Nice device - but just think what could happen?

[paulears]

Now the LX people might well spot what this is used for - supplying 12V birdies, tucked away in a space in the bottom of a truck, but I can't help thinking that a nice warning sign saying - 12V DC - NOT AUDIO would be useful. I can just imagine the newbies in the noise department mistaking it for a stage box!

[jonathanhill]

Or even 12Vac - NOT AUDIO?

[LXbydesign]

Indeed AC !! Cant see any signs of a tranny in there.

[rossmck]

Must be DC if it's supplying birdies... there's plenty of space in that box to hide a couple of transformers.

 

But, yes, I'd put a sign on that of some sort :)

[bruce]

Must be DC if it's supplying birdies...

 

... and why would that be?

[Matthew Robinson]

Indeed AC !! Cant see any signs of a tranny in there.

 

Which would mean that it's supplying 240V. Transformers change AC voltages, rectifiers convert from DC to AC. There could be a transformer in there, in which case it's supplying a different voltage (probably 12V for birdies) or there might not be. There may be rectifiers, in which case it would be supplying the working voltage voltage DC. Or there may be both, so that the transformer supplies a voltage and the rectifier makes it DC.

[Andrew C]

Transformers change AC voltages, rectifiers convert from DC to AC.

Back to school for you too!

 

Transformers change AC voltages, rectifiers turn AC into DC. The box could have TXs, or TX and rectifier, or electronic PSUs to provide 12V, OR it could be hideous and just run the bridies in series.

[dan slv-tech]

Personally id change the 3 pin XLR for something else non audio/lighting use.

 

Have no idea what output voltage is present on the XLRs but I dont think youd want that pumpuing through your audio kit, or up your DMX fitting?

 

 

 

dan

[Matthew Robinson]

Transformers change AC voltages, rectifiers convert from DC to AC.

Back to school for you too!

Damn, but I'd like to claim that it's due to the proximity of A&D on the keyboard!

[mackerr]

Personally id change the 3 pin XLR for something else non audio/lighting use.

 

Have no idea what output voltage is present on the XLRs but I dont think youd want that pumpuing through your audio kit, or up your DMX fitting?

 

Are those 3 pin XLRs? The photo is so dark and small that I can't tell how many pins there are on those XLRs. It is very common to use 4 pin XLR as a DC power cable for video equipment, or to charge camera batteries. Do we know for certain that this rig is powering lights and not charging batteries?

 

Mac

[pritch]

Cant see any signs of a tranny in there.

 

How are you liking the x-ray vision?

[paulears]

Right then - this took off in an unexpected direction. It contains a 26A transformer, providing 12V AC via 3 pin XLRs.

 

So endeth the speculation. To be honest, I just saw it as something the noise boys would blow up a few mics with - I hadn't expected the level of detail. Hopefully, the picture shows everything.

[Doug Siddons]

And I thought it was for 240v16a phantom power doh! (no doh in christmas emoticons!) Had a pair of C1000's which would benefit from it

[Junior8]

Yes but the gneral point is well made. As a very wise Electrical Inspector once advised me - label everything that isn't standard and don't trust even your own memory.

[TomHoward]

It is a very neat way of doing it - we've got some 12V stuff and we've got in-line transformers - similar to the one pictured inside but with moulded trailing leads, but they are messy when packed away and aren't as hard wearing as that.

 

That said, we decided against more 12V and just bought about three dozen 240V 'birdies' (actually the slightly larger Par30s) as we didn't want to deal with the mess of transformers and LV connectors (there's a separate thread on XLRs for birdies here)