FaithlessRock Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Hi, Can anyone recommend a DMX dimmer which has about 8 channels, inputs only from a DMX socket - no faders or knobs of its own - and outputs to IEC sockets or similar. The output ampage does not need to be massive - it is to control pumps and some lighting spots for a dancing water fountains setup. Thanks, Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomo Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 it is to control pumpsPhase-angle dimming isn't something motors are designed to handle.The channel would have to be a *good* switched curve (for small motors you often need a load lamp), or a relay. If you want speed control of the pumps, then there is no dimmer on the planet that does that.*You'd need an actual motor speed controller, and the form (and expense) of that depends on exactly which motor you have. *Sensor+ with dimmer doubling diodes wired up strange might work with a DC motor. Not something I'd want to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 If you just need to switch on/off the motor channels then you could buy a combined dim/switch pack. Anytronics do various options such as 8x5A, each channel individually assignable to dim or switch. You would have to wire up separate IEC distribution though. I can't think of any combination packs that will do this many channels and have ready available output panels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jivemaster Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 I have to suggest that with motors being a difficult load, you should start the design bt determining the necessary motor then finding the best controller over the range you need, THEN start to consider the control protocols required. Are the pumps/motors AC or universal for a start. Look in the Motor speed controllers section in the RS (and like) catalogues. You may even find a network addressable controller in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musht Posted February 24, 2007 Share Posted February 24, 2007 Showtec Multidim, 4 channel so use 2, , LV halogen, cold cathode and EL via wall wart and inverter plugged them all in without harm to either and they`re cheap as chips. Depends on motors , universal motor will just stall below certain point. 12V bilge pump, marine suppliers, from trafo plugged into dimmer would be one thought but you`ll vary flow but wont get sudden stop/start as pump takes time to self prime. Bigger pump pressurised rail and solenoid valves will give you stop start, central heating valves may be a bit slow, really want irrigation sprinkler valves. Google patents for dancing fountains, principles go back centuries and for really nice effect look up `laminar flow` ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimWebber Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 ...dancing water fountains setup I was looking into constructing some dancing fountains about a year ago, my plan was to have a couple of pumps running on hard power, and operating various solenoid valves from a switch pack. The lighting side of life would have been handled by a standard dimmer pack... Link the whole lot up to Sound/Light chases and voila! In the end, A) The event got cancelledB) At £50.00 (ish) a pop, solenoid valves were too expensive... So unfortunately it's a project that never got off the drawing board, but it's still simmering away there... Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 B) At £50.00 (ish) a pop, solenoid valves were too expensive... Well, you'll find a couple in any old washing machine... :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musht Posted February 25, 2007 Share Posted February 25, 2007 Well, you'll find a couple in any old washing machine... :D washing machine....now theres an idea... Laminar nozzles and quite a lot of good reading on fountains generally: http://www.atlanticfountains.com/jumping_jet.htm How they work: http://www.google.com/patents?q=laminar+no...=Search+Patents Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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