ACL wiring scheme

[fireball40k]

I have a plan to build a Par 36 ACL rig (using GE4596 250W lamps) for use in smallish venues and I want to make it as flexible as possible so that all eight cans could be used centrally splaying out or could also be split into two bars of four on either side of the stage, splaying in.

 

I have a design in mind for the metalwork but my query is regarding the power link between the two groups of four. Depending on the application, I need to either plug the two bars directly together to make the serial link or, when the bars are to be separated, add a special extension between them.

 

Given that it's a 2KW circuit, has anyone done this before and what type of common-ish connectors would be suitable such that they can handle 10A and, importantly, not be misconstrued as any other type of circuit?

 

Also, anyone got any long nose Thomas Par 36 cans and/or 4596 lamps going cheap?

 

Cheers guys

[Yorkie]

I suspect the usual way of doing this is 2 bars, each with 4x 28V lights in series, with a 110V 16A 3 pin plug (Yellow). You then need a splitter: 230V 16A 3 pin (blue) plug to 2x110V sockets wired in series. All you need then are 110V 16A extensions.

[niclights]

You don't really need the splitter. Just wire one bar with 240v 16A in, 110v 16A out and the other with 110v 16A in wired so the complete circuit is series.

[dmxtothemax]

I think you want the flexability to be able to patch the lamps any way you want,

That means for each group of four lights,

a minimum of nine connections is needed.

Have you thought about using trailer lighting plugs,

You will have to check there current ratings,

But they should work!

How legal or safe it is,

Thats another can of worms altogether.

[fireball40k]

I reckon either of the schemes suggested by Yorkie and niclights would do it. I was over complicating it in my mind. Cheers guys.

 

Now, I just need to find those cans and lamps. About £15.50 is the best price I've seen for a 4596.

 

Something I've always wondered about these lamps and their ridiculously short stated life of 25 hours - presumably that is the life expected in their proper use, i.e. on the front of a plane, with lots of cold air flowing over them. When coming into land, the lights would be on for probably 10 to 15 minutes, so after only 100 landings or so, they have to change the headlights. This seems a mad replacement schedule given the number of flights that commercial jets make in a given week. Do they still use these on jets or have they changed to something with a longer life expectancy than Gordon Brown's tenancy at 10 Downing St after polling day? Any commercial pilots/flight engineers out there moonlighting as lampies, or vice versa?

[niclights]

I think you'll find the stated life is not related to application. They just burn very hot. Normally you wouldn't leave them on for that long as it's usually an effect. The same is true for 650W DWE's. Chances are in normal use they will last a long time.

[fireball40k]

I certainly intend to only flash them momentarily so they don't cook themselves, but my point was that they are designed for a specific purpose and have a specified life expectancy that airlines would have to work to. The maintenance sheds at Heathrow must get through piles of these things.

[tokm]

If your after connectors to stick on the ends of each ACL can, most people seem to be using these >> Purple Ceeform. The website I've linked to's for reference, I'm sure there's cheaper places to get them.

 

Though I'll admit I've seen a few instances of using green and white ceeforms as they're all low voltage and not likely to be on any other kit found in the rig.

 

 

Best of luck. T

[Jivemaster]

An approach and landing from the lights on stage lasts less than a minute before the lights go off again so at 5 minutes a day max 20 hours lasts lots of weeks! In a full approach to LHR this may be extended to 5 minutes with the lights on but there are still 12 landings to the hour of lamp life! A lamp is cheap compared with any other aero part or consumable!

 

There are or were some 28v 450w lamps from GE that actually said on the lamp that they were for high speed aircraft only as they (PAR46) needed all the cooling that they could get from the slipstream. Nice beam but would ignite paper at 10metres.

 

A concurrent post has been automatically merged from this point on.

 

I personally like the idea of all the bars being the same as 120v units, with a series splitter done in blue and yellow ceeform.

This way you have a splitter that may have a compliance issue but is safe in competent hands. All the bars are the same so no problems pulling the wrong ones out of store.

 

If you make the two necessary bars different then you have to ensure that you always pick a pair from store not two of the same!.

 

There is the same issue with a bar being fed 240 and having four lamps and a 110 socket as there is with a 240 plug feeding two 110 sockets.

[adam2]

I would advise very strongly against use of trailer lighting plugs/sockets for anything connected to the mains.

Such connectors are designed for 12/24 volts and are potentialy dangerous on line voltage.

Remember that the end lamp of a series string will have 240 volts to earth.

 

The most common way is two series groups each of four lamps in series, and each group being fitted with a yellow ceeform plug.

If desired, one group could then be worked from a 110 volt site transformer, though it would be much more common to use two groups in series by means of a blue 240 volt ceeform plug wired to two series connected yellow sockets.

Whilst in theory this could be confused with supplies for 110 volt tools etc, it is often done thus and works fine in practice.

 

Remember that 8 times 28 volts is only 224 volts, and that our mains is still 240 volts most of the time in most places, this will reduce the already short lamp life.

[csg]

this is getting far to complicated - a standard system ( which has been mentioned already), one that works and has been use in touring for many years is simply to have bar no.1 wired with a 240v ceeform inlet, and a 110v ceeform outlet, which links with a second bar which has a 110v inlet. Simple, works and will be compatable with acl bars from most hire companies.

 

The overvoltage issue is of no consequence in actual use , and the lamps ( due to the low voltage thick fillaments) are very robust in normal use. Service life is plenty long enough not to be a maitanence issue.

[fireball40k]

One other quickie, regarding the actual wiring of the cans in series along the bar. There are three ways that I can think of:

 

1) Separate daisy chain cables into and then out of each can to the next one - requiring two cables per can.

 

2) A single cable to each lamp, which all go back to a small box at the end of the bar where the serial wiring occurs

 

3) A single cable leading to each can but which is split within the bar so that the neutral wiring coming back from a lamp links to the live going to the next - sounds like a sod to wire neatly and discretely.

 

or something else?

[niclights]

Just daisy-chain them (ie. live in, neutral out). Use 3-core silicon cable for heat resistance. I think I've used plain vanilla connector blocks inside the bar for easy termination when I've made in the past. Bond earth to bar.

[fireball40k]

For anyone who interested in creating a mini ACL effect using the PAR 36 variety, my plan is taking shape and I thought I'd let you know some details.

 

Firstly AC Lighting are selling long nose PAR 36 cans at a knock down price of £9.00 plus VAT right now (Black here: http://www.ac-et.com/lighting/bargains/vie...36LB&cat1=) and (Silver here: http://www.ac-et.com/lighting/bargains/vie...36LP&cat1=).

 

They are also selling the GE4596 205W 28V lamps for £10.58 plus VAT (here: http://www.ac-et.com/shop/view.asp?id=PAR3...LGE&cat1=1)

 

As far as the mounting is concerned, I am building two bars of four which can be split or combined (using a third joiner bar) and there will be an extension lead (using 110V CEEform connectors) to go between the bars when they are split. The design for the bars is here: http://www.ctxd.com/lights/aclbars.pdf

 

Hope this helps someone.

 

Steve

[Matt-onstage]

Hi

 

I knew I'd seen this unit somewhere but how about this to help with the wiring issues.

 

http://www.ac-et.com/products/tourmate/index.htm#splitline

 

Scroll to the bottom of the page.

 

Regards