pub/resturant dimming advice

[Robertbaker63]

Just pop into wilts and grab a load of samples, Bideford does better coffee than Barnstaple

wilts control gear stuff is horrible, its the older range stuff, i dont get chance to use bideford wilts very often i must admit though so i don't sample thier coffee enough

 

[Robertbaker63]

i like the idea of using dimmer packs, i run alot of stage lighting cables in so i probably should know alot more about them but i didn't think of them in a building,

i've run a 1.5 t +e from all the track positions and downlights in bunches of 6-8 back to the bar which backs on to the mains boards anyway, i have plenty of space for dimmer packs. i'm surprised neither devondale, denmans or city have suggested going that way to me when they came out to quote for the job

 

[High Tower]

Ok,

This is the link, click on the link and you will see a further link for the product range, all the cribs are self explan.

The idea is you fit one of these packs, put a sp or tpn supply to it and connect all of your lighting circuits to the individual outputs. The smaller ones will run 10a per Chanel and the bigger ones will do 6a per chanel.

Once fitted you can then set 10 different scenes.

I can't tell you how good this stuff is!!!

http://www.modelighting.co.uk/index3.asp?sideid=1&id=576&set=2

 

[OWLelectrical]

Ok,

This is the link, click on the link and you will see a further link for the product range, all the cribs are self explan.

The idea is you fit one of these packs, put a sp or tpn supply to it and connect all of your lighting circuits to the individual outputs. The smaller ones will run 10a per Chanel and the bigger ones will do 6a per chanel.

Once fitted you can then set 10 different scenes.

I can't tell you how good this stuff is!!!

++ Mode Lighting ++

agree with above superb bits of kit and any problems the technical guys are great over the phone. brilliant for pubs and restaurants and clubs

 

[amlu]

one feed 2.5mm radial, and two of those or similiar:
Soundlab DMX Dimmer Pack £69.95-4 x1000 Watt Per Channel-Lighting Controller | eBay

and one like that:
STAIRVILLE DJ X 16 DMX LIGHTING CONTROLLER | eBay

run a dmx signal cable between the controller and dmx dimmers. it goes in a daisy chain.

will need to program the controller takes couple of hours but dmx is not that complicated, deffo wotrth learning

 

[OWLelectrical]

is dmx the one which you need to plug your pc to?

 

[amlu]

you can control dmx from a pc, you can also have external controller
simple 16 channel one


up to 512 channels or even more


i wish i can get out of domestic mess and have some dmx job one day

 

[High Tower]

Dmx is NOT suitable for this application. We do a lot of dmx for clubs, it's no good for this

 

[Robertbaker63]

Dmx is NOT suitable for this application. We do a lot of dmx for clubs, it's no good for this

yeah thanks, i know all about dmx from doing alot of concerts, i do alot of promotions and events so quite often do alot of stage lighting where you have all your led pars, strobes, floods, moving heads etc and they all have a 13amp plug and daisy chain all xlr cables in and out of everything and back to a controller, then a get a geek friend to do all the dip switches and program the panel for me to play with during the bands

 

[amlu]

Dmx is NOT suitable for this application. We do a lot of dmx for clubs, it's no good for this

Why not? I used dmx dimmers before and they do the job where ever you need some lights dimmed, makes job tidy and expandable, no need to run x of different switch lines.

 

[High Tower]

Why not? I used dmx dimmers before and they do the job where ever you need some lights dimmed, makes job tidy and expandable, no need to run x of different switch lines.

Do you understand how and what DMX does?. Please dont take this the wrong way but you really must have mis understood the brief.

DMX is a control circuit that utalises XLR cables to send signals to addresses, DMX is normally used to control colours and sequences. There is nothing about DMX that will effectively dim and control large numbers of halogen lighting as is required here. The kind of dimmer pack as shown in the Mode link is designed exactly for this application, hence the heavy duty dimmer cards shown, a feature not found in dmx controllers.

 

[shocking_eg]

if DMX works onstage to dim LED and high powered stage lighting than i cant see why it wouldnt work in the average pub !

what data signal does the Mode gear use to transfer data to and from its remote handsets to the dimmer pack ??

 

[High Tower]

DMX systems are not really ideal for a pub resturant setting do you not think??, in a stage enviroment you have lighting jockeys running them, do you all not think that they are slightly over complicated.

The mode systems use a 10 button wall plate that use a 5v signal, 10 pre set scenes, one button operation.

I installed a mode pack in a bar and resturant and DMX to run all the LED in the night club upstairs. can you guess which system none of the satff or management can get their heads around??

where would you put the controls? on the bar??, also DMX units require seperate drivers/dimmers, so why wouldnt you just spec a single piece unit?

 

[amlu]

DMX systems are not really ideal for a pub resturant setting do you not think??, in a stage enviroment you have lighting jockeys running them, do you all not think that they are slightly over complicated.

The mode systems use a 10 button wall plate that use a 5v signal, 10 pre set scenes, one button operation.

I installed a mode pack in a bar and resturant and DMX to run all the LED in the night club upstairs. can you guess which system none of the satff or management can get their heads around??

where would you put the controls? on the bar??, also DMX units require seperate drivers/dimmers, so why wouldnt you just spec a single piece unit?

I would use a simple controller, like the one I mentioned before. It has 16 faders, can be programmed one for each channel. Once is programmed all they have to is set them to setting they like. Dont have to be light jockey to do it.

I would put it somewhere behind the bar. Maybe next to a PA control if the venue has got one.
Dimmers can form a daisy chain, using couple of them it will save the installer hassle of running long live switchlines.

 

[shocking_eg]

you can get simple 8 or more channel dimmer panels with just "simple" individual sliders for each channel and a master on / off slider. not all have the effects and chase functions

couldn't get much easier really, plus a lot cheaper than the fancy lutron gear.

if they only want dimming and not different set scene / mood controls then DMX dimming would be perfect.

 

[amlu]

Do you understand how and what DMX does?. Please dont take this the wrong way but you really must have mis understood the brief.

DMX is a control circuit that utalises XLR cables to send signals to addresses, DMX is normally used to control colours and sequences. There is nothing about DMX that will effectively dim and control large numbers of halogen lighting as is required here. The kind of dimmer pack as shown in the Mode link is designed exactly for this application, hence the heavy duty dimmer cards shown, a feature not found in dmx controllers.

Please read my post before. I recommended using a DMX dimmers (4 outputs, up to 1000w each).
They have to be linked by DMX cables (yes the xlr ones) to a DMX controller.

 

[shocking_eg]

Please read my post before. I recommended using a DMX dimmers (4 outputs, up to 1000w each).
They have to be linked by DMX cables (yes the xlr ones) to a DMX controller.

"Easy as pie " to install, even works over cat5 cabling

 

[High Tower]

Guys,

Im a big fan of DMX, i do a hell of a lot of it, and not only do i fit it but i can address it and program Showcad to run it, we do a lot of nightclubs, also we do a lot of LED accent lighting, the last one i did, we took up a whole wall in the coms room with the led drivers. and yes we use the small 4 chanel panels to control the accent lighting. i appreciate the pros and cons but no matter how simple you try to make it, a DMX system is still complicated, this isnt lutron this is uk made and is purpose designed for the application and is ideal for running house lights, thats not what DMX lends its self too.

the wall plate is a 1G plate with 10 simple buttons, bar staff come in, press one button for day time, one for evening etc etc

 

[Robert Turnbull]

The rako system doesn't require switch lines as the dimmer packs are wireless to the switch.

But the Tiger system posted looks more suitable for a restaurant/Pub

 

[High Tower]

The rako system doesn't require switch lines as the dimmer packs are wireless to the switch.

But the Tiger system posted looks more suitable for a restaurant/Pub

The only problem with any kind of wireless controller in a hospitality enviroment, it will get lost/broke/no one will ever change batteries, rf coding will be lost.