Help with CD80SV dimmers

[zeymgoss]

After working at a high school for a short while, I finally got around to looking at their dimmer racks. As far as I can tell, they were installed in the 90s and never touched until this week. They sit in a cage just offstage, about 10 feet off the ground. They were absolutely filthy. Between the shop vac and air compressor, I cleaned them up pretty well, but they could easily use another couple rounds.

There are two racks, and neither had an air filter to speak of. Looking at the manual, it looks like they're supposed to have a filter in the bottom fan module, but I can't find any part number to order a new one. I guess I could measure it and hope to find a filter that fits, but I don't want to risk filtering too much or not enough. Any help on this front?

Also, the school has an outlook system to control house lights and use for stage light presets ("okay Mr. Band Director, press this button when you come in to bring up lights for the concert, and then turn them off when you're done"). There are a few different types of panels we have. The most common is a simple 8-preset playback, where we have presets stored like house to full, house to half, this section at full, this section at half, and so on. Backstage, we have a larger panel that has those presets as well as a "record on the fly" preset panel with a multiple "cue" memory - it will record whatever lights are currently on, so you can use the light board to set a look for the band concert, and record it on that backstage panel for the band director to bring up when he gets in.
The third type of panel, I'm not even sure what it does because the faceplate was ripped off before I ever got there. It has the same 8 presets as the other panels, in addition to a number of faders and a few other buttons. I don't know what those faders or other buttons do, because they were presumably only labeled on the faceplate. A while back, one of the students took the panel off the wall to "try and fix it" and rendered the entire panel non-responsive. The indicator lights still work to indicate what preset it thinks its in (showing no change on the other panels), but nothing actually works. This last part leads me to believe it can still be saved, and that maybe there's some menu option hidden deep down to reassign this panel to our main room.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

You need a technician with the history of working on Strand systems. Where in the world are you and maybe we can help. If anywhere near NYC, Steve Short at Lite-Trol is my goto for these issues. Good chance it can be repaired. Ultimately you may need to replace the architectural controls - Outlook - but try repairs first.

 

[derekleffew]

@zeymgoss , I see you're in Elgin, IL. Chances are GrandStage sold and installed your system, and could certainly repair it. There's also savemycd80.com .

 

[robmonty]

Try looking at some of these MANUALS and PRODUCT SHEETS If they are Outlook, they will be listed here somewhere. From the sounds of the button station that snapshots the look you bring up on your lighting console, that station may be a SWC (system wide control) station. Both systems are similar button stations, and ran on the same network through 3 pair cable into the CD-80 dimmer racks.

 

[zeymgoss]

Unfortunately, the school isn't going to pay for a technician to come out and service what is essentially an inconvenience to our board op. I was just wondering if somehow in unplugging the panel, it lost connection to the main outlook system/control rack at the dimmer and could easily be re-enabled.

As for the air filter for the dimmer racks, I looked in the manuals and couldn't find a part number or dimensions for those.

 

[JJBerman]

For the air filters, check the processor module manual. Some cd80's that I maintain have c21 processors and I have to look at the c21 manual for air filter and fan information.

 

[millamber]

Late to the party, but if you are looking for an air filter see if you can find anyone selling a Spare Hardware Kit for a CD80SV rack. The part number and contents are:

13-199503-010 Spare Hardware Kit-CD80SV Dimmer Rack includes 0-100071 Screw Phillips 10-32 x 1-3/4" - 4 each 0-140046 Screw Phillips 1/4 x 20 x 1" - 4 each 0-140060 Screw Phillips 1/4 x 20 x 1/2" - 6 each Strand Lighting Specification Page 9 1-267114-000 Fuse 8 amp 5AG - 3 each 1-290288-000 Screw Phillips 10-32 x 3/8" - 4 each 1-290382-000 Screw Tamper-Proof 1/4 x20 x 1/2" - 2 each 1-290383-000 Key for Tamper-Proof Bolt - 1 each 3-411002-010 Connector Female Power/Neutral- 2 each 2-411014-010 Connector Female Ground- 2 each 0-000041-009 Air Filter - 1 each

With regards to the fader panel, on the backside of the card there should be a small rotary ID switch that needs to be set for the station to communicate with the rack. Unsure what the ID should be for your particular scenario, but you could trial and error your way through it. Does the station track the other ones in the building? For instance, when you toggle on preset one from the 8 button station, does the top right hand light on the mystery one turn on as well? The faders on it should respond to manual control (button on the top left) and should be assigned to individual zones throughout the room. That is, if you can get it working...