Control/Dimming Help with identifying old dimmers

[bradykeen]

Hi,
I have attached some photo's of a rather old lighting system that we have and I was hoping that someone or a whole bunch of people would be able to help me identify roughly how old the dimmer could/would be and what the name of the connections are as well as the protocol it uses.
I have posted some photo's (sorry for the bad quality, they were from my blackberry). I am trying to justify why this system should be replaced so the age and any other information you may have to help my cause would be extremely helpful...

Thanks!

 

[headcrab]

It appears to have analog control input. (I'm looking at pictures 4 and 5.) I would estimate that it is from the 1980's or 1990's. If they don't have fans, that may be your justification. Also, converting a large number of channels from DMX to analog gets expensive quickly but it may be cheaper than getting a new rack.
Why would you want to replace them if they still work?

 

[Van]

Best justification in the world, " Because New is better than Old!"

I think the Headcrab I think the DMX conversion is covered already re: picture #1 but it's a little too blurry to be clear.

I'd say late 70's early 80's

 

[Lotos]

The tag in the second pic is from Stanley Ash Theatrical Decor... They used to be in North York, ON... They would have been the people to ask
The phone number I have for them is no longer valid, I couldn't tell you if they're around anymore... [EDIT: Google is your friend... Stanley Ash Theatre Decor merged with another company to form Ash-Stevenson... See below]

Wish I had more help for you...



EDIT: After looking at the pics a little more, they look like DimPac 9000's from Ash-Stevenson in Scarborough...
http://www.ash-stevenson.com/

They'd be "portable"... And the outputs should be 1.2k per. circuit...

 

[bradykeen]

Alright thank you...
We are interested in replacing them because:

• They run on AMX still...picture 1 is an NSI Multiplexer that converts the cable coming from the dim pac's to the 3-pin AMX.
• They are becoming unreliable with channels being tempurmentle at times
• A few channels are dead and the fuses are not the problem
• They will not produce light until 40% (we checked with different consoles and it appears to be the dimmers)

As well, thanks for the website I will try giving them a call on Monday and sorry for the terrible picture quality...

Thanks again

 

[gafftapegreenia]

I'd say those are solid reasons to look for a replacement.


First order of business is figuring out how much power you have to work with. If you or someone in your facility doesn't know, it's worth calling an electrician to find out.

 

[gordonmcleod]

Those are the Stanley Ash DimPac9000 which were designed and sold by Lumitrol Ltd in Toronto for many many years
they are an analogue 0-12vdc control signal, triac output reasonably well filtered about 400usec rise time and rated at 1500watts per channel
That was limited by the mains feed which was a range plug but if hardwired the chokes triacs and wireing were good for 2K if one replaced the uground recpeticles with the 20amp version
There are on the side a set of holes that access the max/min trim pots per channel
There were 3 versions of this unit
The first were purple and had a single PCB in them that used pulse txmr to drive the triac which was a odd one from Teccor that there is no direct replacement the black ones had usually 2 circuit boards mounted vertically by the sides and the triacs were usually BTA40400 and the drive was from a MOC3011 opto coupler
Very robust and very servivcable and easy to fix
I helped design them
If you need assistance email me
[email protected]

 

[gordonmcleod]

Am not sure about the smaller pacs to the right of the dimpac9000 they may be the prototype of the 3000 or someone else that has been added to the system
Where are they installed If they are going to be scrapped I would be interested in the dimpacs

 

[Grog12]

Because if I don't post this gafftaper will Let me google that for you



As to why the system should be replaced...I doubt highly that any parts are available for it.

 

[gordonmcleod]

grog said "As to why the system should be replaced...I doubt highly that any parts are available for it"
Actually almost every part in them is available from almost any electronics supplier (electrosonic mouser newark digikey)
I question why you would say that they are not available unless you are sure as replacement is an expensive option and I doubt outside of calibration much would be wrong with them unless abused at some point

 

[Grog12]

Considering I'm having a hard time finding a website for Stanley Ash/ Ast Stevinson through either Google US or Google Canada that has been updated in the past 5 years it seemed to me the parts might be a little hard to aquire.

Now if they're just regular electrical parts that can be purchased from any elctrical supplier then I happily retract that statement. But I do caution the OP from performing the maitenance himself unless he has expierence in that realm.

 

[gordonmcleod]

I guess my comments were a bit extreme but too often just because something is 10 years old or older a lot of people say get the latest and greatest when often a simple fix ix all that is needed especially if there is a tight budget those black dimpacs are very simple all there is a quad LM324 opamp and a MOC3011 opto on each channel and the triac
The powersupply is a simple 12v regulated supply

 

[VL5]

the picture all the way to the right has some NSI dimmer packs wich are the three dimmer packs to the right