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[computer]

yeah at the local college I run the lighting for, we have 3 phase 32amp for the dimmers, and then any movers or stuff we run from some 13amp or ceeform extensions from the DT department, right next door to the theatre (they share fire exits through a little room) so we can run extras from the DT's large power tool supply (they also have a 400v supply but thats not used)

[peternewman]

Hi,

 

Hard power the followspots from 13A - a semaphore gel changer with some heat-resistant card in one slot will allow the operator to dim them - takes a little practice, but it works.  (And it's how you dim the bigger f/spots anyway)

Or hire in a followspot dimmer. This is basically a single channel dimmer with a fader on it, and sometimes a flash/blackout button. Then plug this into the mains and the followspot into the single dimmer and your followspot operator can control their own followspot, freeing those dimmer channels up.

 

As other people have said about the strobe run in a mains cable and put it through a switch of some sort, thus giving another spare dimmer channel. Thats how we do our strobe and mirror ball. If you need to hire a cable, or try your parents association if you have one or music department. We borrowed one of their cables and its still in our roof. :(

 

PN

[Matt]

who is the designer?

 

...and yeah it probably was 125a 3phase* (ceeform-yes tomlyall), but the bloke who said it is a bit of a dick anyway, filed 3 complaints on him anyway, he had a go for shutting down my own pc in our office without his permission today, incidently that has pushed me over my "peed off" threshold, is resigning tommorow - had enuf dan you still get my backing though :(

 

* this person also did his calculations wrong - and blew up the main 63amp breaker in our main hall, might I add not blew up but tottally obliterated.

[DanielArkley]

The designers are my Head of Department and our newly appointed Lighting Manager.

 

As for the breaker, must have been hell of a bang?!

[Brian]

As for the breaker, must have been hell of a bang?!

Here are a couple of pictures of a 250 amp 3-phase contactor after it shorted out the incoming mains feed to a TV transmitter.

 

http://www.aux99.co.uk/blue-room/bang1.jpg

http://www.aux99.co.uk/blue-room/bang2.jpg

 

To give you an idea of scale the bigger cables are about 25mm in diameter.

 

In the top picture, if you look at the covers in the middle, you'll see that they are coated in a brownish soot. That's copper that was vapourised off the contacts when they closed and then condensed out onto the covers.

[DanielArkley]

Crikey :(

[tomchennells]

Maybe irrelivent - but I recently ran bugsy malone at my old school and was all keen to get in moving heads - so I got a great deal on two Mh860s (the futurelight profiles) they were really good bits of kit but I used them in 4 scenes !!! and they were a bit chunk of my programing time / budget

 

probably not worth the bother mate - get an extra dimmer pack and some 1k fresnels or something which will ensure u light the stage well

 

parcans arnt exactly the best facelight or toplight are they ?? :-/

 

If your really keen why not go for some scanners (roboscan 518s ??)

cheap rotating gobos to add some controlled sparkle to your show ! :o

 

ps. what do people think of the mh860s I actully found them brighter than the mac500s !! using the same lamps :D

 

- tom

[gareth]

parcans arnt exactly the best facelight or toplight are they ??

Why not?

[tomchennells]

hard to get the light exactly where u want and u cant use barn doors can you ??

 

also the focus on a fresnel is far superior :D

 

I guess if your on a really tight budget u might wanna use parcans but ive never done that before - maybe im just doing it all wrong! I use 1k and 650 fresnels to face light all my shows and normally teatro wetlights in smaller venues for toplight

 

I always use parcans for sidelight on dance shows though - ive got more shows on the go so any advice you could give me I would be thankfull for.

 

Also what about these futurelite mh860s ?? how many people use theese ?? and what do u rekon - thanks

 

tom

[gareth]

hard to get the light exactly where u want and u cant use barn doors can you ??

 

also the focus on a fresnel is far superior :D

 

I guess if your on a really tight budget u might wanna use parcans but ive never done that before

 

I always use parcans for sidelight on dance shows though - ive got more shows on the go so any advice you could give me I would be thankfull for.

 

Also what about these futurelite mh860s ?? how many people use theese ?? and what do u rekon - thanks

 

tom

Well, getting the light to go where you want it (and not go where you don't want it!) is a matter of positioning the light correctly and selecting the right lamp to put into it. And yes, you can put barndoors (or tophats, or half-hats) into parcans. See this page in the Stage Electrics on-line hire catalogue.

 

Yes, the focus on a fresnel is superior. But a fresnel has more sophisicated optics than a parcan, and costs several times as much. However, you do get more "lumes per watt" out of a parcan. It's horses for courses, really.

 

Re. using parcans for sidelight - if you use fresnels or profiles (profeils are especially good for lanterns really low down the boom) you can get much more control of the beam, and reduce the 'mess' on masking, the floor, the pros, etc.

[tomchennells]

thanks :D

 

we have over a hundred parcans at work - mayb I should try using them :o

 

- I should use fresnels were possible tho yeh ?

[DanielArkley]

As I have so often repeated to our friend Michael, it all depends on what you want. There are some instances where I would cringe at using a Parcan (like tight spots), and some instances where I would cringe at a Fresnel (the lack of intensity compared to a Parcan for colour washing).

 

One of the most important lessons I learned was learnt from the chaps here: It all depends on the job you are doing.

[tomchennells]

ok - so for instance in 600 seater ish theatres on a danceshow I almsot always use 1k cantatas or similar to colourwash the stage as this is the way ive always been taught, should I give parcans some consideration?

 

to be honest I only ever use parcans to chase, and for sidelight :D

[DanielArkley]

Personally, I use our Parcans + CP62s to colour wash our white wall at the back, then use our Fresnels for soft white front light. Again, it depends on what kind of effect you want for the dance piece. I find that more often than not, the dancers like to he in white, so by washing the back wall, there is still colour.

[tomchennells]

I light the stage in atleast 5 colours with fresnels as well as white (not open)

 

and use the strand batons (whjich ive forgotten the name of) to light the cyc evenly - as they are brighter at the base of the unit (as im sure u know)

 

normally a mixture of music in a show from ballet to modern dance (breakdancing) etc etc :D