simduv Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Okay decided to change the post...just read it back and it made no sense!! Basically my question is this, I have a pulsar 12 Channel dimmer pack (via DMX) Each channel fuse is rated at 5A.....does this mean I can only pull a MAX current of 5Amps through each channel.... The actual live wires are connected to a series of three power rails.....a rail for channels 1 - 4, second rail for channels 5- 8 and third channel for channels 0 - 12, however the manual states that each power rail can supply a maximum of 40A - but if each channel fuse is only 5Amps, and there is only 4 channels per output rail surely that only equals 20Amps of current?? Am I missing something important here...I feel I am!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 the casing on the pack states that each terminal block can supply 40A max...which leads me to the following questions...if I can pull 40Amps of a channel, why do the individual channel fuses state that they are just 5Amps per channel.....I suspect you'll find that the 40A refers to the total input to the entire pack, whereas the 5A is the max output from each channel.And I have also noticed that some of the house lighting is wired through one of these dimmers, which although I havent calculated, it must be drawing more than 5amps of current, as it is 10 - 15 100 watt 240v standard light bulbs.make up your mind - is it 10 or 15? :) 10@100W is slightly over 4 amps15@100W is just over 6 amps. So it could well be perfectly OK, or it may be a little overloaded. Okay decided to change the post...just read it back and it made no sense!!...so you edited it, which made your original post make more sense, but made the subsequent replies look a bit daft... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuddy Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 If each channel is fused at 5amps then yes you can only draw 5amps through the channel, drawing signifficantly more will operate the fuse. Is the dimmer pack supplied via a three phase supply or a single phase supply, if it's a single phase supply it is likely the dimmer has been de-rated to allow for it to connect to a more common source, 60/63amp CEE or similar, 120/125amp single phase is not common or if it's three phase supply it could have been de-rated to allow for it to connect to a 32amp 3Ph supply. I would hazard that if you could supply it with 40amp per rail then you could uprate channel fuses to 10amp per channel but such action only to be taken by a competent electrician. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatman Posted October 31, 2007 Share Posted October 31, 2007 Am I missing something important here...I feel I am!!Yes, you are missing something important, which is an understanding of the acronym RTFM. Go to the Pulsar Website, navigate to the downloads section, register and download the Datalight manual. After you have read it, you will be able to answer your own question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simduv Posted November 4, 2007 Author Share Posted November 4, 2007 Isnt it amazing how you can have an online community with so many helpful people, yet there is always a certain few whom for them, mannersescape them. I asked the question and have two helpful answers, thanks for those, they are appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 The actual live wires are connected to a series of three power rails.....a rail for channels 1 - 4, second rail for channels 5- 8 and third channel for channels 9 (?) - 12, however the manual states that each power rail can supply a maximum of 40A - but if each channel fuse is only 5Amps, and there is only 4 channels per output rail surely that only equals 20Amps of current?? Am I missing something important here...I feel I am!! The three rails can be connected either to 3 separate phases of a 3-phase suppy or all connected to the same phase (e.g. from a single phase supply). Your decision regarding how to wire them would depend on what power supply you had available and what other dimmers you have in your system. It would appear, from what you quote, that each channel can be run up to 10A which will give you a total of 40A per rail and 120A in total if all channels are run at full, but as you can never get more than 5A through a 5A fuse (by definition), each channel will currently give 5A maximum or 60A in total. This way it could happily be connected, for example, to a 63A single phase supply. You could change the fuses to 10A but you'd have to be very careful not to take the total draw above the total amount of power available to you. What power supply are you intending to plug this into? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Isnt it amazing how you can have an online community with so many helpful people, yet there is always a certain few whom for them, manners escape them.Hmmm... Well, had you done some homework (ie RTFM) before coming on the forum, and maybe asked the right question first time, I suspect that you may have had a 100% polite response. As it is, I think you've actually gotten off rather lightly!! :) I suggest you spend some time trawling the forum and you'll maybe see why some of the members take a little harshly to essentially getting asked to do someone else's homework!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazeja Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Only 2 questions. Are the fuse holders rated for 10 amps?Is the internal wiring rated for 10 amps? Hmmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Is the internal wiring rated for 10 amps? If each power rail can supply 40A and runs 4 channels then... :unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kazeja Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Is the internal wiring rated for 10 amps? If each power rail can supply 40A and runs 4 channels then... :P Not familiar with the physical construction of this unit. The point I was trying to make was that the internal wiring to the fuse holder(s) may not be rated for 10 amps. E.G. If I have an 80Amp domestic supply with 6Amp breaker for lighting circuits, uping the breaker to 40 amps to run an electric shower unit isn't going to last long before the installed wiring goes. OK. this is an extreme example to emphasise the point. Sorry for any confusion caused by asking questions without the explanation behind them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuddy Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Is the internal wiring rated for 10 amps? If each power rail can supply 40A and runs 4 channels then... :PNot familiar with the physical construction of this unit. The point I was trying to make was that the internal wiring to the fuse holder(s) may not be rated for 10 amps. Valid point, but one would hope that the person doing any upgrading was professionally qualified to asses the situation and do the job correctly. Also, one would consider that a dimmer with an input rail rated at 40amp supplying four channels, that the channels were wired for 10amps each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boatman Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Pulsar Datapacks have a choice of two fuse ratings 5A & 10A for a very good reason. The internal construction of the two models is identical, with the same wiring. The difference is in the current carrying capability of the triacs. You can fit 10A fuses in a 5A Datapack if you wish and you will be able to drive twice the load. Oooooh look, lots of light. Unfortunately you will only be able to do that for a very short time and then you will need to change some triacs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wuddy Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Pulsar Datapacks have a choice of two fuse ratings 5A & 10A for a very good reason. The internal construction of the two models is identical, with the same wiring. The difference is in the current carrying capability of the triacs. You can fit 10A fuses in a 5A Datapack if you wish and you will be able to drive twice the load. Oooooh look, lots of light. Unfortunately you will only be able to do that for a very short time and then you will need to change some triacs. That surprises me, although I have no knowledge of Pulsar Datapacks but if the 5amp and 10amp packs are identical in all respects other than the triacs, what is the logic or need to fit different rated triacs. Why not just build the 10amp pack and let the end user decide the final channel fusing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted November 7, 2007 Share Posted November 7, 2007 Why not just build the 10amp pack and let the end user decide the final channel fusing.Cost.Bigger triacs are more expensive. Several dimmers (especially at the cheaper end), use such low-rated triacs that they die to protect the fuse! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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