Powering Off Dimmer Packs

[Spock]

I occasionally do some lighting at the local school. They have just had their premises upgraded, including two new drama studios and a new hall. I have some issues with the positioning of the new lighting bars but my main concern is the way the dimmer packs have been installed. The new packs (Zero88 Betapack 3s) are connected to the supply using 32A single-phase connectors, but there are no switches on the sockets, which means the dimmer packs are permanently powered up. The only way of powering them down is either to unplug them or use the circuit breaker. Since the drama teachers are not very technically aware, which is why they ask me in, the packs are switched on all the time. The questions I have are:

1. Will this do the packs long-term damage?

2. What is the best way of powering down the packs? Unplug, circuit breaker or both?

 

I would appreciate some guidance on this.

 

Thanks

 

Spock

[Ynot]

Betapacks will happily sit there powered up with no major issues, to be honest.

Not having a switch, as such, is pretty much the standard configuration. Many MANY installlations are 'switched' by using the circuit breaker, so don't worry about that

 

So in short, don't worry about it.

[musht]

Just to add that while the dimmers will be happy on 24/7 and will consume little power.

 

DO UNPLUG the channel before changing a lamp, a dimmer at 0% is not quite the same as off.

[cedd]

Yep, that's exactly how our local secondary school is wired too. Betapack 2's with 32A single phase plugs. Students and staff have no access to the breakers - inside a locked dis-board, so the only method of isolation was to pull the plug.

 

Whilst using circuit breakers to switch a supply isn't ideal, it happens all to often. A local church have a contactor and a normal light switch after the breakers to make switching the stage lighting on a bit more user friendly.

[dmxtothemax]

I always turn my dimmer racks off at the circuit breakers,

I would rather not leave them powered up when not used.

But I dont worry If they are left on,

They should be able to cope with that, If they cant they are not

not good quality.

In short dont worry! If they are a good quality rack,

they will handle it.

My racks where supurbly built, they are now 20 years and still

work well and hard.

 

I occasionally do some lighting at the local school. They have just had their premises upgraded, including two new drama studios and a new hall. I have some issues with the positioning of the new lighting bars but my main concern is the way the dimmer packs have been installed. The new packs (Zero88 Betapack 3s) are connected to the supply using 32A single-phase connectors, but there are no switches on the sockets, which means the dimmer packs are permanently powered up. The only way of powering them down is either to unplug them or use the circuit breaker. Since the drama teachers are not very technically aware, which is why they ask me in, the packs are switched on all the time. The questions I have are:

1. Will this do the packs long-term damage?

2. What is the best way of powering down the packs? Unplug, circuit breaker or both?

 

I would appreciate some guidance on this.

 

Thanks

 

Spock

[AdrianW]

While I agree with Ynot's comment about the dimmer packs themselves, in fact, some would argue that leaving the equipment powered 24/7 may lead to a longer lifetime, we really need to know a little more about the configuration.....

 

How are the lanterns connected to the dimmers..... if they are on plugs/sockets either on the bars or at the dimmers, then fine. If the bars are hardwired to the dimmers & the lanterns are hardwired to the bars (which I have seen as a cost cutting exercise!) then we have a problem - how can a lantern be isolated to change the lamp?

 

While not strictly wrong to wire a 32A socket unswitched directly to a distribution board, it is bad practice. Ceeform sockets are not designed to be an on load disconnector, so there should be a means to remove the load before pulling out the plug.

 

Adrian

[Ynot]

How are the lanterns connected to the dimmers..... if they are on plugs/sockets either on the bars or at the dimmers, then fine. If the bars are hardwired to the dimmers & the lanterns are hardwired to the bars (which I have seen as a cost cutting exercise!) then we have a problem - how can a lantern be isolated to change the lamp?

Er, it would be VERY unusual in anything like a theatre installation (including and perhaps especially) schools to find that the lanterns are hardwired to the outlets at the bars - that would, to be blunt, be ludicrously restrictive for any half-decent attempt at regular show focussing.

 

Therefore isolation from the power is simply unplugging the lamp at the lantern end - and frankly something that is after all best practice in ALL cases when changing a lamp.

[Spock]

Thanks for all advice so far.

 

The bars are all internally wired with 15A sockets so the lanterns can be there. The sockets terminate below the dimmer packs in 15A plugs so can be disconnected there as well.

 

Spock

[AdrianW]

Er, it would be VERY unusual in anything like a theatre installation (including and perhaps especially) schools to find that the lanterns are hardwired to the outlets at the bars - that would, to be blunt, be ludicrously restrictive for any half-decent attempt at regular show focussing.

 

Therefore isolation from the power is simply unplugging the lamp at the lantern end - and frankly something that is after all best practice in ALL cases when changing a lamp.

 

I agree, 100%.... unfortunatley I have seen it. Not sure whether it was the result of a local authority architect who was well out of his depth or some poor attempt at stopping the lanterns "walking" but it was done! The only work around that could be found was to fit trailing sockets about 6" down from the bars.