Use dimmerpacks as switchpacks Topic is solved

[Mavi]

I just talked to a friend of me and we found out it could be very usefull to bring an option to FS to use dimmerpacks as switchpacks.

Sometime you have fixtures you just want to be on or off. This normaly is done by connecting them to a switchpack. Sometimes dimmerpacks have an option to set them up as switchpacks. But some have not. Or you have a big dimmerpack but want only set up some channels as a switchpack. This normaly can not be done. For example at our last event we had a 12 channel dimmerpack at our side wich could be set up as switchpack. But only "all or nothing". Wouldn't it be cool to have some channels in switch-mode only? You can controll the Blinders on the first 8 channels and use the last 4 channels to connect other stuff wich only has "on" or "off".

Of course you can use any dimmerpack as switchpack by sending only DMX values 0 and 255. But there may be equipment wich will take damage if you send an DMX value between. Do make sure this will not happen you use switchpacks for.

I realy would like to have an option in FS to set a channel to a "swicht-channel" which means the output will be modified to send only 0 or 255 no matter wich value you select by the sliders. For example slider position 0 to 127 will be send as 0 and 128 to 255 will be send as 255.

This could avoid damage from equipment if you make a mistake and send a value other then 0 or 255 on a channel where a "switch device" is connected to. You also can use dimmerpacks as swichtpacks then which have no option to use as switchpack. And you can only use single channels as "switch-channels" wich would realy be cool

[LJ_krede.dk]

a work around: make sequences with DMX value 255 (snap) for the selected channels (parcans fixtures) and place the fixtures on another zone, so you don't accidentally change the channels manually

but, yes, it is a idea that could be helpfull for FS users. However it also depends on the dimmers.

I tried to use a dimmer where i configured one of the channels to work as a switch (yes, in this dimmer you can configure each channel individually to be dimmer or switch), so i could turn some LED PARcans in master/slave mode on and off. I found out that when I turned the channel off, it did not turn completely off. the LEDs was flickering with low intensity.

[remco_k]

There's one thing to keep in mind:

Dimmerpack output on 100% outputs most of the time still no real nice sine wave. "real" Switchpacks do most of the time.
So, in terms of destroying equipment: Even with a dimmerpack on 100% value, you can still destroy some equipment connected to it. I know, its a really small chance, but its there.

Just a really, really small warning

[matt]

what you could do is get some relays and connect them to the dimmers.. then when the relay has enough power to trigger it, it will turn the connected device on or off.

[remco_k]

Matt is right. That is a solution.
Connect the relais coil to the dimmer output and the switching contacts to a constant power source.
A real sine is coming out when the relais is activated. Thats good.

But there is a downside when you slide the slider in FS slowly to the position where the relais switches on:
When you connect heavy equipment, power can drop a little, causing the relais to fall back.
As that heavy user now gets eliminated, power comes back up a little, and the relais can switch itself on again. The heavy user is now switced on again, so the realais could fall back again... This could go on repeadetly.

Sliding the channel to max eliminates this possible problem. But leaving it somewhere in between could cause this behaviour.

[Mavi]

Hey guys, I do not look for a workaround. I can controll my dimmerpacks in first universe with overridebuttons only, preventing my from sending other values then 0 or 255. But I thought it could be a cool idea to bring this feature to FS and that is why I opened this post.

I admint, I not thought about the problem remco_k mentioned about the sine wave. So perhaps still not that good feature request