knightdan65 Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 This might be better off in the ‘electrical and power’ area but since it’s lighting specific, I thought I’d try here first. I have a few Mac 250 kryptons, which run straight off 230V mains power. I also have a Strand LD90 dimmer rack, which outputs 40 - 250V per channel, depending on intensity. My question is: could I put a 15amp plug on a mac, plug it straight into the bar and then set the dimmer channel to an output of 230V? This would save me running extension cables all over the place every time I want to move the lights. But, being repatively new to the game, I don’t want to do anything stupid. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Lewis Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Cautiously yes - but probably best to set that channel to be Non - Dim so that it's either on or off, not dimmed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Unless you've got dimmers which have a specific 'thru power' mode (e.g. ETC Sensor), where you're bypassing the dimmer electronics entirely, it's safer to not let moving lights get anywhere near a dimmer outlet. It's probably much safer, in your situation, to treat them as a separate system. Better to run an extra extension than to end up with a MAC250 with a fried PSU. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musht Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Really want hard power, a dimmer parked at full still has a glitch at zero crossing point,if there is a problem with data or the dimmer brain and it decides to try and dim your moving light load.... Perhaps look at breaking out the patch as it comes into your dimmers and providing a few circuits just on MCBs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timsabre Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 More of a problem is leakage when the channel is set to zero. This will cause things to flash as the psu gradually charges up. The problem with dimmed power is because it's a chopped waveform to get the dim levels - it is not a varying voltage as you might suppose if you put a meter on it. The chopping can do bad things to transformers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRW Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 On the other side of the fence as well, If I was still running LD90's, I'd not be using them for anything that may cause them to get upset, as spares may be a little difficult to come by! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
timmeh2 Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Hi And for discharge units, the sudden inrush current on strike can easily break triacs, so it's a 2-way street. As an example, someone once thought it would be a fabulous idea to run a bunch of VL1000TSDs and VL500s off a load of ETC dimmer racks, because they thought that because they were pure sine they would get away with it. 32 broken units later, they realised it wasn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Some Bloke Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Take it from someone who tried it once (a long time ago and never since!), no you can't! The transformers don't like it up 'em and will need replacing at large expense. Hard power every time, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightdan65 Posted November 10, 2018 Author Share Posted November 10, 2018 Hmmmm, seems the consensus is a nay. Thanks for the input folks, you’ve helped me dodge an arrow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrV Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 On the other side of the fence as well, If I was still running LD90's, I'd not be using them for anything that may cause them to get upset, as spares may be a little difficult to come by!Actually the power modules in an LD90 are very robust, completely separate from the processor and the only bit which might suffer from a dodgy load is the triac (strictly an alternistor). They are very much 'old skool' in that they are made of proper(!) components which are readily available. The triacs are even on screw terminals. Spare processors are indeed sparse but the components used on them, with very few exceptions, are bog standard parts (I've repaired 4 in the last few weeks). I think LD90s are a bit like a review I saw in the 80s of a Volvo: "Pro - built like a tank; Con - handles like a tank, weighs like a tank" Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRW Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 On the other side of the fence as well, If I was still running LD90's, I'd not be using them for anything that may cause them to get upset, as spares may be a little difficult to come by!Actually the power modules in an LD90 are very robust, completely separate from the processor and the only bit which might suffer from a dodgy load is the triac (strictly an alternistor). They are very much 'old skool' in that they are made of proper(!) components which are readily available. The triacs are even on screw terminals. Spare processors are indeed sparse but the components used on them, with very few exceptions, are bog standard parts (I've repaired 4 in the last few weeks). I think LD90s are a bit like a review I saw in the 80s of a Volvo: "Pro - built like a tank; Con - handles like a tank, weighs like a tank" Dave Useful to know! (But, for the purposes of the OP, still inadvisable to run movers on a dimmer!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam2 Posted November 10, 2018 Share Posted November 10, 2018 Agree, it is unwise to run a moving light from a dimmer, even if the dimmer be turned up full, for reasons already given. To run the moving light from a dimmer NOT turned up 100% as seems to be the suggestion in the O/P is much worse and should not be contemplated. The stated input voltage to the moving light of "230 volts" does NOT mean that it requires exactly 230 volts, it means that it is designed for a nominal 230 volt supply subject to normal variations. In the absence of more detail, I would expect it to work over a range from 207 volts (90% of 230) up to 253 volts (110% of 230) No common type of dimmer can produce an output voltage greater than the input voltage. The stated output voltage of your dimmer of 250 volts would only be achieved with an input of about 252 volts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrV Posted November 11, 2018 Share Posted November 11, 2018 Agree, it is unwise to run a moving light from a dimmer, even if the dimmer be turned up full, for reasons already given. To run the moving light from a dimmer NOT turned up 100% as seems to be the suggestion in the O/P is much worse and should not be contemplated. The stated input voltage to the moving light of "230 volts" does NOT mean that it requires exactly 230 volts, it means that it is designed for a nominal 230 volt supply subject to normal variations. In the absence of more detail, I would expect it to work over a range from 207 volts (90% of 230) up to 253 volts (110% of 230) No common type of dimmer can produce an output voltage greater than the input voltage. The stated output voltage of your dimmer of 250 volts would only be achieved with an input of about 252 volts.It's also worth noting that LD90s have an OUTPUT VOLTAGE adjustment (in the SET menu) which limits the maximum output level. If this is set lower than the input voltage then the dimmer will output less than 100% even if the DMX level is set to full. Equivalent to 'Top Set' on a Beta pack 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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