Fader Scale

Hi Ben,

Are you wondering if you can plug a moving light into a dimmer, and then turn that dimmer on and off from your Element?

I won't get too far into the details, but it is generally a really bad idea to plug moving lights into dimmers.  Even a dimmer that is configured to provide 100% voltage can still cause problems.

So while it is possible to put a "Full at 1%" curve on a dimmer channel patched in your Element, and it might also be possible to configure the dimmer itself to be "non-dim", I would advise you not to do either.

What kind of dimmers do you have?  ETC makes modules for their Sensor racks that are designed to do exactly what you are asking.  If you had the proper module, you would be able to plug in a moving light and switch the power from your console without risking damage to your moving light.

I hope that helps,
~Paul

I have an ETC element 60 just standard, nothing extra. How would you recommend powering the lights and bejng able to turn them on and off from the board?

The dimmers are super old and are built into a patch box, it's really complicated.

What kind of moving lights are they?

The ones I have right now are old Martin MX 4s, but I requested a grant for new Chauvet Rogue R2 wash lights and hope to learn more about how they would work with my existing system.

With the MX4's, I'd probably plug them in to the wall and just lamp them on and off from the console (using the {Lamp Controls} softkey).

With the R2 washes you wouldn't even need to lamp them off since they're LED.

If you want to power the fixtures all the way off, you could just plug and unplug them from the wall (after lamping the MX4s off, of course).

For a more permanent solution, you could purchase a few of ETC's ColorSource Relay boxes.  They can switch the power on and off from the console, and they can even provide wireless data if you'd like.

If your only option for available moving light power is to plug into your dimmer pack, you should contact an electrician and ask about running some constant circuits from your electrical panel.

Hope that helps,

~P

With the MX4's, I'd probably plug them in to the wall and just lamp them on and off from the console (using the {Lamp Controls} softkey).

With the R2 washes you wouldn't even need to lamp them off since they're LED.

If you want to power the fixtures all the way off, you could just plug and unplug them from the wall (after lamping the MX4s off, of course).

For a more permanent solution, you could purchase a few of ETC's ColorSource Relay boxes.  They can switch the power on and off from the console, and they can even provide wireless data if you'd like.

If your only option for available moving light power is to plug into your dimmer pack, you should contact an electrician and ask about running some constant circuits from your electrical panel.

Hope that helps,

~P

Thank you!