sunray

Shoot me down in flames by all means but I tend to use these https://cpc.farnell.com/st/26762/glove-nitrile-coated-grey-white/dp/HE32566 rather than thicker gloves which I struggle to handle small parts with.

Without going back over posts am I right that these are radio linked? I wonder if that might be getting corrupted.

I'm not able to open that link but if anything like these devices take 2x 1mm in a double ferrule with ease

So I've had a little play today and☹️ after the brilliant advice I was hoping it was going to be a breeze. As suggested the existing control system doesn't have any source ability, only sink. First problem; the existing fluo lights don't all dim to zero which I was not aware of, even with a direct short across the 0-10V line. So requires isolating mains too for 'full off'. Second; the white demux unit in previous post will happily sink the light control 1.4mA or 12mA for a 12V relay to 3.7mV. After adding a 1N4001 diode it sinks the relay to ~630mV but strangely sinks lights to ~950mV and that is not low enough for off. As we are very consious of not wishing to interfere with the normal operation in any way, we have called it a day for now and plan to have another look when the new LED lights have been fitted, currently planned for March due to the number of bookings. Apparently during discussions with the installers there has been some suggestion the modules may include DMX capabilities so that is something to look forward to.

I've owned and used several gas irons and it always surprised me how many people head for them as a first choice, personally I'm always glad to get back to a 'proper' iron. Anyway, glad you have it sussed.

That has reminded me; I aquired some PC monitor arms parts, basically a heavy duty anglepoise which sat in a 32mm diameter (or threabouts) fairly shallow (30mm deep?) cup. the bottom of the cup had a 10mm hole and shallow 17mm hex recess, the idea being to take a bolt to fix to a bracket or as was often the case a hole drilled through the desk. It wasn't until I asked my friend if he could turn the hole out to 35mm that he pointed out it had a plastic liner and removing that found the cup was a tight fit on my 35mm stands but didn't fit all.

Thinking further a nipple and female cap may work. 1/2" usually comes up quite big. Take a stand to a local plumbing supplier.

Choose the right size Tee to suit the stand, drill and tap the caps to suit your fixing screw and locking screw. I did this in a hurry about 50 years ago to mount a crossbar for horn loudspeakers on on a steel security screen and used brass reducing bushes drilled and tapped for 5/16" Whitworth. I used the same system several years running for their open day. Obviously turning a piece of stock is the nice way of doing it. I had some turned for 32mm stands with M10 female threads and M8 locking thread for a customer, fortunately at the time I had a friend with a lathe Loads with a male thread to chose from https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/I.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1313&_nkw=5%2F8"+lighting+stand+adapter&_sacat=0

Which is pretty much comparable with the likes of B&Q etc for the ordinary stuff.👍

And not a million miles from London too. Looking good. Any idea of pricing yet?

So my apology, I started writing about 3 hours ago but phone and family happened in the meantime. Clicking on Pauls link is a similar looking product which looks smaller and a fair bit lighter.

Google for clearclick, self contained unit 6" x 3" or so I had a 2nd generation version, I believe there is a 3rd. Only issue I found was battery life far too short.

Also check for shorts to the shell of the plug which will be floating when unplugged.

I don't know, are you that good?😜😂 Let's not get into thinking these are West end plays, these are children farmed out during the holiday while parents enjoy the freedom of working for a living😁 and the play is little more than half hour and a dozen cues. However it's virtually performed entirely by the kids after 5 weeks of having fun.

I have done 3 drama summer schools at junior school level, each time has been with one or two others to give an insight into lighting and sound alongside the drama staff. I agree with Indyld that the drama teacher doesn't need to be fully tech trained but does need an insight. I have found the youngsters understand DMX easier when taught on a basic manual desk where they can instantly see what a fader does. To put this into perspective we rig some bars at about a metre and start with a pile of lights and cables. We describe DMX, how to address fittings and plug it up, show basic operation with a manual desk and a PC/dongle. Then split into 2 groups of about 2 to 4 if there are enough and get them to rig lights, programme and operate. At the end of the 5 weeks there is a play (they rig lights on windup tripods) and the group on the manual desk manage to do a better show than the PC. Bearing in mind these are under 11's, I imagine this quickly changes as they become more computer literate and we don't supply any movers.

I gather you have tested end to end for continuity and short circuits, did you attempt to add a patchlead each end and test end to end of those?

I have a selection of disused keyboards, (some unused) if wanted, I think possibly USB, PS2 and PCAT plug types.

yeah very true. BT would put out an invitation to tender for supplies. Medium soldering iron as an example came from at least 7 suppliers Adcola 25W- heated very quickly but wouldn't be able to solder 100 tags without a couple of breaks. Wolf 65W - Took ages to heat up, didn't get particularity hot but then nothing could cool it either Probably not suitable for the plugs in question. (Also supplied a 'Large' version but still 65W with a huge bit, took 20 minutes to melt solder). Elremco 35W - Heated quickly, could solder continuously, got far too hot, the bit would glow dull red and burn out rapidly. The only one which could solder 15mm copper pipe fittings and car radiators. Cooper 30W - Medium+ heat time to first use but low heat capacity bit. Would get progressively hotter and romp through bits but once hot could solder constantly Weller 48W (TCP) - 24V version we all know and love, 50V version never as good and got through elements. No Name 70W (TC) - Adjustable mechanical thermostat we had to run them on max, constant cycling heated quickly but never hot enough to work on tag blocks and no heat capacity - worked more like the 15W Antex. Solon 50 or 60W - Rubbish. But all of those apparently conformed to the BT spec.

I've only used a Weller TCP iron with No9 bit about 3mm. I heavily tin the cup, tin the wire then holding the wire on the bit return to the cup then simply drop the wire into the cup while withdrawing the iron and sliding the wire forwards. Exactly the same modus operandi as an XLR but bigger and hotter bit

Wow what a fantastic reply. My voltage and short circuit tests tally with your description. I didn't know about the blocking diodes in theatrical controllers so that could very well have tripped me up. I think we would possibly be looking at using one of theseas the hall will very sensibly become 3 circuits. Stated as 20mA O/Ps, I've just tested one and it sources an 800 ohm 12V relay (SRMV in control terms) OK and sinks it from 12V too so no signs of blocking diodes. Have also tested with one set of existing fluo fittings (has a convenient junction box where other tests were made). I'm pretty sure there are no diodes in the existing controller from the tests I've already made. The benefit being the small size and be able to permanently fit (via multiway connector) within the existing stage DMX arrangements but thinking further the outputs are floating in the absence of power or DMX so potentially wouldn't matter if the multiway plug were forgotten to be pulled. I wondered about adding blocking diodes to the existing wiring but wondered about the 0.7V drop taking it right down to 0%, and the usual snap off point for the replacement LED fittings. Also whether that would be a bridge too far for hall owners. The 5 lamps I mentioned is actually about 28, I omitted the word circuits, some have about 8 fittings and one circuit would potentially become 16 so it seems I'll need to be checking sink current and also on the new fittings. Thanks for the plethora of information including the IEC document, you have given me loads of ideas. The one thing I need to verify is all of the existing wirings 0Vs are common before I can do much more.

In a village hall I have just made an alteration to the Strand Wallrack dimmer wiring to provide switchable hard/dim outputs and a bit of a chat about the 5 fluo house lights with 0-10V dimming which are about to be changed to LED turned into another project. I made the mistake of suggesting incorporating them onto the DMX line using a DeMux. After crawling around loft areas and chasing wiring we have established: 1) the faders in a grid switch consist of a simple variable resister with only 2 wires (not wired as a pot), 0% = 0V and 100% = ~80Vac (0Ω & 65kΩ when disconnected). There is obviously an interface somewhere between the fader and the 0-10V wiring, as yet not found so I have no idea what is there. 2) with the 0-10V line disconnected the lights default to full (makes a lot of sense to me). On the circuit towards the lights 10V appears and then shorting the circuit snaps the lights off. I see the 0-10V from the interface I've dealt with lots of 0-10V within control systems, especially things like BMS valve and damper actuators which revert to the 0V state. The outputs from the controllers have sufficient drive capability to operate a relay. Inputs to controllers usually have facilities to add pullup. My question is simply are architectural lighting systems likely to have a high impedance drive capability, in other words when set to 100% will it be safe to short the line? (Not something I'm accustomed to), Without knowing what the interface is I can't look it up. The reason I ask is the hall owner doesn't want any changes to the lighting which is likely to affect them in normal use such as a changeover switch whereas adding a multiway socket for the demux shouldn't affect them when unplugged.

Well now you mention cheap and nasty... I purchased some DMX RGB LED units similar to this which came with XLR3 M&F connectors. I think I dumped them after attempting to solder a lead and the pin moved. However I'd assume (yes I know) that an in house multicore would be made with proper connecters and not Chinese 20p specials. Now I think about it I hang my head in shame, the tie lines between DJ booth and show mixer in a nightclub I had to replace all of the female ITT XLRs due to multiple failures, I seem to remember most were fine when I tested with my cable tester and my XLR leads which weren't old and worn. The thing I recall about them being the Neutrik replacements being a little twisted to match those that had already been changed.

For an 8"x6" unit they are quite nice 2 way speakers, frequently specced by one of the consultants we regularly encountered. Oh and a bracket that works.

Yes good call, BNC etc and DIN it's quite common. I've never known of it with XLR but no reason it shouldn't happen.

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