Dimmers

[EustaceM]

I'm new when it comes to the actual dimming equipment.

My company is getting portable dimming equipment. Of course I wouldn't be installing/setting it up since I don't know much about them. I tried doing some research but haven't found the answers I'm looking for.


Our light board is a ETC express. (it was given to us by school who updated their equipment)


A few questions I have:


Can you use any light board with them? How would it hook up to them?


What does a portable dimmer rack look like exactly?


Can it just plug into the wall for a power source? Any other power sources should I look into for them?


If we decided to get a few or numerous dimmers how can we hook them all upto the light board.

After set up is it easy to strike them until the next time they needed




At the time I don't know what kind we are getting so I can't provide that info yet.

 

[tdeater]

Once you can get us some more info on what make and model of dimmers you are getting, then we can help. It is hard to provide even a general answer to any of your questions without a bit more info.

 

[josh88]

Second what tdeater said.

Generally speaking without any specifics, if you're using something like this NSI D4 DMX 5 4 Channel Portable Dimmer | Full Compass you can just plug the dimmers into the wall. You'll still need to make sure that you aren't overloading things because you could pop the breaker.

You can use pretty much any dimmer with the board, BUT many of those types of portable dimmers have a 3 pin xlr in and out where as your board is 5 pin xlr. So you'll need an adapter coming out of the board. If you were using something like Strand's CD80's it could look something like this Google Image Result for http://www.prgusedgear.com/root/images/products/32900/1.jpg

WIth some more information we could narrow it down some more.

 

[JD]

Small qualifier: any "DMX" dimmer. Most all newer equipment is DMX, but there is a lot of older equipment that is not. Not all NSI dimmers are DMX as NSI also has a proprietary format that is called Microplex. The ones that are will clearly state that they are.

As far as the power requirements go, this can be a complicated issue. If you are running 20,000 watts of lights, you have to come up with 20,000 watts of power, which you will not get out of a regular outlet. A standard 20 amp outlet can be loaded with about 1,800 watts if there is nothing else plugged into it. Once you venture into a portable rig that exceeds what you can get out of an outlet, you enter a whole new world of code!

 

[emoreth]

Mini packs like the D4 DMX are probably the best solution for small-scale portable systems. They're relatively inexpensive and easy to use (just set the address, mount them near the lights and make sure to distribute them across circuits, like josh88 mentioned), and you can run as many of them as the building's electrical system will handle.

To link a bunch of dimmers into one universe of your console, you can either daisy-chain them (they should have a DMX out just for that purpose) or use a DMX splitter to create multiple cable runs with identical signal. It may be good to equip for both possibilities if you'll be using the mini packs and want flexibility in your system layout. Or you could avoid putting in a splitter by using different universes for different sections of the room. How you decide to handle that question is pretty much a matter of preference.

As for how easy they are to strike, the small ones are no harder to handle than any other piece of lighting equipment. They're about the size of a hardback book, so they pack up quite nicely.

If you feel like your system is too big for mini packs, you could get rack-mount dimmers like the Leviton DS series and put them in a rolling case, but I doubt you can plug those into most wall outlets. . .

 

[len]

IN GENERAL, a rack dimmer needs more power than any wall outlet can provide. Typically, you'll need heavier power, provided by feeder cable, etc. Depending on how big the dimmer is, it MIGHT be powered by say one, 30-amp circuit, which THEORETICALLY could be a large stove type plug. But that's not something for a novice to mess with. Rack dimmers could be on wheels, and they mostly look the same. Google "sensor dimmer rack" for images.

If it's a little shoebox type dimmer, it can be run from one, or maybe two, 15-amp electrical circuits, and in that case it typically gets power from standard edison plugs.

Assuming the dimmers you're getting are dmx-controlled, they connect just like every other dmx instrument, via a data cable. There's tons of threads on CB regarding 3-pin and 5-pin data runs, dmx cabling, etc., so you can search for that.

 

[museav]

As already noted, to answer your questions is going to require knowing what equipment you are getting. It may also require knowing the existing power infrastructure. It seems as though the people determining what you are getting, handling any related installation and setting everything up should be in a much better position to answer many of your questions.

 

[MMirabent]

Also, talk to a licensed electrician about how much power is available in the building. Some older buildings may not have enough open slots in the power distribution panel to provide you with the power you need. This may mean installing sub-panels and added cost you should take into account. If you will be getting any sort of dimmer in a rack (portable or permanently installed) you will need to meet with an electrician anyway to get power hooked up to your rack(s).

 

[kicknargel]

Let's back up a little. I don't think anything anyone said is wrong, but probably confusing for a newbie. Some general info:

-The language that allows lighting consoles (or light board, controller, desk) to talk to dimmers and other gear is 98% standard across the industry. The signal is called DMX. It runs on a special cable commonly (if somewhat incorrectly) called DMX cable, which looks like mic cable but has different shielding and 5 pins instead of 3. Some equipment is starting to use 3 pin connectors, just to make life complicated. You can adapt freely between 5 and 3. Your dimmers, unless very weird/old, will accept DMX signal. If using more than one pack, they will "daisy chain," or plug one into the next.

-There are basically three types of dimming systems:
1. Installed rack. This is permanently hardwired by an electrician, both to its power source and the lighting circuits.
2. Portable rack. This is one rack that usually contains 12-48 dimmers. It will have a temporary connection, usually to 3-phase power. You'll still need an electrician to do the initial hookup, but once done it could technically be unhooked and moved by any properly trained professional. Your building may or may not have appropriate power in place. The rack will have an outlet for each dimmer, and you'll need to run appropriate cable (12/3 SOOW) from the rack to the lights.
3. Portable Dimmer. Often called "shoebox dimmers." These are small units designed to be distributed out near the lights. Most commonly these have 4 dimmers per pack and will plug one pack into one 20 (or 15) amp standard circuit/outlet. You'll need to string your DMX one to the next, etc. The light will plug straight into to pack, or use short (still 12/3 SOOW) extensions.

FYI you can buy DMX cable and 12/3 extensions at any theatrical supply. You can also buy raw SOOW cable and not-the-cheap connectors at any big box, or real hardware or electrical supply. Costs maybe $.80/ft and $10/connector.

 

[museav]

Let's back up a little. I don't think anything anyone said is wrong, but probably confusing for a newbie.

Perhaps the relevant point is that properly selecting this type of equipment can require specific knowledge and information and may not be practical for a "newbie" to accomplish on their own. It is not clear whether the dimmer equipment is in the process of being selected or has already been selected, but in either case that process should involve someone with appropriate expertise and access to all of the necessary information.

And perhaps one of the first factors is what power is available and practical to add. That may require a licensed Electrician or Electrical Engineer to assess, especially if any modifications to the power provisions are being considered, but it may have a major bearing on what is practical or possible. A related factor may be how portable or temporary the dimming would be as applicable code may dictate just how long any temporary wiring can remain in place before it would be considered permanent and have to meet all associated code requirements.

 

[EustaceM]

I am aware that only professionals should set up the equipment. We already decided that no one other than a professional is to set up or help set up the equipment.

I was wondering a few things out of curiosity.