How do I connect my house lights to my DMX?

[SteveB]

Some thoughts and questions:

1) Is there a stand-alone emergency lighting system that is code compliant to provide egress lighting in the event the "performance" lighting system loses power and/or control ?. Is this new CFL on-wall dimmer system part of that emergency system ?. This is (and should be) the very first consideration when doing any kind of change and/or upgrade.

2) Is there any kind of existing dimming system for the performance type events/church services ?, and are there any spare dimmers in that system ?, and/or spare slots ?. Attending that set of questions, what's the DMX controller you want to use ?. If there is an existing dimming and control system, AND there's a stand-alone emergency system, then you can have an electrician re-route the wiring from the wall mounted dimmers to the "performance" dimmers, which can then, usually, be controlled via DMX.

As comment, the wall mounted dimmers, as shown in the photo, do not (AFAIK) allow any interface with DMX control systems, and you need to essentially replace these dimmers with UL listed dimming devices that allow DMX control, such as the Fleenor DMX8, or other similar DMX controlled dimmer pack system. Part of this requires a re-wiring of the CFL circuits to this new dimmer pack, as well as the new dimmers being able to dim CFL loads. Then you need to have DMX control wiring installed from the control interface to the new dimming system.

You might try calling Steve Short at Litetrol Service - 800 548 3876 Ask Steve if he's aware of any kind of in-the-wall type CFL dimmer that allwos external control via DMX. He might know of such a device.

 

[lightingguy1]

Hi Steve,

I know our PAC has an inverter system that is activated when all three racks go into panic mode, and/or when power is lost.....

Havn't researched it very much, but I know it has saved a few panic'd grannies from doing a head first dive from the balcony.

-Lighitngguy121

 

[chausman]

I know our PAC has an inverter system that is activated when all three racks go into panic mode, and/or when power is lost.....

What do you mean, "inverter system that is activated when all three racks go into panic mode, and/or when power is lost....."

 

[jglodeklights]

Inverter (electricial) - a device to convert DC power into AC power.

Most (all?) locales require installation and upkeep of some form of emergency lighting system, which usually consists of emergency lights located at entrances/exits and in various other locations depending on the size of the space. Sometimes, especially in buildings such as hospitals, this will be paired with external generators.

Is this what you are referring to? Each emergency light box typically has its own battery and is triggered by voltage being dropped from the line they are connected on for monitoring purposes. Problems can arise with this if, as happened at my theater last night, only one or two of the three phases drops, leaving scattered areas of power and no power even within the same room.

Or did someone think it a good idea to install a huge battery somewhere in the space that could power all the house lights for....a hot second.

 

[SteveB]

Hi Steve,

I know our PAC has an inverter system that is activated when all three racks go into panic mode, and/or when power is lost.....

Havn't researched it very much, but I know it has saved a few panic'd grannies from doing a head first dive from the balcony.

-Lighitngguy121

Emergency lighting for places of public assembly (and other spaces) usually takes three forms.

1) Stand-alone lighting fixtures that have internal batteries, are powered normally off regular building power and have built in sensors that determine when building power is lost and then energize the fixture off the internal batteries. Or:

2) Same fixtures (or similar stand-alone fixtures) without batteries wired back to a generator system and associated sensors that determine loss of building power and energize fixtures. Or:

3) Existing fixtures that do double duty as dimmable fixtures for performance/service and who's dimmer/relay system can have it's mains power feed transferred to a generator when building power is lost, or whose individual and specific load circuits can be transferred to generator power via a branch circuit transfer panel.

If you have in place an emergency lighting system that is separate from the CFL circuits that you wish to control via DMX, then your conversion just got a lot easier.