Is it worth installing dimming in a new venue?

[dje]

I think depending on budget my inclination would either be:

 

1. Install a patchable system with a mixture of dimmers and hot power (or relay power), in the future if you end up eradicating all incandescent fixtures it's only a case of swapping the modules out.

 

2. Install all hot (or relay) power and buy some bar-mount dimmer packs with half couplers on. Then in the eventuality of somebody bringing in incandescent lanterns you can just hang the dimmer by the lantern... you treat it like an intelligent light (power and data) so it makes no great odds to your system whether you're using one or the other.

[Bryson]

What I've been doing recently is all Relays/Motorized breakers and then providing portable single-channel dimmers for the odd time a fixture just HAS to be tungsten. The ETC ES750 is a good choice: https://www.etcconnect.com/Products/Power-Controls/Distributed/Distributed-Dimming/ES750.aspx (I'm assuming there's a 240v variant although I admit I haven't checked.)

 

I needed one capable of doing 2K fresnels recently which was a bit of a challenge. I found one in the end but it's not as quiet as I would like.

 

While writing this I suddenly remembered CCT Freedom dimmers. An idea just a touch too early for its time!

[J Pearce]

That's exactly what I'd like to have in our venues. Spending out for dimmers and a dimmer room and mile of dedicated circuit cabling seems so silly when they all live on hard power. It could have been a circuit per 3 outlets, 1/3rd of the original cabling, plus less length as the distro wouldn't necessarily need its own room as the dimmers do, then a pile of loose dimmers for the rare occasion we need them. Still, spec'd before I joined, so stuck with it now!

[DrV]

[snip]

While writing this I suddenly remembered CCT Freedom dimmers. An idea just a touch too early for its time!

Aargh! CCT Freedoms. A great little device if only someone had checked the detailed spec of the mains transformers. Notorious for connecting the DMX line to mains!

[Edward- Z88]

Hi Stuart,

 

As Jon says, the bypass switches on Chilli cannot be remotely activated, however it may be worth taking a look at RigSwitch for this application...

Zero 88 RigSwitch

 

If you have any questions let me know.

 

Edward - what are the "Traffic Light RCBOs" that are mentioned as an option? I haven't come across the term before, and Google isn't turning anything up for me.

 

Apologies for my delay in replying. The "Traffic Light RCBOs" which can be fitted in RigSwitch, have a green, yellow and red indicator LED on the RCBO. This indicates the amount of residual current present on that circuit. I can't remember exact figures off the top of my head, but believe the green LED will be illuminated 0-30% of the rated residual trip current (IΔn), yellow 30%-50%, and red 50%+.

 

Is an neutral disconnect MCB in the Rigswitch a two-pole MCB or does that mean a single-pole MCB fitted on the neutral side? Is the relay switching then on the phase side?

 

The Neutral Disconnect MCBs are two-pole MCBs. Live goes from MCB to relay to load, then neutral back to the neutral terminal of the MCB.

 

Hope this helps, if you have any questions let me know.

Edward