[sgtdrpepper]

Hello all
I was wondering if there is an easy way to dim a flood light. I plan on having much more light on my graveyard this year but i would like a way to control the floods to set just the right mood. I had thought about just a standard dimer and creating a small control box but am not an electrician and did not know if this would work. Any thoughts.

Thanks

 

[krough]

I am sort of in the same boat Sgt. I recently bought a bunch of par cans (2 38 and 2 56's) and want to dim them. the 38's are 150 watts and the 56's are 500 watts. The best way to dim my lights are via a DMX dimmer and DMX controller but im not shelling out 500 bucks this year.
So I plan on making a dimmer panel based on this http://wolfstone.halloweenhost.com/HalloweenTech/dimbox_DimmerBox.html
Ill probably start this either tomorrow or next week. Should I make a Krough-to?

 

[sgtdrpepper]

I was look at going the same way with DMX and found www.behringer.com
They seem to have the best prices on dimmers if you look around. They currently only sell a rack mount dimmer but in the past had just a standard box dimmer. You can also find good deals on boards that would allow full control. But you are right I just cant see putting that much of the already small budget into lighting, even though I know how important it is.. A how-to would be great if you have the time Krough.

Thanks

 

[Frighteners Entertainment]

What brand is this ?
If it's a VEI, I can probalby get you a pretty good deal.

 

[krough]

FE
The VEI parts we would need are

DC-1201 Controller or a DC-801
DP-810 Dimmer pack
I think

 

[Frighteners Entertainment]

FE
The VEI parts we would need are

DC-1201 Controller or a DC-801
DP-810 Dimmer pack
I think

all right, I won't have answer until monday.

 

[ScareFX]

If you can't spring for a dimmer and controller this year, I have put multiple gels over my lights that are too bright. That seems to work fine and is inexpensive.

 

[krough]

Any problem of burning thru the gels, ScareFX?

 

[Dr Morbius]

I know theatrical gels are used in..what else..theatrical lights..those are much brighter and hotter than any flood light.

 

[sgtdrpepper]

sounds easy enough. Im off to walmart for parts and will give it a try.
I would like to look into the other options also FE I also play in a small local band and you never know when you might need some extra lighting.

Thanks

 

[ScareFX]

I know theatrical gels are used in..what else..theatrical lights..those are much brighter and hotter than any flood light.

Dr Morbius is correct. Theatrical gels are made for high heat. I've never had any melting with any light including high output video lights.

 

[slimy]

Max, the light dimmer will work well for halloween( and IS cheap) but sgt, don't try and use this dimmer with your band. "Rheostatic" dimmers ( like the one max made) do great at dimming lights but will cause electrostatic interference with your sound system. You will be able to actually hear the 60 hz 'buzz' going through your speaker setup. The lights will look great, but the ZZZZZZZZZZZZ is annoying.

My recommendation, make the max dimmer for your haunt. It's simple and you won't care if it gets rained on. If you spend hundreds of dollars for a professional board, you really wouldn't want to leave it outside.

Take that for what it's worth.

 

[JohnnyL]

Just made the one madmax showed and it works REALLY well. I kind of want to make a little control panel and have about 8 in there and put it in the mausoleum or something, haha.

 

[BioNecro]

OK, I'm getting tired of walking to reset the circuit breaker. I have an extention cord with three wires, one white one black and one green. the dimmer switch has three wires, one green and two black. I have the greens together and have tried hooking the blacks both ways, each time resulting in a blown circuit. Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks

 

[Brad Green]

You have the right cord for the job. The wiring should be all greens together, leave the white alone and intact, and split the black, one end going to the first wire in the dimmer, the second end going to the second black wire. Think of it as a switch that turns the black (hot) wire on and off. All a dimmer does is act as a potentiometer, kind of like a volume control for the amount of current coming through the black wire. The green is just a ground for the circuit (as is the white, both go to a buss bar in the breaker box). As long as you are only splitting the black wire and using the dimmer as a curcuit switch, it should work, otherwise there may be a defect in the dimmer itself and needs replaced.

 

[BioNecro]

Thanks Brad. I'm not tripping breakers now, but its not dimming either?? I can turn the light on and off with the switch but it will not dim.

 

[NecroBones]

Man, you guys are doing a lot more work for your dimmers than I am.. I bought simple inline lamp-dimmers over at Home Depot. Basically, it has a plug and a socket, so you plug the light in through it... then it has roughtly a 4' cord with the slider control at the end. I think it'll handle 300W, so you can plug several floods into one with a socket splitter.

 

[The Crow 1994]

Hey Necro....is this what you are talking about? I might have to pick a few of these up myself.

 

[ScareFX]

...I bought simple inline lamp-dimmers over at Home Depot...

I like the idea of using that product. Nice tip NecroBones.

 

[Brad Green]

Well, hadn't seen one of those toys yet, but yep, that would work just fine! Man, all that wiring for nothing! And BioNecro, kinda sounds like the dimmer switch got fried in the attempt (sorry), but you do apparently have the wiring right at this time. If you want to continue, just replace the switch and everything should work just fine.