[SML] Upgrading dimmer racks

[Riter, Andrew]

Strand dimmer racks have been bullet-proof for years (once you get the electronics stable).

Whatever # of dimmers you install for (24, 48, 96), buy a percentage of non-dim contactor units.  These can be used for supplying 120v consistent power to LEDs or moving lights.

I like the idea of 1.2kw dimmers.  IF your room works with 575w S4s or single 750w units, and a few 1kw fresnels/cycs.

Consider installing a few higher capacity circuits for the cyc area.  That's the one thing I miss in one of my venues.

Andrew M. Riter
Assistant Technical Director / Head Lighting Technician

604-822-2372
Andrew.riter at ubc.ca

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Stagecraft [mailto:stagecraft-bounces at theatrical.net] On Behalf Of Bill
> Nelson via Stagecraft
> Sent: Monday, February 23, 2015 11:05 PM
> To: Richard Niederberg; Stagecraft Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [SML] Upgrading dimmer racks
> 
> > Even if you couldn't afford LED fixtures now, you could still fit two
> > 575 watt instruments per 1200 watt dimmer, and that may be enough to
> > keep you going until additional funding for LED fixtures appears down the
> road.
> > /s/ Richard
> 
> That was my thought. With my designs, it is rare that more than two
> instruments are ganged on one dimmer. The only reason I gang them at all is
> due to the extremely limited number of dimmers.
> 
> Forty eight 1200 watt dimmers has the same max power draw as twenty four
> -
> 2400 watt dimmers. So such a setup would not require any feeder upgrade.
> 
> It might be possible that ninety six 1200 watt dimmers might also be OK
> without upgrading the facility main feed. I will have to look into that the next
> time I am at the theatre.
> 
> Bill
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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