Using the NSI 2408CD dimmer pack with LED lights

[Darren69]

Howdy
I am a church tech and we use the NSI 2408CD dimmer packs. We recently changed light boards and we want to add some LED lights. The NSI manual that I have found online says:
Any of the channels of the 2408 CD can be configured as NON DIM channels. This will cause the output of the channel to go to full on whenever the input signal is over 10. When to input signal drops to less than 100C; the channel output goes to full off. This is the equivalent of a zero-crossing solid state relay.

Here's a link to the dimmer manual (see page 7):
http://www.allprosound.com/catalog/pdf/ownersman/Leviton NSI/2408CR.pdf

Now to my question.... I'm trying to figure out the best way to incorporate the LED lights into the new board. What makes our situation challenging is that there are no outlets anywhere near our light bars, so I had hoped to use the existing wiring and I'd like to force the dimmer pack to act more like a breaker than a dimmer pack.

One solution that I have come up with is to configure the 2408CD to work as NON DIM channels for a few of the channels, set the board to 100% for those channels and plug the LEDs to those dimmer channels. My biggest fear for this solution is that someone will hit the blackout button on the board and totally kill the LED lights.

I'm open to any suggestions, but I was hoping to avoid getting an electrician to rewire the sanctuary.
Thanks

 

[JD]

The problem is that even at "100%" the pack puts out a chopped signal that can raise havoc with LED units. What you would need it a relay pack that uses actual mechanical relays. Some people do exactly what you are talking about and things work ok for them, but it is not recommended as the chopped noise at the front of the waveform can cause problems. Also, there is always the chance that a goof up on programming could switch the pack back into the dim mode which is highly caustic to electronics.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Don't put LEDs on a dimmer. You'll loose a lot more than the price of a constant circuit if you burn up LED or two.

If a couple of circuits - up to 6 or 8 - just have an electrician add them and put them on a simple switch in a convenient location. If you can't even afford the circuits, have an electrician at least intercept the dimned circuits and power them constant - with a switch. Post it on console to turn on and off.

 

[Amiers]

That is an expensive dimmer to throw LED fixtures on it. I would find an electrician and have them run some constant power up to your light bar. If the dimmer is already on your light bar you might get away with the electrician pulling a fresh circuit through the existing conduit. That will save you a little bit of money on the time factor.

It will save you in the long run.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I suspect with constant circuits instead of all dimmed, the calculation of the conduit capacity changes. I don't design conduit and circuits often enough to know for sure but believe you can but more dimmed circuits in a conduit than non-dimmed.

 

[Amiers]

I suspect with constant circuits instead of all dimmed, the calculation of the conduit capacity changes. I don't design conduit and circuits often enough to know for sure but believe you can but more dimmed circuits in a conduit than non-dimmed.

It might, but my first question when I am talking with my Electrician is to ask him if he can pull through existing conduit and T off from a closer location to save me a bit of his time.

1 20amp circuit with 3 2x outlets will be more then enough for your LEDs fixtures. If they can pull through the pipe that will save you so much time.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

It might, but my first question when I am talking with my Electrician is to ask him if he can pull through existing conduit and T off from a closer location to save me a bit of his time.

1 20amp circuit with 3 2x outlets will be more then enough for your LEDs fixtures. If they can pull through the pipe that will save you so much time.

True but if replacing dimmed fixtures, you can probably live with one less dimmed circuit, and intercepting one at the dimmer end saves even more time. Live with labels, twofers, and an adapter in the air and you save more of electricians time and all his ladder work. Still have to check conduit and ampacity with constant circuit replacing dimmed.

 

[Amiers]

Oh of course. I would say canabalizing one of your dimmed circuits as your backup plan.

The real question is, are the dimmers at the light bar or at the breaker?

 

[JD]

I doubt you will have to sacrifice any circuits to pull through an existing conduit. Don't know your exact layout, but most electrical contractors leave tons of headroom when designing a conduit based system. It would be definitely worth the time to have a contractor come out and take a look.

 

[microstar]

The real question is, are the dimmers at the light bar or at the breaker?[/QUOTE]

If it's an NSI 2408CD, I seriously doubt it's at the light pipe, as it is about 17" x 20" x5" , made for wall mounting, and weighs at least 40 pounds!