ETA Lighting Questions Answered
- Thread starterroscoethedog
- Start date
RoscoeTheDog,
I have a 1612 board that "was" working, until I tried to clean it.
I was having an intermittent contact problem, so I tried to clean it with contact cleaner and now I get no response on any channel. Do you have any technical info (wiring, circuit, etc.) I could use to try to troubleshoot the problem ?
Woof,
Jack
I have a 1612 board that "was" working, until I tried to clean it.
I was having an intermittent contact problem, so I tried to clean it with contact cleaner and now I get no response on any channel. Do you have any technical info (wiring, circuit, etc.) I could use to try to troubleshoot the problem ? Woof,
Jack
I think I found what I need. This site has a bunch of ETA stuff online, including schematics.
Index of /manuals/STARINMANUALS/ETA/Archive.
But if you do know anyone who could fix it PLEASE let me know, because I am not THAT good.
Index of /manuals/STARINMANUALS/ETA/Archive.
But if you do know anyone who could fix it PLEASE let me know, because I am not THAT good.
I just picked up an ESA 1234 controller and an ESA 1253 dimmer pack. Looking for a manual for the 1234. It came with one cable connecting lights bank 1-4. Would like another cable to connect 5-8. Also, not sure where to plug the second cable in on the dimmer pack, I have two connections on the back, one says in, the other says out. Any information you can give me would be great
Tom Bauer
ETA Dimmer Packs
I'm sourcing some dimmer packs for a local non profit theatre, and I came across a bunch of ETA 1856, 8 channel 2.4kw dimmer packs. I was thinking of going with around 40 channels of these, and it would also come with a power distro, and ETC Response 96 out to get our DMX signal to the analog one that the dimmers take. Would this all be worthwhile for around $600? Installation would be provided as well.
My second question involves how much power would be required. What I've figured from my basic fuzzy math is that I would need 320 amps/phase... Thats not really feasible in this older building. I think the maximum I would be able to get away with would probably be at most 200 amps/phase.
Thanks for any responses
I'm sourcing some dimmer packs for a local non profit theatre, and I came across a bunch of ETA 1856, 8 channel 2.4kw dimmer packs. I was thinking of going with around 40 channels of these, and it would also come with a power distro, and ETC Response 96 out to get our DMX signal to the analog one that the dimmers take. Would this all be worthwhile for around $600? Installation would be provided as well.
My second question involves how much power would be required. What I've figured from my basic fuzzy math is that I would need 320 amps/phase... Thats not really feasible in this older building. I think the maximum I would be able to get away with would probably be at most 200 amps/phase.
Thanks for any responses
Re: ETA Dimmer Packs
Hmmm, these perhaps?
1. That seems like a good price, but be aware these packs haven't been made since the late 1980s. ETA, originally of Twinsburg, OH is still around (www.etasys.com), but no longer in the stage lighting business and now makes only power conditioning equipment. During their heyday, their products were comparable in quality and price to today's Leprecon, NSI, Lightronics products. Search on here--we've discussed them before. As with any gear that old, I hope you know a good electronics repair technician, one capable of troubleshooting triac circuits without a schematic.
2. Power required is based on the connected LOAD, not on the dimmer's faceplate rating.*
If you put one 100W lamp on each of the 40x2.4kW dimmers, you'd need ~11A per leg on a Three-phase, four-wire plus ground service. At the other end of the extreme, if you loaded each dimmer with 2400W (which is nearly impossible to do given standard stage lamp wattages), you'd need (40*2400)/120/3=266.67A per leg. A 200A service is likely quite adequate. For simplicity's sake, I'd buy as many dimmer packs as the distro will allow (and perhaps one spare to use as parts).
*See the collaborative article Dimmer feeds--How much power is enough? - ControlBooth .
Hmmm, these perhaps?
1. That seems like a good price, but be aware these packs haven't been made since the late 1980s. ETA, originally of Twinsburg, OH is still around (www.etasys.com), but no longer in the stage lighting business and now makes only power conditioning equipment. During their heyday, their products were comparable in quality and price to today's Leprecon, NSI, Lightronics products. Search on here--we've discussed them before. As with any gear that old, I hope you know a good electronics repair technician, one capable of troubleshooting triac circuits without a schematic.
2. Power required is based on the connected LOAD, not on the dimmer's faceplate rating.*
If you put one 100W lamp on each of the 40x2.4kW dimmers, you'd need ~11A per leg on a Three-phase, four-wire plus ground service. At the other end of the extreme, if you loaded each dimmer with 2400W (which is nearly impossible to do given standard stage lamp wattages), you'd need (40*2400)/120/3=266.67A per leg. A 200A service is likely quite adequate. For simplicity's sake, I'd buy as many dimmer packs as the distro will allow (and perhaps one spare to use as parts).
*See the collaborative article Dimmer feeds--How much power is enough? - ControlBooth .
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JD
Well-Known Member
Re: ETA Dimmer Packs
Power calculations have more to do with expected load then the numeric number of dimmers at X wattage.
Briefly: A 200 amp 3 phase source should give you 57k of available load. ((200 x 3) X 0.8) X 120 = 57.6 kw
There is really more to load calculation then the brief sentence above. It would be wise to get some professional consolation on this.
EDIT:
Looks like Derek beat me again! Don't you ever sleep or eat?
Power calculations have more to do with expected load then the numeric number of dimmers at X wattage.
Briefly: A 200 amp 3 phase source should give you 57k of available load. ((200 x 3) X 0.8) X 120 = 57.6 kw
There is really more to load calculation then the brief sentence above. It would be wise to get some professional consolation on this.
EDIT:
Looks like Derek beat me again! Don't you ever sleep or eat?
Re: ETA Dimmer Packs
Like theatre techs who are enraged "Its not a bulb its a LAMP, dang it."
Or food service people, "Its not a stove, its a RANGE"
In this case I wonder if the OP needs or wants Consolation (there, there, it will be all right)
Perhaps a consultation if more in order.
OK, I wasn't being snarky to JD, I just got a kick out of the post.
I am wondering, what kind of shape are these dimmer packs in, full of cobwebs and gunk?
Ya' know, I really hate to be one of those whiney forum posters who get hung up on the wrong use of words and typos.
Like theatre techs who are enraged "Its not a bulb its a LAMP, dang it."
Or food service people, "Its not a stove, its a RANGE"
In this case I wonder if the OP needs or wants Consolation (there, there, it will be all right)
Perhaps a consultation if more in order.
OK, I wasn't being snarky to JD, I just got a kick out of the post.
I am wondering, what kind of shape are these dimmer packs in, full of cobwebs and gunk?
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Re: ETA Dimmer Packs
Well, since you've asked, most circuit breakers are thermal-magnetic types and are rated for 80% continuous load and 100% non-continuous load. You can get electronic feed breakers that are 100% rated but they are of course more expensive.
A continuous load is defined as being on for three or more hours. You use both the continuous load at 100% plus the non-continuous load at 125% to determine breaker size. On feed breakers for lighting systems, the safe bet calculation is to use 80% of the breaker rating. Of course, as stated above, diversity calculations based on real anticipated load useage gives you by far more useable system current.
David
Where does the "X 0.8" derating factor come from?
Well, since you've asked, most circuit breakers are thermal-magnetic types and are rated for 80% continuous load and 100% non-continuous load. You can get electronic feed breakers that are 100% rated but they are of course more expensive.
A continuous load is defined as being on for three or more hours. You use both the continuous load at 100% plus the non-continuous load at 125% to determine breaker size. On feed breakers for lighting systems, the safe bet calculation is to use 80% of the breaker rating. Of course, as stated above, diversity calculations based on real anticipated load useage gives you by far more useable system current.
David
Re: ETA Dimmer Packs
Somewhat ironic, JohnD correcting JD?
"Perhaps a consultation is more in order." (JD's tongue slip was more funnier, however.)
-----
Thanks DavidNorth. I wanted to hear JD say it, if for no other reason than to [-]argue with[/-] debate him. I would have taken the position that the dimming system's load would not be considered a continuous load, as there's virtually zero chance that ALL fixtures will be at 100% ever, let alone for more than three hours. He might have countered with, "Yes it is too a continuous load." I would have then asked, "How do you reconcile that the NEC allows up to, I believe it is a maximum of, thirteen duplex Edison (5-15) receptacles on a 120V 20A circuit in a residence?" Potential of (13x15=)195A on a circuit with an OPD of 20? To make up for the fact that the garbage disposal, refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave must each have its own 20A circuit?
Then STEVETERRY would chime in, telling up to stop this nonsense bickering or he would send us to bed without any supper. Then we'd call child protective services and all end up on the Dr. Phil show. ...
In light of this (get it? light of this?), I'm reminded of what was perhaps a fatal flaw in the 1981 Light Palette V4J: When the console crashed, all dimmers would "float to full" over about five seconds. If one had a severely derated service, bad news for the OCPD.
Somewhat ironic, JohnD correcting JD?
Internet rule #147 on being a Grammar Nazi: When correcting someone on a public forum, one is certain to have a misspelling, error, or typo (or multiple instances thereof) in one's post.
"Perhaps a consultation is more in order." (JD's tongue slip was more funnier, however.
)-----
Thanks DavidNorth. I wanted to hear JD say it, if for no other reason than to [-]argue with[/-] debate him. I would have taken the position that the dimming system's load would not be considered a continuous load, as there's virtually zero chance that ALL fixtures will be at 100% ever, let alone for more than three hours. He might have countered with, "Yes it is too a continuous load." I would have then asked, "How do you reconcile that the NEC allows up to, I believe it is a maximum of, thirteen duplex Edison (5-15) receptacles on a 120V 20A circuit in a residence?" Potential of (13x15=)195A on a circuit with an OPD of 20? To make up for the fact that the garbage disposal, refrigerator, dishwasher, and microwave must each have its own 20A circuit?
Then STEVETERRY would chime in, telling up to stop this nonsense bickering or he would send us to bed without any supper. Then we'd call child protective services and all end up on the Dr. Phil show. ...
In light of this (get it? light of this?), I'm reminded of what was perhaps a fatal flaw in the 1981 Light Palette V4J: When the console crashed, all dimmers would "float to full" over about five seconds. If one had a severely derated service, bad news for the OCPD.
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Old Dimmer Pack and Control Cord Question
I had someone drop 4 of these dimmer packs on my door step along with a control board. I don't know what type of connection the control cable is or if it is still available and usable. I called the phone # that is on the pack and it is discontinued. Help would be great.
I had someone drop 4 of these dimmer packs on my door step along with a control board. I don't know what type of connection the control cable is or if it is still available and usable. I called the phone # that is on the pack and it is discontinued. Help would be great.
Re: Old Dimmer Pack and Control Cord Question
The connector appears to be a 6-pin DIN connector. From what I've seen searching for it, the cable may be difficult to source, and you may end up having to build your own if nobody else here knows where to find any. It might have another name that I'm not aware of that it's commonly retailed as though. Good luck!
The connector appears to be a 6-pin DIN connector. From what I've seen searching for it, the cable may be difficult to source, and you may end up having to build your own if nobody else here knows where to find any. It might have another name that I'm not aware of that it's commonly retailed as though. Good luck!
Re: Old Dimmer Pack and Control Cord Question
There is this letter letting people know they aren't in the lighting business anymore
http://www.etasys.com/PDF/ProdDiscont_8_29.pdf
But you might try and see if anyone there has some info:
ETA Systems
1601 Jack McKay Blvd ● Ennis, TX75119
Tel: 800-321-6699 ● Fax: 800-996-3821
Contact ETA Systems
and here is a thread that speaks of testing....
zmarchive.com psw-srf: 29414 Testing Older ETA Model 1251 Dimmer Packs?
There is this letter letting people know they aren't in the lighting business anymore
http://www.etasys.com/PDF/ProdDiscont_8_29.pdf
But you might try and see if anyone there has some info:
ETA Systems
1601 Jack McKay Blvd ● Ennis, TX75119
Tel: 800-321-6699 ● Fax: 800-996-3821
Contact ETA Systems
and here is a thread that speaks of testing....
zmarchive.com psw-srf: 29414 Testing Older ETA Model 1251 Dimmer Packs?
