Learn from my dumb mistakes so you can make new ones.

[JChenault]

Several months ago we got a UPS for our console.
when we are in tech week we move the console to the house and run power and data to the board.

We are going into tech so I set up the board and plug the extension snake into an Edison plug in the booth.

the ups is not working. I try to figure out what is wrong. No luck, so I say to myself “OK I will just use the surge protector and not use the battery part”.

Then I discover that when I bring the house lights down the board shuts down.

Turns out that there is an Edison outlet ( next to the constant 120 volt outlet) that is dimmed with the house lights.

no damage done that I can see, but a lesson that dimmer at 100% is NOT the same as 120 volts.

( mods. Should this be an ongoing thread. “Stupid things I did so you don’t have to”?)

 

[Van]

( mods. Should this be an ongoing thread. “Stupid things I did so you don’t have to”?)

Subtitled, "May the bridges I've burned light your way."

(BTW, Who the hell puts a dimmable 5-15 in a booth? Does it double as a Spot bay? Still dumb. should have an orange dot on it. )

 

[Malabaristo]

(BTW, Who the hell puts a dimmable 5-15 in a booth? Does it double as a Spot bay? Still dumb. should have an orange dot on it. )

My first thought was for runlights in the booth, but then I realized having those on during the show would be sort of nice.... Maybe that is the purpose and they're just patched weirdly in whatever is being used for houselight control?

 

[techieman33]

Our consoles always have to be on a UPS in our booth. The power circuit for the console came all the way from the dimmer rack. Turning on the house lights to full or a big part of the stage lighting at once would sometimes cause the voltage to drop enough that the console would shut down.

 

[Catherder]

The first time I fired up a new lighting rig - after the school electricians had installed a couple new outlets for us - all the exit signs in the auditorium dimmed down to nothing. Turns out they ignored the part of the work order that specified a dedicated circuit for the lights. Fortunately they got back and fixed it pretty quick.