Hanging Scrollers

[SVLR]

As part of my next rig I have to hang some scrollers onto PAR64's. Not having done this before I presumed that they would go on with the motor unit at the bottom, however whilst thumbing through a lighting book last week I saw a picture of a scroller unit mounted with the motor unit to the side vertically (the colour rolls horizontal). Which is the best/preferred orientation?

[Don Allen]

I always hang them with the motor at the bottom as it suits the fan and does not impose any strain on the motors.

 

You need to check the manual to see how they could be mounted, because if they are put on their side, it makes one motor have to work all night fighting gravity, keeping up the wieght of the gel string.

[SVLR]

Thanks for the info Don, I have no manual for these units....had to embark on a voyage of discovery.

[paulears]

The key is ventilation - so look for slots - heat rises, so having them on the side means heat can build up inside and make a mess!

[WiLL]

As a general rule the motor unit goes at the bottom, they CAN be side mounted if needs must (or as paulears says sometimes if one units fan isn't quite up to scratch and the scroll keeps shrivelling in the heat side mounting can alleviate the problem a little) but overall they are designed to be hung with the heavy motors at the bottom.

[Caldair]

I thought I replied to this, but apparently not...

 

I won't claim to have seen every scroller out there, but I've never seen one mounted any other way than DMX at the bottom, scrolling sideways, air vents at the top. It makes sense, as far as I can tell, for all reasons mentioned above - if the filters scroll up and down it will be more difficult to keep the bottom roll tight, and the roll of gels at the top will suffer from all the heat.