What voltage is too much?

[EdSavoie]

Keeping in mind I'm in Canada, with RMS as 120 volts, where should I start getting concerned about equipment longevity?

I've measured the circuit powering the booth above 130v, and I do always have this sneaking suspicion I'm not getting anywhere near 300 hours from my bulbs..

Should the utility be contacted about this?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

If around 130 into basic SSR dimmers with chokes, it's probably near 120 at the socket with 1000 watts load. That was the basis for a lot of design until the S4 and 115 v lamps. You can find calculators on line for lamp life based on voltage against rated voltage. Measure under load. Might not be too hard or expensive to change the tapping of the transformer if warranted.

 

[JD]

I know electric companies in the US operate under the motto of: "You get what we give you"
Any attempt at complaining about voltage falls on deaf ears. (Unless it is wildly wrong.)
As Bill said, measure the voltage at the fixture (stick a twofer in and meter it.) If you are seeing anything close to 130, then you may want to trim your dimmers back. (Depending on the board or the racks, this can be easy or hard.) Some dimmer systems (like ETC) allow for voltage regulation, so they can be set to output 120 at 100% and they will handle the line voltage changes.
Figuring a 10% variation on 120 would be 132, I suspect complaining will not get you far, so I would check these other things out.

 

[Dionysus]

I'd check around the facility. Yes it can cause some issues, some things are more sensitive than others, of course recommend UPS for computers and consoles regardless which can help for them.
Is it high in the whole facility or only off a certain transformer?

You can try and talk to your utility, however it is likely not too big a deal if you haven't noticed other issues. Usually expect +10v and -10v to be 'acceptable' as mentioned before. outside of that things are more and more likely to be unhappy.

Good luck and keep us updated.

 

[EdSavoie]

Will do, I forgot my multimeter at home today, so I can't try what's been suggested today.

 

[TNasty]

I've noticed from occasionally glancing at the LCD on the UPS I've got for my home workspace that the input voltage seems to vary depending on the weather and the time of day- that thing's almost always running AVR in the summer thanks to the air conditioning in my house, along with all the neighbors too. But 130v is pushing the suitable range for normal variations (I've always considered -5v +10v to be the "safe zone" for 115v). As others have said, take a look at different locations in the building (try to get on as many different circuits as possible), and possibly see if there's anybody who's nearby the building who'd be willing to share what they're getting from their outlets.

Any attempt at complaining about voltage falls on deaf ears. (Unless it is wildly wrong.)

Apparently utility companies will rarely consider 0v wildly wrong, unless the condition persists for over four hours.

 

[JD]

Well, in the US where I am , 110v was standard back in the 60's. Then 115v.... Then 120v.... Then 125v.... I think I see a trend
Most of the measurements I take these days (home and at work) are in the 127v range, but it varies between about 122v and 130v. I can tell when it's up at 130 because that's when all the dimmers start ghosting at work.

 

[n1ist]

For testing designs at work, we always use nominal +/- 10% as the normal operating range. So that's 108v - 382V for my latest project. That's the tightest most POCOs guarantee.
/mike

 

[tjrobb]

Our theatre is normally 127V. I don't think our dimmers regulate it back, but in any case nothing has trouble with it.

 

[JD]

Judging lamp life can be tricky. Often, lower settings can cause bigger problems, such as curtain lights that spend their life at 40%
Low settings break the halogen cycle and allow deposits to build up in the lamp, eventually turning it into a heat lamp that is not long for the world.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I believe all Source4 dimmers and all CD80s and all Colrotran through I Series could be trimmed on a per dimmer basis. I can't imagine that current Strand dimmers don't have this feature but possible and honestly don't know about others today. Haven't used dimmers much in recent years but use to specify they be trimmed. Pre-S4 and 115volt lamps, always tapped up transformer and specified they be trimmed to 120 volts at the socket with a single 1000 load usually. Today I'd probably base it on two 575's and of course 115v, if installing dimmer racks. But it really has to be under load and measured at the load, and don at least position by position, if not dimmer by dimmer.

 

[EdSavoie]

I do believe any kind of adjustment would require locating one of the ever increasingly rare programmer remotes, wouldn't it?

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

I do believe any kind of adjustment would require locating one of the ever increasingly rare programmer remotes, wouldn't it?

For CD80? Honestly, I don't know. There's always Steve Short at Litetrol.

 

[RonHebbard]

I do believe any kind of adjustment would require locating one of the ever increasingly rare programmer remotes, wouldn't it?

A little known fact; An LP90 hand-held cabled remote and a CD-80 rack programming remote are EXACTLY the same piece of hardware with the ONLY difference being the plastic overlay identifying the button functions. If you own either, you own both. Strand REALLY didn't like people to know that. At one point Strand wanted to charge me $2,700.00 for an AE rack remote when all I needed was the specific overlay for my existing LP-90 focus remote. Once I obtained the correct overlay, I laid it over the focus remote whenever I had need and kept it in a drawer most of the year.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[EdSavoie]

The irony is, the I've just learned today the rack probably won't be there long enough to justify sourcing either remote...

We're being imposed draconian conditions, our beloved dimmer, fly house, workshop and lighting bridge could be gutted / locked up or gone by the end of the summer.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

The irony is, the I've just learned today the rack probably won't be there long enough to justify sourcing either remote...

We're being imposed draconian conditions, our beloved dimmer, fly house, workshop and lighting bridge could be gutted / locked up or gone by the end of the summer.

Why?

 

[EdSavoie]

They've decided to take the cheap and easy route of removing "potential hazards" by just leaving our capabilities neutered. I have no idea what's gotten into them.

They don't want to pay someone to certify and / or maintain the rigging, they've already inspected the dimmer and found it to be operating normally, but they are paranoid and see as a giant arc flash waiting to happen. They also want to clear out our workshop / set storage area for reasons beyond my comprehension, and they've thrown all the consultation we had with other members of the board to find a reasonable alternative solution to the wind.

Yep, bad day.
I don't find comfort in the fact this is my last year before going to college, they're basically turning our facility into a prettier cafetorium (did I mention they expect us to change bulbs and move instruments WITH A GENIE LIFT every time?)

 

[RonHebbard]

They've decided to take the cheap and easy route of removing "potential hazards" by just leaving our capabilities neutered. I have no idea what's gotten into them.

They don't want to pay someone to certify and / or maintain the rigging, they've already inspected the dimmer and found it to be operating normally, but they are paranoid and see as a giant arc flash waiting to happen. They also want to clear out our workshop / set storage area for reasons beyond my comprehension, and they've thrown all the consultation we had with other members of the board to find a reasonable alternative solution to the wind.

Yep, bad day.
I don't find comfort in the fact this is my last year before going to college, they're basically turning our facility into a prettier cafetorium (did I mention they expect us to change bulbs and move instruments WITH A GENIE LIFT every time?)

That same manner of non-thinking closes wood, auto, machine and electrical classrooms too. So much for training marketable skills and so much for bureaucracy. We once had a well equipped performing arts high school in downtown Hamilton. The Hamilton Board Of Education decided to hire a staff person to play TD. They turned down an applicant with 15 years experience in favor of someone just graduating from the University Of Waterloo because they had a degree. Shortly after this new person was hired I received a phone call because there was a paying rental in and the new university graduate couldn't get any stage lighting turned on. The graduate was only missing two items: The motorized remote controlled 400 Amp main breaker and the Dead Black Out switch on the Ward Leonard six scene 42 dimmer console. Once the power and control were both turned on the lights worked. Go figure. Sure glad I got to skip university and went directly into my apprenticeship. In so many ways I feel our education systems are letting our students down.
All the best to you Ed and don't peak too early.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

And everyone is threatening to move to Canada, where they're shutting down theatres and vocational programs left and right by these reports.

 

[JD]

That same manner of non-thinking closes wood, auto, machine and electrical classrooms too. So much for training marketable skills and so much for bureaucracy. We once had a well equipped performing arts high school in downtown Hamilton. The Hamilton Board Of Education decided to hire a staff person to play TD. They turned down an applicant with 15 years experience in favor of someone just graduating from the University Of Waterloo because they had a degree. Shortly after this new person was hired I received a phone call because there was a paying rental in and the new university graduate couldn't get any stage lighting turned on. The graduate was only missing two items: The motorized remote controlled 400 Amp main breaker and the Dead Black Out switch on the Ward Leonard six scene 42 dimmer console. Once the power and control were both turned on the lights worked. Go figure. Sure glad I got to skip university and went directly into my apprenticeship. In so many ways I feel our education systems are letting our students down.
All the best to you Ed and don't peak too early.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard.

Life has risk. We should always try to minimize unnecessary risk, but we can't simply wrap everyone in bubble wrap from birth to death. The concept that high schools no longer offer wood/metal shop classes, or any other trade classes is abhorrent to me! The concept that a school would not maintain any theatrical arts, because stage equipment is too dangerous simply blows my mind! You know, we have an abundance of people trained for "white collar" jobs, but we live in a blue collar world. Things need to get done. This is why hiring a qualified plumber, electrician, or carpenter is so hard. With few in the field, there is very little competition! It reminds me of these futuristic sci-fi movies where people are living in a utopian world that is falling apart because no one knows how to maintain the infrastructure!
(end off-topic rant)