Stage Worklight

[tech2000]

I guess I worded my previous post a little wrong. I know it's all based on the same dimming system, the buttons are just separate from a panel that turns on/off house lights.
I'll have to find the dimmer/relay for the worklights then. It's the same type of problem we have with aisle lights in the back of our theater.

 

[gafftaper]

You have a similar problem with aisle lights? I'm guessing you have several different wall stations. Are any of the wall stations working right? Is this fairly recently installed equipment?

You're way out there in Mill Valley aren't you? I wouldn't mind coming to take a look at it but you are over an hour drive on a good day... on the other hand I would be able to drive by Fry's on the way. Hmm

Unfortunately, I'm thinking that even if I did come down all I would be able to do is help you troubleshoot. What you really need is a service call from Carl at PNTA. He's the best repair guy in town. Unfortunately it'll cost you $100 an hour for field service. I take it you don't have an adult T.D. at the school who really knows his/her stuff? Is there a performing arts center with a T.D. at another school in your district that you might be able to talk into checking it out?

 

[venuetech]

get your maintenance department to take a look at it. ask the school secretary how to put in a work order to them. state one sentence for each problem. "auditorium classroom lights do not function properly." "Aisle lighting does not function properly.(safety issue)" "please contact...." add a contact name, yourself or your teacher. if the maintenance guys cant fix it. its up to them to get a hold of Carl for a service call.

the real issue is that without a work order the maintenance department has no idea that there is a problem. They often get blindsided by problems like this. a person will say "hey its been a problem for years" but unless a work order has been submitted how are they supposed know? They cant fix it if they dont know its a problem.

 

[iLightTheStage]

At my school we have "worklight" electrical ports on three of our four electrics and the only one that works constantly is the third electric. (Well the first electric works constantly also but we can't seem to turn it off)
The second electric, we plug in the worklights and they are fine for several minutes and then they all shut off.

My question is, what is a cheap way to have worklights cover the stage (preferably from the electrics) without using regular dimmer ports?
Our music teachers go up to the light booth and turn on the face/down lights for class use. (There are three periods of orchestra in there every day.)

What do you mean that after several minutes the second electric work lights turn off? Are you tripping their breaker? If so, check what your breaker is (15amps, 20amps) and don't go above that with the lights you plug in (total of 1800watts or 2400watts respectively).

It sounds like your space has a solution for worklights, you just need to have them fixed. I would say have a master electrician or certified electrician come in to determine how they are wired up (to a dimmer, to a breaker, improperly, etc) and to explain it to you.

 

[tech2000]

Yeah, I'll have to talk to our maintenance department about the worklights then. They've brought in electricians all the time to try to fix problems around the school (especially our theater) and sometimes it gets fixed...
Our top maintenance person at our school told me to turn off the breaker for the aisle lights and after about 10 seconds turn it back on to hopefully restart the lights (something like that) Apparently that's worked before.

 

[gafftaper]

I paid my way through college as a school custodian and I have to agree that the advice above about the work order is great. Explain it in simple terms. Unfortunately, they will probably send out the district electrician who knows nothing about theater systems first. But that person should have the power to get the help you need. You may have the ability to bypass that route but it depends on your district's internal process. You are best friends with the custodial staff arent' you? NEVER underestimate the importance of having a friend on the custodial staff.

Tell them to call Pacific Northwest Theater Associates (PNTA On-Line - Home Page) in Seattle to get a certified technician to come do the repairs correctly. It'll cost a few hundred bucks but you should have a fully functional and safe system. In any complaining or lobbying you have to do stress safety. It's dangerous and not to fire code to not have properly working aisle lights. Not having work lights means you either work in conditions that are unsafely too dim, or you waste expensive lamp life using stage lights.