How to make a dimmer a Non-Dimmer?

My belief is that it is better to do it at the rack.  It may end up being easier at the console itself, but the potential for someone to inadvertently change the profile is much greater there at the console than at the rack, in my experience.

The best way to do this, especially with the motor load, is to actually use ETC's relay module (R20, R20AF, and I think there are R15's around somewhere as well?) Do you happen to have any relay modules? Motor loads and other inductive and capacitive loads tend to not play nice when powered by SCR-type dimming, sometimes even if you have them set to a non-dim-type profile...

Couple of questions-

What kind of Sensor rack processor do you have?  CEM? CEM+?

Have you followed the steps in the Express 24-48 Manual (V 3.1), pages 40-43?

-Abby

John

You have a couple of issues to deal with here.  From the console you can park the dimmer to full or profile to a non dim.  From the rack change the dimmer from normal to switch.  Remember that even though you are telling it to be on a full.  There is still on off switching going on inside the dimmer.  The electronics on the other end may or may not be happy with this type of behavior.

P

John

You have a couple of issues to deal with here.  From the console you can park the dimmer to full or profile to a non dim.  From the rack change the dimmer from normal to switch.  Remember that even though you are telling it to be on a full.  There is still on off switching going on inside the dimmer.  The electronics on the other end may or may not be happy with this type of behavior.

P

"You have a couple of issues to deal with here.  From the console you can park the dimmer to full or profile to a non dim.  From the rack change the dimmer from normal to switch.  Remember that even though you are telling it to be on a full.  There is still on off switching going on inside the dimmer.  The electronics on the other end may or may not be happy with this type of behavior."

To expand on this, Sensor (and any SSR/SCR dimmer) can power devices that have motors, but not electronics associated with and/or electronic ballasted devices.  Regardless of whether the console is telling the dimmer to stay at full (parked), or has a profile, or the rack has the dimmer set to non-dim, there is still that bit of distorted sine wave that can be present, and that kills some devices, such as the power supply on a $5,000 moving light

I have successfully used devices like gobo rotators and fans off a dimmer, but will swap to a relay module when I need to power other devices.  Also available and recommended is the constant module, which is a simple circuit breaker on a Sensor dimmer chassis.

Steve Bailey

Brooklyn College

Yeah that's what we're using it for a gobo rotator..

is this ok?

or will the rotator motor hate me forever :D?

I regularly run GAM twinspins off dimmer and have never had issues with them