Hello all, I'm new to Control Booth but I'm seeking advice on fairy lights. I've looked through some other threads for an answer to my question but I'm still a little fuzzy on it. I want to use fairy lights as fireflys for a show but I'm trying to figure out if I can just put several strands directly onto some dimmers and make a slow
fade chase with a
ghost load or if I need something like an
LED driver.
Thank you!
@Ricochet IF you're using 'old fangled'
incandescent (non
LED) fairy lights; one
dimmer per
strand (or strands) desired on 1st step of
chase with (
dimmer dependent) 25 to 100 Watts of
dummy load in parallel; dummy loads can be any purely resistive load: An
incandescent lamp, a heating pad, a single
element hotplate, an
electric kettle with water in it so it's not burning dry, overheating and causing a fire hazard:
You've got the concept; any purely resistive load that does not exceed the
dimmer's capacity, branch
circuit breakers, wiring, etcetera.
TAKE EXTREME CARE to neither create a fire hazard nor burn anyone or anything with the heat dissipated by your
dummy load.
Passersby, if they even know of dummy loads, routinely expect your dummy loads to emit light, and lots of it.
A single burner "hotplate" casually placed out of sight backstage will soon be hidden by annotated copies of scripts, various
props and costumes, et al by folks NEVER considering the hotplate may be powered by a
dimmer chasing between 10 and 45% with nary a discernible glow BUT a whole lot of heat being dissipated and NOT anticipating being hidden under a casually tossed costume, bottom of the 3rd SR
leg or,
or,
OR.
Repeat as required for each string /
dimmer per step of
chase.
PRESENT DAY LED's? Wait for a more up to date, modern age, poster to notice your post.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard