Zero88 / Betapack2 / Test channel output 230Volt?

[Jean-Marc Desbonnets]

Hello team
I have a question about the power output of the test channel? Do I get undimmed power supply, (230 Volt) when I press the test button to the right of dimmerpack? And can i operate LED fixtures with the power generated this way?
Otherwise can you provide me with a electrical circuit diagram of the dimmerpack (Betapack2) so I could discuss that with an electrician?
Thank you very much
Jean-Marc Desbonnets

[kgallen]

Hi,

20 minutes ago, Jean-Marc Desbonnets said:

Do I get undimmed power supply, (230 Volt) when I press the test button to the right of dimmerpack?

The power is always provided through the triac, so is implicitly "dimmed" even if the channel is at full. Betapack2 does not have a bypass or "non-dim" circuit. The test output level is hard-coded in the design - it's notionally "@FUL" but this is not the same as direct undimmed AC.

 

20 minutes ago, Jean-Marc Desbonnets said:

 And can i operate LED fixtures with the power generated this way?

This is not recommended as explained above this is still a notionally "dimmed" output and will be chopped by the output triac, even if only to 1-2% - i.e. it's not clean AC. Your LED fixtures will almost certainly use a switched-mode powersupply, which will not take kindly to an "unclean" AC supply.

Unfortunately you need to get installed some "hard power" (i.e. normal mains AC) outlets, correctly protected for overcurrent and overload (and probably with RCD), into your venue, with which to supply your LEDs. (I do sympathise, I've had to do the same thing - my main venue has Betapack1 and Betapack2).

 

20 minutes ago, Jean-Marc Desbonnets said:

Otherwise can you provide me with a electrical circuit diagram of the dimmerpack (Betapack2) so I could discuss that with an electrician?

Google is your friend. I just searched and found them straight away. Zero88 will not provide these to you and you need to self-certify that you are competent to use the information from a safety point of view. ...but you will find what I describe above and your electrician friend should conclude the same.

 

[Jean-Marc Desbonnets]

Thank you very much

[iank99]

@Jean-Marc Desbonnets - Kevin has pretty much answered your questions. The output from a BetaPack is a chopped supply so it can be very bad for the power supply in the LED fixtures - the only BetaPack that would be 'safe' is the BetaPack 4 because it's lower row of sockets are 'hardwired' to the mains input.

It would be less hassle in the longterm to have your electrician provide a separate set of MCB controlled circuits from the existing supply that you can plug patch cables in to as you use LED's. Even if your Betapacks are hardwired - the wiring is easily accessible in the rack to allow him to pull circuits back to make off in to some sort of patch arrangement.