Milky@LecheLighting Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 CAN YOU SPLIT 8 PIN DIN CABLE TO CONTROL 2 DIMMERS FROM ONE DESK? IT'S NEVER BEEN AN ISSUE BEFORE HAVING ONLY WORKED WITH BETAPACK 3S IN THE PAST. CURRENTLY WORKING WITH 3 BETAPACK 1S AND 1 DESK WITH TWO OUTPUTS. CAN YOU SPLIT DIN? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary Watts Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Assuming that you are referring to Din analogue control cables then you can't control 3 separate dimmer packs from two outputs without having two of the dimmer packs on the same channel - ie if you fade up channel 1 on one of them then channel 1 will fade up on the other as well. It sounds as if the desk you've got will only control 12 separate channels via the Din analogue outputs. If you let us know the make and model of the desk someone may be able to suggest a solution. It may be however that if it's an old analogue-only desk then the maximum number of channels available is 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milky@LecheLighting Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 THANKS FOR THE REPLY. IT'S A ZERO 88 LEVEL 12. WITH THE STANDARD TWO OUTPUTS, I DONT MIND PAIRING THE CHANNELS FOR FADER 1 TO CONTROL CHANNEL 1 ON 2 DIMMERS. HOW WOULD I GO ABOUT THIS? Assuming that you are referring to Din analogue control cables then you can't control 3 separate dimmer packs from two outputs without having two of the dimmer packs on the same channel - ie if you fade up channel 1 on one of them then channel 1 will fade up on the other as well. It sounds as if the desk you've got will only control 12 separate channels via the Din analogue outputs. If you let us know the make and model of the desk someone may be able to suggest a solution. It may be however that if it's an old analogue-only desk then the maximum number of channels available is 12. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard P-W Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If you don't mind pairing channels can't you just use 2 dimmer packs and connect your lamps to the 2nd outlet sockets? This of course depends on what wattage lamps you are using and how much current is available to each dimmer pack. Oh, and please turn off caps lock http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 It should be as simple as connecting 1 -1. 2-2, etc. Though pin 7 may not be needed :unsure: But, soldering 8 pin Dins is not fun at the best of times & trying to get 2 cables into one will be a right pain. If it were me, I think I'd get a couple of leads with the Dins already wired up, and do the joining somewhere else, like a bit of chockblock in a project box (or even wrapped in tape if it's something temporary). Edit for missing letter "t" in the first word..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milky@LecheLighting Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Ha Ha sorry, already using 6 x 300w lamps per channel per dimmer. I wish to add 2 more laps per channel but that equates to 2400w and as far as I am aware each channel can not support that?If you don't mind pairing channels can't you just use 2 dimmer packs and connect your lamps to the 2nd outlet sockets? This of course depends on what wattage lamps you are using and how much current is available to each dimmer pack. Oh, and please turn off caps lock http://www.blue-room.org.uk/public/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilary Watts Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 I suspect you would need to make up your own 'Y' split cable with two connectors to plug into the two Betapacks and a single connector to plug into the desk (I'm not sure if the connectors would need to be male or female as the manuals that I have been able to find online aren't clear). At the Betapack end you should connect pin 7 (the supply voltage for the desk) to only one of the connectors. In other respects all three connectors should be connected identically - ie pin 1 to pin 1 and so on (but be aware that if one connector is male and the other two female or vice-versa the order of pins on the single connector will be reversed compared to that on the other two). Please note I haven't actually tried this with a Betapack but having had several analogue dimmers and control desks I've had wiring faults from time to time such that the output from a single channel on the desk has got connected to two or more control inputs on the dimmer pack and there has been ample current to drive two or more channels without any noticeable voltage drop. e2a beaten to it - and I agree with the suggestion that you simply cut a couple of ready made leads and use chocblock or something similar)! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J Pearce Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 In my youth I once used an analogue pin patch that had been cannibalised from an old touring rack and fitted with DIN sockets to do little bits like this. I recall we could get 4 dimmers off a single channel without issue, handy for cyc circuits and colour washes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimWebber Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 If I am teaching you to suck eggs, I do apologise.... Yes, you can split an analogue cable in this way, and volt drop won't be an issue, but beware all dimmer packs are not the same.... Some have different pin-outs, and some use totally different voltage levels altogether (0 to -10V) as opposed to (0 to +10V) If they are all the same make / model, then you won't have a problem. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milky@LecheLighting Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 Just to confirm, throwing two extra pars on at 300W each, thats 2400W (including the originals at 300W each) is going to max at 10A. I'M AT MY LIMIT THEN :/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkPAman Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 One of those "you may get away with it" situations. But it will probably blow a fuse halfway through the show. As you seem to have another solution available, use that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milky@LecheLighting Posted July 24, 2014 Author Share Posted July 24, 2014 I see splitting some cables up and making a home made Y cable is the preferred option then. Bleh! Can't even get these pre made to save the hassles. Thanks for the advice everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter18 Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 Just to confirm, throwing two extra pars on at 300W each, thats 2400W (including the originals at 300W each) is going to max at 10A. I'M AT MY LIMIT THEN :/ As long as it is not more than 2.4 kW then I do not see the problem. As I understand it the 1.2kW lamp was designed to exploit that extra little bit of capacity of the standard 10A dimmer circuit.What you could do anyway would be run the channel at say 90% - you would barely notice and the current would be well within limits. What may be much more of a limitation is the total current available to that complete dimmer rack (and indeed in total to the three racks). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 As long as it is not more than 2.4 kW then I do not see the problem. As I understand it the 1.2kW lamp was designed to exploit that extra little bit of capacity of the standard 10A dimmer circuit. This is true. What you could do anyway would be run the channel at say 90% - you would barely notice and the current would be well within limits. This is not true. Dimmers switch the power on and off to the load, they don't give out variable current (ok some do but not the sort we are discussing here). A dimmer running at 90% will have exactly the same peak current flowing through it as a dimmer at 100% and would still blow the fuse/triac if over the limit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin D Posted July 24, 2014 Share Posted July 24, 2014 This might be an easier option for you then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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