chandelier

[wattsup]

Don’t know what’s happening right now but I’m getting all weird and wonderful enquiries
The latest being a chandelier, the mother of all chandeliers as far as I’m concerned.

Rewire and install

100 lamps, split over 7 tiers, was 60w per lamp and they want the same. Most of the wiring is burnt to a crisp, it needs rewiring, dead shorts all over!

None electric: It’s friggin superb…must be worth thousands and thousands of £££
Crystal glass shades and tier drops….it is jaw dropping.. it weighs 0.25 ton, 4 metres across, and 2 metres deep. Just hanging the friggin thing will be a problem….but

anyhow the electrics, it was at first sight fairly easy, I have wired 4 x lighting circuits to the same fitting because the brass tubing lends itself to wiring this way, so in effect I have 4 x lighting circuits on the same fitting, each circuit 25 light points x 60w , or 1.5 kw potential, 6kw in total. No problem, 4x 10 amp breakers over 4 circuits, a contactor (because the fitting must be lit via one switch)

Wire the actual fitting in 4 x 1.00mm butyl circuits, no probs, nice job, a really good price go for it ( I realise 1.00mm is cutting it close on 10 amp breakers, but physically impossible to use larger, glass flex would have been option but the earth terminal on all lamp holders would have caused probs, using glass. Anyhow in all likelyhood the lamps will be low energy 11w in the future (that’s my excuse and sticking to it !)

Its my job (worry about hanging it later but that’s extra anyhow, so not concerned at this point)

So now its done, ready for install…but now at the last minute they want the ability to use a dimmer switch on it,….kin ell. I can say bog off you can’t do so, but they are very good clients and I would like to accommodate if possible, how can I do it? it seems it is impossible because of the contactor, 230v coil?
Remote control 6kw dimmer????

Anyway round it? I would love to make them happy!

 

[kung]

Dont get Dell & Rodney Trotter to remove it ! id get a chandelier company to remove and clean it then reinstall it while you sort the wiring out and variac tranny as if that thing comes down your need your insurance plus could kill you if you get caught up and at that size is very possible.
Regards
Kung.

 

[Darkwood]

Although this may not be the solution have you though of a large Variac transformer as your well above normal dimmer requirements, its going to be expensive though as a 6amp might hit your pocket for £100 to £150 and you need 4 then some kind of housing or cabinet, alternative just one large transformer with big supply then fuse 4 outgoing ways but you will have to enquire on technical about mcb operating voltages and their limits then set your lowest point on the variac transformer.
Its a shot in the dark (no pun intended) but its the avenue id be looking at.

 

[Darkwood]

Another option is a voltage conditioner which are normally used to keep a constant value voltage if mains transients are a issue, you will need to find one with a pot control to adjust the voltage setting so a lot of hunting and again its very expensive route and as your not using them for their designed purposes a chat with their tech will be advisable.
Good luck!

 

[Steve1412]

Your getting into major theatre stuff there mate. But am sure there will be something out there.
Check this sort of thing.
http://www.mainlight.net/pdf/products/dimming/etc/sensormodule-15-100amp-af_specs.pdf

 

[Darkwood]

Good call steve never even occurred to me about theatre lighting, well im sure he will find a more adaptable solution down this road.

 

[gafin]

In theatre it's quite common to find 5KW dimmers, but bigger than that and you need to look into TV/Film where you will find 10KW dimmers and above. If you get an analogue controlled dimmer you can just use a pot on it. Try Powergems -www.powergems.net

Not going to be cheap though!

 

[wattsup]

I've used 30a dimmers before for cinema lighting but that was easy, because they controlled one circuit each only on seperate lighting etc. also the switches were located away from public view. I cant hide this switch and what complicates matters is four different circuits to one fitting, a four gang dimmer is out of the question it would look a pigs ear!
I'm going for; low energy lamps (in the future) cannot be dimmed (unless spending ££££ on specials)

 

[dragon-av]

I've used 30a dimmers before for cinema lighting but that was easy, because they controlled one circuit each only on seperate lighting etc. also the switches were located away from public view. I cant hide this switch and what complicates matters is four different circuits to one fitting, a four gang dimmer is out of the question it would look a pigs ear!
I'm going for; low energy lamps (in the future) cannot be dimmed (unless spending ££££ on specials)

This is easy mate you just need the proper dimming kit and low energy can be dimmed wioth the correct equipment. Drop me a PM if you want more info on the possible solutions. You may well need to wire differrently to achieve this big load for inline dimmers but not for rack units.

http://www.modelighting.com/photos/MP-10-04.pdf is ideal and simplifies the wiring as you just take a new feed to the panel then 4 controlled feeds to the fitting and even limit the max level to 90% extedning fitting life saving energy and keeping well in on the limit of the cables in the fitting