Showtec controllers don't like the wet and damp

[paulears]

We did one of our shows down a cave in Cornwall. The cave is a constant 10 degrees, year round, but because of the hot outside air coming in it was raining inside. Gear set up between the very obvious rain drops on the floor. Lighting was mainly IP65 rated LED kit, on two trusses, and all controlled from a DMX splitter running from a simple Showtec controller. Their resident technician had a domestic problem and wouldn't be there, so we took in our PA, but used their lights - with the cunning plan of lights up, play, stop playing, lights out. Fine for us. The lights went up, we started to play and then fifteen minutes later, the lights all go out. Nobody local to the stage to fix it. Did an entire song in the dark, before somebody told the bar staff, who then found somebody to fix it. Ten minutes later, same again - repeated through the night. Only problem was we'd fiddled with the set list and couldn't read them in the dark. I asked the audience if they wanted us to stop or carry on in the dark - carry on, they said!

 

Turns out the inside of the rack where the Showtec was, was very wet. Despite the big rain drops, water was condensing on any exposed surface. All 4 way 13A kit was wet, and how on earth they prevent tripping out worried us - as nothing electrical we were using cut out at all. Huge umbrella over the sound mixer, so at least it was protected from drips. The cavern had been used as a source of slate in the 1700s/1800s so the water was mixed with slate dust - what a mess the cables were in. Took me a morning to wipe them all dry and clean.

 

I loved the venue, and we had a good night, but it was rather like playing outside in the drizzle.

[peza2010]

All I want to know is how bloody hard the load in was ?

[paulears]

The push was probably 200m or so van to stage. Cinder/earth outside, but solid enough the case's wheels didn't dig in too much. Puddles, of course, but once inside the cave entrance it was rough concrete - and a reasonable slope, with no steps. Rough enough to loosen a few bolts on the castors of the bigger cases. They had small wheeled trolleys for the bigger items. So a pretty easy in, but pushing back up at the end was more work, and very messy!

[smalljoshua]

Carnglaze Caverns? Lovely venue!

 

Josh

[paulears]

Third visit now over the years, and really nice people too. Bats too!

 

The really best thing however was standing outside at midnight, with all the lights off, and looking upwards. I've never been somewhere with no light pollution and the stars were stunning. I'd never seen the Milky Way before!