I'm looking for. I guess what I'm asking is is it possible to change the Unique Dimmer Number? I tried physically moving the dimmer module, but that didn't work.

 

[sk8rsdad]

The Sensor+ rack's internal mapping of addresses can be changed, either from the CEM or via the web interface. It is not hard to do, but it is one of those "if you have to ask you probably shouldn't be doing it" questions. Also, all it does is move the problem of people patching things incorrectly to another set of numbers.

 

[coldnorth57]

In the theater that I design in, we have 5 channels dedicated to the can lights (I believe they are PAR38 incandescent flood lights) that we turn on before/after the shows and during intermission. There is no way to access the wiring of these lights, so does anybody know if it is possible to change which channel operates them? It would be nice to have them on channels that we for sure won't have any other fixtures plugged into.

So if i read this properly that you have other fixtures pluged into the house light or can have? hmmm?

 

[twalker1998]

So if i read this properly that you have other fixtures pluged into the house light or can have? hmmm?

Yes we do, and I would like to make it to where the house lights don't come on when we turn those certain channels on.

 

[Lsly]

One dimmer rack for all? Or is there a separate one for the house lights. Sounds like somebody has all ready repatch your system. How many dimmers in your rack? You say the house lights are hard wired. You need to find out what dimmers numbers they are. Then write it down. If your system has duplexed circuits and you are plunging stage lighting fixtures into the ones that are the same numbers as your house lights you are running both on that circuit and dimmer once you patch it to a channel. I'm gonna guess you have a "dimmer per circuit" system. If this is true, circuit one is dimmer one, two is dimmer two, and so on. In this case its best to avoid plunging into the circuits that the house light are in. In fact you could over load it. It could be that you have multi dimmers patched to the same channel in the console aswell. You can see this in "patch" in the console. If it turns out the house lights are patched to channels with circuits that you ues for stage lighting just re-patch them to a different channel and you are good to go. FYI a dimmer can only no in one channel but a channel can have mutible dimmers in it. Documentation in important. Write down any changes you make.

Good luck
LS

 

[twalker1998]

One dimmer rack for all? Or is there a separate one for the house lights. Sounds like somebody has all ready repatch your system. How many dimmers in your rack? You say the house lights are hard wired. You need to find out what dimmers numbers they are. Then write it down. If your system has duplexed circuits and you are plunging stage lighting fixtures into the ones that are the same numbers as your house lights you are running both on that circuit and dimmer once you patch it to a channel. I'm gonna guess you have a "dimmer per circuit" system. If this is true, circuit one is dimmer one, two is dimmer two, and so on. In this case its best to avoid plunging into the circuits that the house light are in. In fact you could over load it. It could be that you have multi dimmers patched to the same channel in the console aswell. You can see this in "patch" in the console. If it turns out the house lights are patched to channels with circuits that you ues for stage lighting just re-patch them to a different channel and you are good to go. FYI a dimmer can only no in one channel but a channel can have mutible dimmers in it. Documentation in important. Write down any changes you make.

Good luck
LS

Everything in my system is patched 1:1. The house lights are controlled by the same dimmer that controls the circuit, but I need that circuit open to plug fixtures into, so if I repatch it, then those circuits will become useless, until I patch a different dimmer to those channels. But, if I do that, then the grid will no longer be in the correct order that we need it to be in. I'm sorry if this isn't making sense, I'm not very good at explaining this in words.

 

[coldnorth57]

so the house lights are hard wired to the dimmer rack and is or are plug that
use the same dimmer

 

[Lsly]

Everything in my system is patched 1:1. The house lights are controlled by the same dimmer that controls the circuit, but I need that circuit open to plug fixtures into, so if I repatch it, then those circuits will become useless, until I patch a different dimmer to those channels. But, if I do that, then the grid will no longer be in the correct order that we need it to be in. I'm sorry if this isn't making sense, I'm not very good at explaining this in words.

Forget channels for now. Do you know what dimmers the house lights are on? You can find out by doing a dimmer check on the console. [Dimmer] 1 [at] [full]. The use the [next] button until they come up. Write the numbers down. Now do those numbers appear on circuits over stage? If so you have duplexed dimmer circuits. There is not much you can do to change this. The only place you can change anything is in the console. Do not remap your rack! This is only gonna move number around and not give you what you want. Your rack was installed by a local vendor no doubt. There should be drawings and charts of the dimmer/circuits you can look there for information. Or call the vendor for help. If it was a ETC install there will be contact info and a job number from ETC. Use this and call ETC tech support.

Your rack has a "starting address" this is a DMX number. I'm gonna guess its 1. On the Express 250 that means that dimmer one is address one. And in your case circuit one. The limiting factor here is the number of dimmers. You say you are one to one. So channel one is dimmer one. It doesn't have to be. Check to name sure that soneone has not changed this. This happens for time to time. You can change it back to one to one in "clear functions" if memory serves.

Again how many dimmers?

 

[rmsy]

The Sensor+ rack's internal mapping of addresses can be changed, either from the CEM or via the web interface. It is not hard to do, but it is one of those "if you have to ask you probably shouldn't be doing it" questions. Also, all it does is move the problem of people patching things incorrectly to another set of numbers.

A dimmer rack with a web interface? That's super cool.


Sincerely,
Ramsey

 

[twalker1998]

Forget channels for now. Do you know what dimmers the house lights are on? You can find out by doing a dimmer check on the console. [Dimmer] 1 [at] [full]. The use the [next] button until they come up. Write the numbers down. Now do those numbers appear on circuits over stage? If so you have duplexed dimmer circuits. There is not much you can do to change this. The only place you can change anything is in the console. Do not remap your rack! This is only gonna move number around and not give you what you want. Your rack was installed by a local vendor no doubt. There should be drawings and charts of the dimmer/circuits you can look there for information. Or call the vendor for help. If it was a ETC install there will be contact info and a job number from ETC. Use this and call ETC tech support.

Your rack has a "starting address" this is a DMX number. I'm gonna guess its 1. On the Express 250 that means that dimmer one is address one. And in your case circuit one. The limiting factor here is the number of dimmers. You say you are one to one. So channel one is dimmer one. It doesn't have to be. Check to name sure that soneone has not changed this. This happens for time to time. You can change it back to one to one in "clear functions" if memory serves.

Again how many dimmers?

I have checked, it is 1:1. Nobody has changed anything. And I know which dimmer controls the house lights, but the channel I need lights to be plugged into controls that dimmer as well. So, when I plug lights into that circuit and turn the channel on, the house lights come on as well. You're saying there's no way to stop the house lights from coming on?

We have 96 dimmers.

 

[Lsly]

And there are 96 circuits over stage? Whom ever installed this system should have limited to avaiable circuits over stage to the remaining dimmers after accounting for the house lights. Dont get me started on installers and dimming systems.,..

Sort answer in no. It is possible if you can re do your channeling and not have fixtures plugged into those repeating circuits/dimmers. His many fixtures do you have? Not the house ones. How are you circuits run? I.e. are they plugs on a wall or do that come out in tails on a pipe or raceway?

 

[Doowop63]

Are you controling your house lights from your board or do you use a "Smart Link"?

 

[twalker1998]

And there are 96 circuits over stage? Whom ever installed this system should have limited to avaiable circuits over stage to the remaining dimmers after accounting for the house lights. Dont get me started on installers and dimming systems.,..

Sort answer in no. It is possible if you can re do your channeling and not have fixtures plugged into those repeating circuits/dimmers. His many fixtures do you have? Not the house ones. How are you circuits run? I.e. are they plugs on a wall or do that come out in tails on a pipe or raceway?

There are 112 available channels above the stage, but only 96 of them work. And our circuits come out in tails on a raceway.

Basically each dimmer that controls the house lights also controls a channel on the grid, but we're not able to use those channels because it would also turn the house lights on. So, I want to change which dimmer operates the house lights, while not changing the dimmer that operates those channels on the grid, and without repatching anything. Is that even possible?