I second this comment. Whoever you get, make sure they are a specialist for this kind of use. As we found out at my school, someone who doesn't have specialized knowledge for theater/auditorium lighting is just going to get you into a whole mess of trouble. Someone who considers it a "hobby" or is a general electrician/lighting guy/gal is not the person you want to do this kind of work. Paying the extra money to someone who knows what they're doing is worth it in the long run.
High school Lighting gone kaputz
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I second this comment. Whoever you get, make sure they are a specialist for this kind of use. As we found out at my school, someone who doesn't have specialized knowledge for theater/auditorium lighting is just going to get you into a whole mess of trouble. Someone who considers it a "hobby" or is a general electrician/lighting guy/gal is not the person you want to do this kind of work. Paying the extra money to someone who knows what they're doing is worth it in the long run.
The only Certification Program for entertainment electricians in the US is the ETCP. Holding this certificate does not (necessarily) qualify an individual to perform the work of a Licensed Electrician or Electrical Engineer. While knowledge of entertainment systems is desirable, it is not a requirement for a successful installation done by an Electrical Contractor. What IS required, is that the specifications be written, and the work performed supervised, by a Theatrical Consultant or other qualified individual.
Yes, you must have a breaker in between the hanging patch and the raceway, hopefully as close to the patch pigtail as possible. Remember, breakers are there to protect the buildings wiring and are rated at the same rating as the wiring in the wall. You don't want a 6k dimmer to be able to be patched into a 20amp line. Therefore, you must have breakers. I have worked 2 places that did not have breakers installed in this fashion, but they should and I got them installed while there.
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iLightTheStage
Active Member
I agree, but from what i understand, you don't have the money for a professional. It might be smart to get somebody who offered to appraise it and give you estimates, so you can plan better.
mjctechnology
Member
thank you all of u for your input i will definitely pass along the names of those repairmen
sorry it has taken me so long to respond
i will post the pictures in my next post
the school has tried for 14 years to get an electricin but because it is the board of ed they have been unable to get one in
so we have been able to get about 6 cans working on the few channels we have left top which is a start
our concern now is color wash on stage we have workable white border lights above but just one channels worths so we have no color right now
can u suggest some good color wash leds
sorry it has taken me so long to respond
i will post the pictures in my next post
the school has tried for 14 years to get an electricin but because it is the board of ed they have been unable to get one in
so we have been able to get about 6 cans working on the few channels we have left top which is a start
our concern now is color wash on stage we have workable white border lights above but just one channels worths so we have no color right now
can u suggest some good color wash leds
gordonmcleod
Active Member
You didn't say where you were located
Almost all analogue dimmers are repairable at usually minimal cost
The only two devices that are not available anymore that are on some older analogue dimmers are the UJT and some of the pulse transformers
Also it would be helpfull to have the nameplate information on the dimmer rack
Also at least in canada it is to be as close as practical the location of a breaker where the current rating of the conductors or devices change occurs
On some patch panels they required 50amp wire on the patchcords since that was the load that could be provided by the 6k dimmers to the patch field and the 20amp breakers were typically at the termination of the patch cable where the house load wires connected
Almost all analogue dimmers are repairable at usually minimal cost
The only two devices that are not available anymore that are on some older analogue dimmers are the UJT and some of the pulse transformers
Also it would be helpfull to have the nameplate information on the dimmer rack
Also at least in canada it is to be as close as practical the location of a breaker where the current rating of the conductors or devices change occurs
On some patch panels they required 50amp wire on the patchcords since that was the load that could be provided by the 6k dimmers to the patch field and the 20amp breakers were typically at the termination of the patch cable where the house load wires connected
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mjctechnology
Member
we are located in the new york city area
Gordon
If the UJT and pulse transformer you are refering to are the ones on the old Strand CTM dimmers all the spares for these were bought by Sceneworks in Guelph. The Transistor array in the DIP package is also rather rare.
there is also a guy in the U.k. called Danny Robertson offering a replacement trigger card for the STM20. He was doing this through the newempire theatre in Southend which has sadly closed. However their website is still in operation and his email may still be in use. It was
[email protected]
If the UJT and pulse transformer you are refering to are the ones on the old Strand CTM dimmers all the spares for these were bought by Sceneworks in Guelph. The Transistor array in the DIP package is also rather rare.
there is also a guy in the U.k. called Danny Robertson offering a replacement trigger card for the STM20. He was doing this through the newempire theatre in Southend which has sadly closed. However their website is still in operation and his email may still be in use. It was
[email protected]
gordonmcleod
Active Member
The unijunction is a 2N2646 or 2647 and they have been obsolete for years but with some work a CPUT can be fitted with a resistor network
The strand pulse transformers can be replaced with one from Sprague or the like but WL , Skirpan and Major wound their own and had some odd impedances
Also some used a Magnetic Amp as a phase detector stage in some of the early SCR dimmers
The strand pulse transformers can be replaced with one from Sprague or the like but WL , Skirpan and Major wound their own and had some odd impedances
Also some used a Magnetic Amp as a phase detector stage in some of the early SCR dimmers
