stupid house lights

[w3st0n21]

so this is a combination that would be in what went wrong/the punching bag/and lighting.

I was running lights for my schools chorus concert two nights ago and we had the house lights around 30% for most of the show. TWICE during the show someone leaned against the house panic button and turned them onto full, i quickly fixed the problem (we have a 5th button in the booth) and sent out a buddy to tell people not to lean on the buttons. all this happened during one of the songs. after the song was over the choir director come to the mic and says "can we leave the lights at one place please?" looking me in the eye. 1st off, she doesnt even know my name. 2nd i stayed for 3 hours after school to focus lights for her performance that would have looked reallyyy bad if i hadnt done so. so she shouldnt really be complaining. and 3rd. IT WASNT MY FAULT! now everyone who sees me at school is like "what was up with the house lights last night!?"

but anyway, the real point of this post is to get ideas to prevent this. at my church we have a house lock out key in the booth, but i dont think we can instal one of those at school. im thinking something low-tech, like removable cages over the buttons, or a plastic case over them or something, not sure.
any suggestions???

 

[shiben]

get one of those things like they put over the launch button on weapons systems, so that you need to flip it up and then push it.

something like the red button on this:

http://www.addictronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/p1020245.jpg

 

[sk8rsdad]

What type of system is controlling your house lights? For instance, with ETC Sensors (and I expect others) you can muck with priorities to inhibit signals from certain sources like wall stations from doing anything when the console is powered up.

 

[w3st0n21]

can i get the weapons system too!?!? lol.

yea, i was thinking somehthing like that, just slightly bigger so it fits over the buttons. does anyone know where i can get something like this?

 

[w3st0n21]

and no, i wish it was ETC. the dimmer rack is a strand CD-80 AE i couldnt tell you how its wired

 

[Les]

I am thinking the name for this thread should be more along the lines of "stupid choir director" and/or "stupid uninformed button pushers". After all, the house lights were just doing what they were told, no need to make them feel bad. ha ha

 

[sk8rsdad]

Assuming your house panic button is mounted in a standard electrical box, you might get by with an EMT strap over the button. Just find one where the bolt holes align with the faceplate screws.

 

[w3st0n21]

I am thinking the name for this thread should be more along the lines of "stupid choir director" and/or "stupid uninformed button pushers". After all, the house lights were just doing what they were told, no need to make them feel bad. ha ha

ROFL.

and the plates are the same size as regular elec. boxes but they dont have screws.. nor do i know how they are mounted to the wall..

 

[kenneth]

Hi

We've got these flip plastic cases over fire alarms at our school, after there was a large incident when a pupil's bag set off the full school evacuation and automatically called out the fire service!

They're very similar to these:
STI Push Button Alarm Covers - Security International

After further reading, this looks quite good:
STI 6518 Bopper Stopper w/Spring Loaded Hinge, Clear - SF-6518

Hope I've been of some help!

Kenneth

 

[w3st0n21]

that looks good. i just need to figure out how it installs, and find one not labeled with EMERGENCY.. but then again if it was labeled that, no one would touch it..Just kidding.

 

[fredthe]

Given that you have Strand dimmers, the control system may be an Outlook system. If so, there is a small set-screw on the bottom of the wall plate... loosen this and then it hinges at the top to remove.

The STI-6518 (linked in a previous post) looks like a good solution, and is pretty cheap.

-Fred

 

[kenneth]

that looks good. i just need to figure out how it installs, and find one not labeled with EMERGENCY.. but then again if it was labeled that, no one would touch it..Just kidding.

LOL yeah totally. But is it not an emergency button anyway.

Just out of curiosity, how does it work in relation to your dimmers and DMX?

Kenneth

 

[w3st0n21]

ill have to send that link to the theatre director...and the dimmers are not actually DMX, they are AMX, (we have a DMX console and convert it to AMX for the dimmers). i think the way it works it that when someone hits the "on" button, the house goes to 100%, when we turn it off so the console can control it and take it to full on the fader the board says its at 100 but i think its really at like 99. because when the panic buttons are activated and i run up the fader then turn the panic button off there is a slight brightness decrease. kinda hard to explain, but thats all i know abt it.

 

[shiben]

ill have to send that link to the theatre director...and the dimmers are not actually DMX, they are AMX, (we have a DMX console and convert it to AMX for the dimmers). i think the way it works it that when someone hits the "on" button, the house goes to 100%, when we turn it off so the console can control it and take it to full on the fader the board says its at 100 but i think its really at like 99. because when the panic buttons are activated and i run up the fader then turn the panic button off there is a slight brightness decrease. kinda hard to explain, but thats all i know abt it.

Is it possible that the panic button overdrives the lamps to make it brighter for an emergency exit? I dont really know how that system works, but it could be the case?

 

[Les]

Just make sure to not install something that interferes too much, as the button still has to be accessible without the use of keys, tools, etc. A flip-up cover would be a good solution.

Or something like the EPO wall switch cover, found here:
Power Switch Covers - Datacover

A cheaper and more local alternative would be this http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=70470-45875-MM1410G&lpage=none at Lowe's. They come in metal or plastic, white or gray, one or two gang.

 

[Scotch]

I know how this feels. I was doing a show a couple of years ago 'Phantom of the Opera', yep the professional version and during the phantoms lair a particualarily dark scene, the touring lighting guy leant against the work light panel which was operated with a key. Not only did he turn the auditorium work light on, in the process he managed to snap the key off.haaaaa He tore around stage frantically trying to find a tech with a leatherman to turn them off. Hiiiiillllarious, but I'm pretty glad it wasn't me.hahaha

 

[kenneth]

Just out of interest - has anyone ever needed to use the 'panic' button in an emergency?

Would be a nightmare having them. At school we have giant hanging houses which take about 5 mins to warm up - not controlled by DMX obv! We also have strips up and behind the window ledges; hard to describe but they provide a nice warm feel for the room. Would strip lights be able to be dimmed?

Kenneth

 

[w3st0n21]

at church and at school we use the panic buttons on a daily basis..never used them for an emergeny..

 

[Les]

Just out of interest - has anyone ever needed to use the 'panic' button in an emergency?

Would be a nightmare having them. At school we have giant hanging houses which take about 5 mins to warm up... Would strip lights be able to be dimmed?

Kenneth

The giant hanging house lights you have are probably HID (High Intensity Discharge) high bay warehouse lights.

"Striplights" is a pretty broad term. It depends on the actual source (fluorescent, incandescent, etc) as to whether or not they can be dimmed.

 

[metti]

At one school I worked at we taped plastic soda bottle caps over the button with a little piece of gaffers tape durig performances. You could easily pull the cap off if need be but it meant that if someone leaned on it the house lights would be alright.