Replacing Switch with Dimmer??

[Morn]

I know my Question is not related directly to Z88 Products, but prehaps anyone could help me on this.

 

In our disco we have 2 x PAR64 Cans swiched on and off by a custom on the wall mounted switch like you know it from home...am i right when i'm thinking that it's possible to replace it by a custom dimmer without any problems to adjust brightness of them???

 

Thank you :-)

[Martin]

Yes, your right, if you are talking about a "dimmer" as we know them from home

[Morn]

Yes I mean a dimmer as we all know 'em from our livingroom walls and not a 12 channel DMX Dimmerpack or so... ;-)

 

Is there anything I have to pay attention for, when buying a dimmer for such purposes in my local DIY Superstore?? (e.g. Capacity etc.?)

[sp]

Have you tried asking on the Blue Room?

[Kirkup_xp]

What you will need to watch out for is that the maximum rated load of the dimmer switch. Most household dimmer switches are rated around 300w - the two Par 64s (assuming they're lamped at 1kw) will pull 2000w, so you're going to need a high capacity dimmer. The highest capacity household dimming switch I can find is rated at 500w, so you may have trouble tracking one down. Alternatively, you could purchase a small theatrical dimmer (Stage Electrics stock 1-way 2kW dimmers) with analogue control, and create a +10v rotary switch, mounted on the wall (perhaps adapting a household dimmer - +10v instead of +230)

 

Or you could look at the ChilliPro range of dimmers, which allow you to connect all sorts of wall plates for controling the dimmers remotely.

 

As an alternative, Par 56's can be lamped at 300w and are pretty bright for the loss in maximum load.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

 

Peter