Dimmer Fire
Wed, 15 Oct 2008, 01:37 pmDon Allen6 posts in thread
Dimmer Fire
Wed, 15 Oct 2008, 01:37 pmSo long and thanks for all the fish. Now where have I heard that before ?
Don AllenWed, 15 Oct 2008, 01:37 pm
So long and thanks for all the fish. Now where have I heard that before ?
jeffhansenWed, 15 Oct 2008, 05:12 pm
Hot dimmers
Good advice Don. I will have to check our dimmer models. On a similar note, I would like to point out the need for circulation of air through the dimmers.
The dimmers are in a 19" rack module. Our dimmers were not mounted in a rack, but placed on a flat surface. This meant that the air vents on the bottom of the dimmers was blocked, and the dimmers would get very hot.
I simply placed spacers under the dimmers to allow the air to circulate.
Read the instructions when you are installing this type of equipment, and take note of the spacing that is required for proper air circulation.
www.meltheco.org.au
The Lighting PrinceThu, 16 Oct 2008, 08:46 am
Hot Lava...Ergh Dimmers
I feel playlovers pain, not to long ago i wlaked into our lighting cage to the sight and smell of smoke, and alas we lost one of our dimmers for a few weeks (during the middle of a season might i add!!! luckily with some sneaky hard patching all was ok ) tis most annoying, as all it takes is someone to remember to turn things off.
Incredibly good advice Don, we have notes posted all around our bio box ( and sound desk aswell ) notifying those on the order inwhich everything needs to be turned on and off = ) might i add its also handy to have a copy posted near the dimmers themselves as a reminder = P
JoeMcThu, 16 Oct 2008, 01:28 pm
Great advice Don & possibly
Great advice Don & possibly timely to reduce this happening again.
I saw the aftermath of a fire at a proeatre, quite a while back.
While the techie was very experienced, even the best can make a blue.
They venue was having an open long weekend, to the general public of the area.
So they thought they would set up a café with tables on stage & light it up. Great idea so the techie thought if he ran the dimmed full lighting rig, at about 60% for the whole time of Friday morning to Monday night, this would put less pressure on the dimmer racks. However by Sunday afternoon, the fire Alarms went off. Which brought in all the roof exhaust fans, which sucked up all the soft hangings on stage, into the fly loft. Luckily there was no other suppression systems installed, like water deluge or the 'Iron' fire curtain. {Most of which work on heat detectors & not smoke]. The the Fire Brigade turned out in force. Successfully closing the show & the venue.
The red faced techie found out from the manufactures of the dimmers, that they are not designed to be operated at set fade position for over extended lengths of time. [Three days] rather only for a performance, witch will have varied changing lighting intensities fading up down for short periods.
Don AllenFri, 17 Oct 2008, 09:19 am
Dimmers run coolest at the
Dimmers run coolest at the bottom and top of a channel faders travel and work hardest i.e. heat up the most, at around 60%. If you listen to the dimmer choke buzz, which is audible on most dimmers, you will hear when the heat dissipation peaks.
Some dimmers made for rock and roll are designed with the operating needs being constant colour changes and chases. They cannot handle long scene settings that occur in a theatre environment.
When choosing a new dimmer, read the users manual carefully as it may mention noisy fans and warn the user not to install the dimmers in an acoustically sensitive environment, i.e. not on the stage or in the wings. You cannot disable these fans as you will then run the risk of a dimmer fire.