LEDs-leave on or turn off?

[RonHebbard]

^^^^^^^
Methinks someone has read too many audiofool posts in the basement of PSW.

@JohnD Just so long as you don't start becoming critical of the people marketing their little cable supports to reduce the drag imposed upon electrons traversing cables carelessly routed across the evil surface of our planet. And then there's the whole discussion of having to place protective ramps over the ensuing little trip hazards.
Audiophiles / Audiophools: Have at 'em! Permit me to step aside while the battle ensues. Perhaps I'll need to don a pair of those clear acrylic elevator shoes to tower above the rising excrement levels as advised in the recent pole dancer / projectile diarrhea thread.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[JJBerman]

I just looked at 6 of the ETC Sensor Rack module Datasheets.
Which can be found here: https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Power-Controls/Racks-and-Panels/Sensor3/Documentation.aspx
Use your browsers find feature to search for 'module'
All of them state under Circuit Breakers that they are "Rated for 100% switching duty applications"
I have been told by many people that all ETC rack modules have a switch rated circuit breaker.
If you have Sensor3 racks or CEM3 upgrade to existing racks another option would the the R20AF module or TR20AF module. These modules have a built in relay that you can trigger from your light board. The nice thing about the TR20AF module is that it is a dimmer and relay in one. You can have side be relay while the other be dimmable. These settings can easily be changed from the dimmer rack facepanel or ETC Net3 Concert software.

Can I start the argument of "Why not use an unregulated dimmer in switch mode?" Just cause I feel like it will come up anyway...

ETC has created a support article discussing this, it can be found http://www.etcconnect.com/Support/A...and-Moving-Lights-Powered-by-ETC-Dimmers.aspx
Any other manufacturer and I would lean in the safe direction. Yes a Relay or Thrupower module may be a little expensive and figuring out how to deal with the 'loss' of 2 circuits. However you recently just spent lots of money on LED's, do you want to possibly shorten their life by not powering them properly.

Hope this helps.

 

[allenj2489]

Hey all,
We are just getting our first set or LED wash fixtures in our plot. Martin Rush Par 2 Zoom. I have surge protection on each circuit, but no simple way to turn them off at the end of the night. we looked into the ETC relays, but can't swing the cash after the layout for the Martins. Question is, Is it all right to leave them plugged in, or should they be unplugged every night? I have had tour companies leave their fixtures on and full color all day, but my guess was they were rentals, and they did not care.
Thank you for the input!

Doug

create a macro to turn on and off the lights when the board is on or off. Then it will be automatic.

 

[Rick Wright]

Hey all,
We are just getting our first set or LED wash fixtures in our plot. Martin Rush Par 2 Zoom. I have surge protection on each circuit, but no simple way to turn them off at the end of the night. we looked into the ETC relays, but can't swing the cash after the layout for the Martins. Question is, Is it all right to leave them plugged in, or should they be unplugged every night? I have had tour companies leave their fixtures on and full color all day, but my guess was they were rentals, and they did not care.
Thank you for the input!

Doug

I use a DMX power switch. $150 everything plugged into it can be powered down when you shut the board off.

 

[Brentgi]

create a macro to turn on and off the lights when the board is on or off. Then it will be automatic.

What kind of fixtures do you use that have a power down feature that you can send through dmx? Also, if this is a thing, it's not removing power from the fixture, which is what I think OP is asking about.

I use a DMX power switch. $150 everything plugged into it can be powered down when you shut the board off.

Do you have a link to this?

 

[RickR]

For portable try
https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Lighting-Fixtures/ColorSource/Relay.aspx they aren't all wireless!
or http://www.dfd.com/1r20.html
Be careful with the cheap shoe-box dimmers that say they are also relays.

 

[DAVID hADDOCK]

At the very end of each show, the very last thing I do before I leave,
is to isolate the main supply from the lighting rig.
It is just a three phase breaker which is readily accessible.
There is another separate supply system for house/working lights.
I would not be comfortable leaving any modern electronics permanently energized !

 

[lwinters630]

Hey all,
We are just getting our first set or LED wash fixtures in our plot. Martin Rush Par 2 Zoom. I have surge protection on each circuit, but no simple way to turn them off at the end of the night. we looked into the ETC relays, but can't swing the cash after the layout for the Martins. Question is, Is it all right to leave them plugged in, or should they be unplugged every night? I have had tour companies leave their fixtures on and full color all day, but my guess was they were rentals, and they did not care.
Thank you for the input!

Doug

I was taking the board to black, but started loosing 3 or 4 led par zooms per year with power circuit falure. What I've learned is even though the color is off the power module is still running 24/7, consuming power and shortening the life span. Now i have switches and manually power down each night to the leds. No more failures.

 

[Chris Pflieger]

At the very end of each show, the very last thing I do before I leave,
is to isolate the main supply from the lighting rig.
It is just a three phase breaker which is readily accessible.
There is another separate supply system for house/working lights.
I would not be comfortable leaving any modern electronics permanently energized !

Careful with this - unless it's switch rated, circuit breakers have a short life when used as switches.

 

[Jay Ashworth]

Presently, all our LEDs are in movers, behind our company switch which -- I'm going to guess -- is switch rated.

Probably not an unreasonable approach to do that with all your LEDs if you're going whole hog. Perhaps not a company switch per-se, but some manual disconnect.

 

[DavidJones]

Careful with this - unless it's switch rated, circuit breakers have a short life when used as switches.

The vast majority of breakers I have seen are switch rated, even older ones. I think it is actually a requirement in many cases. Look for SWD on the breaker. Most common SquareD and equivalents have it on the face of the breaker, some are stamped on the side, so you would have to ask the installer or look up the spec sheet on the breaker to be sure.