ECS Dimmer packs

[Madhatter]

Good morning chaps , could anyone point me in the direction of a website that could give me the spec of this company's products, specifically the "ECS 63A Channel Dimmer Packs 15A Round Pin x12 Outlets".

Derrick

[matt c]

Could be completely off the ball here, but everything ECS I searched for came back to Philips. Maybe Philips bought ECS?

 

Anyway, here's a link to try. Don't know whether it's what you're after..

 

http://www.lighting.philips.com/gb_en/arch...ols&lang=en

[Madhatter]

Thanks Matt, ( I didn't even find that "doh!" ) it maybe the answer to my quest for info on some dimmer packs I have bought for a community project I am working on.

Derrick

will keep you posted, and thanks again .

[RichardFoster]

That's a different ECS I'm afraid!

 

ECS stood for Electro Control Systems and was run by the chap who originally ran Eltec drama lighting controls. It seems that neither of them exist any more but there were a lot of Eltec installations and some ECS ones around here so I've seen most of the kit.

 

With the exception of model upgrades there's no real difference between Eltec and ECS dimmers. The 6 channel ones fused at 10A are rated at 2Kw per channel but are not rated for continuous use. That's not to say they'll fail if used all day but they should be switched off when not in use. I don't recall seeing any DMX versions. All the standard control cards were for 0 to +10V analogue control on the usual pinout (pins 1-6 = channels 1-6, pin 7 = power, pin 8 = 0V). If a pack were converted to run with Strand -10V control then it would have either an external conversion box or a separate card fitted inside. Most ECS dimmers ran control via 8 pin DIN but some used 10 way circular connectors. The pinout is the same with 9 & 10 not used but the pin positioning is different (10 way runs around in sequence whereas DIN numbering is non sequential). Being a small company they did all sorts of customisation for people so tell me if you have something different and I'll see what I can remember about it!

 

None of the Eltec or ECS dimmers were hard fired triacs so they don't like inductive loads. You can just about get away with it if you use a 500W lamp as a ballast on the channel.

 

If you're installing the dimmers on a wall or in a rack, don't stack more than two high without an air gap. Best parctice is to leave a small gap above & below each one.

[Madhatter]

Thanks for that comprehensive reply Richard it is very useful.

Derrick

[Madhatter]

Thanks for the replies,

Can a 0+10v (strand ??) be rewired to 0-10v (pulsar?) or is it all done on the board ?

The din plug is wired :-

1 = orange

2 = lilac ( well light purple then )

3 = brown

4 = green

5 = yellow

6 = red

7 = blue

8 = black ( with link to chassis).

Derrick

[mutley]

Thanks for the replies,

Can a 0+10v (strand ??) be rewired to 0-10v (pulsar?) or is it all done on the board ?

The din plug is wired :-

1 = orange

2 = lilac ( well light purple then )

3 = brown

4 = green

5 = yellow

6 = red

7 = blue

8 = black ( with link to chassis).

Derrick

 

Are you sure your Pulsar units are -10v and not +10v?

 

If they are definately -10v, then the short answer is NO. Not unless the dimmer has selectable voltage level inputs. The connectors are wired differently, but as far as I know Pulsar are still +10v control.

 

If they are -10v, even if you try reversing the wires, the equipment earth on each end will cause it to short out.

If you try using bridge rectifiers on each input, you'll still short the inputs out, and you'd lose voltage across the rectifier (so you'd only be able to go to about 85% maximum if you disconnected the earth! ).

 

I have designed a simple "build-it-yourself" (or buy it built) signal voltage inverter, that will run off the aux supply on the DIN cable, or external DC supply if the DIN control lead doesn't carry any power from dimmer of desk). I still haven't got round to testing it yet. I was going to send it to boatman, but with working 18 hour days to get the production ready, I never got the chance!

 

Zero88 and Strand use the same wiring convention in their control signal DIN connectors, but Strand are -10v whereas Zero88 (and most others) are +10v. Pulsar use a different wiring configuration!

 

See this page for info on 8pin DIN wiring for different manufacturers

http://freespace.virgin.net/tom.baldwin/pinout-8din.html

For info on my control signal voltage inverter, see this thread:

DIY Signal voltage inverter

If you want a Strand/Zero88 to Pulsar control adaptor lead set making up, PM me.

[Madhatter]

As requested by Mutley ( who I must thank for his patience and help ).

Briefly I want to connect my old Pulsar 2 preset analogue desk to a ECS dimmer pack , but the desk is + 10v and the dimmer is - 10v I cannot afford to change either ( unless anyone has a very cheap pulsar dimmer pack going).

Firstly the desk is a Pulsar dipless crossfade ,18 channel ,with 8 pin din sockets and an optional bicc 23 pin ,0 +10v

picture --

if this does not work -->http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m50/1an...tter/5953_1.jpg

 

the dimmer pack is an ECS (no longer a company )ECS 63Amp 6 x 10amp per channel dimmer pack 0-10V. 8 pin din

pictures

or direct link

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m50/1an...tter/bb8d_1.jpg

http://i101.photobucket.com/albums/m50/1an...tter/bda7_1.jpg

 

I have lots of din plug leads that could be altered ( I was told they were for a pulsar but !!!)

 

I hope this is enough info

[mutley]

Ahhhh!

 

OK, basically you just need to invert the analogue control signal voltage from positive to negative, and use a specially wired DIN control cable to swap from Pulsar confirguration to "standard".

 

Unfortunately, changing the signal polarity cannot be done by simply swapping wires over in the control cables, because the electrical chassis earth would short it out and, well, basically it just won't work!....

 

I have designed a compact 12 channel signal voltage inverter for just this purpose, BUT AS YET IT IS UNTESTED AND PURELY A PROTOTYPE.

 

Alternative solutions are:

 

1. Hire/borrow a different analogue desk, such as a Strand which has a negative control voltage output.
   
2. Hire/borrow a different dimmer arrangement, such as Zero88, which use a positive control voltage.
   
3. Buy a USB-DMX dongle for about £40, and use a demux to operate your dimmers. If it's a Strand demux, it will probably already be set to give -10v signal output, but if not, it may have a simply switch on it to change polarity. There is a lot of free software around for using USB DMX dongles.
   
4. Have a poke inside the dimmers to se eif there's a way of switching them to negative signal control. (ONLY IF YOU ARE COMPETENT TO DO SO!)
   

There is no quick, simple and cheap way to resolve this.

[Madhatter]

I have designed a compact 12 channel signal voltage inverter for just this purpose, BUT AS YET IT IS UNTESTED AND PURELY A PROTOTYPE.

What about testing it on my equipment ?? :P