Function room lighting

[yellowvanman]

Anybody installed lighting in a large room which could be used for wedding receptions etc. lighting also needs to be controlled for various 'moods'.

Room is 13.4m x 10.5m and has sloping ceilings (from eaves to ridge) that reach up to about 6.5m

An ideas appreciated.

 

[Marvo]

Are you looking at a DALI system?

Usually the lighting in these kind of venues is spec'd by the architect or interior designer. The last system I designed for a similar sized set-up, from memory the roof height was about 8 meters and we used about 10 flush dimmable diffused fluorescent fittings with 3x5ft tubes in each at the roof height, four very large 200w pendant fittings suspended at around 3.5m, 6 wall fittings with 2x40w lamps in each and 10 low voltage downlights under the mezanine area. All the systems were dimmable and programmable via an Intellibus/Lutron control system. Also emergency lighting.

Not cheap, I think the overall job including fittings and electrical and comms installation came in at around ZAR 265000.00 (about 22000 English quid) and that was over two years ago so probably more now.

 

[yellowvanman]

Dali system?

 

[mogga]

google DALI another option would be going to a specalist design company

Lutron do easy dimmers

 

[Tosh]

tiger panel.. take all ure ccts back to that then u can program different senarios on the scene setter

 

[Marvo]

With a DALI system each fitting or luminaire is wired with permanent power and a serial comms circuit is run from the lighting controller to each fitting. Fittings can be addressed individually or as a complete circuit. The installation of these systems is pretty straight forward but the programming, commissioning as well as the initial design is not something you would do without being familiar with the.

 

[geordie]

have a look at dmx led lighting
Abstract AVR - Colour LED Strips, LED Lights, Track Lighting Systems Available

 

[rsmck]

Consider DMX over the proprietary architectural systems - run every lighting circuit back to a central location (not where you'd put the switch) and install a hardwired "dimmer rack" (I have a theatre background and tend to use Avolites, Anytronics or Zero88 - they all do dimmers suitable)

There are standalone DMX controllers available (look at some of the products from ELC or Interactive Technologies) which are more affordable and more flexible (think RGB "mood lighting" etc) than many of the bespoke controllers from Lutron and the likes.

Anytronics also do their own bespoke system, Anylight, which can also interface to DMX devices (as does Zero88 come to think of it)

It may be overkill but because I have ready access to this sort of kit without any great expense my lounge / kitchen / dining room / hallways are all controlled in a similar way including dimming of all main lighting (with different scenes) and RGB control of some LED fixtures for 'mood lighting' - works great and at a fraction of the cost of what it would have been to use Lutron or similar products.

 

[Adam W]

Flexibility comes at a price - the more different settings you have, the more chance there is for someone to select the 'wrong' setting or not be able to work it at all.
I reckon you could do the job with 3 dimmers and a switch to switch some disco lights on, or a Lutron system with about 4 scenes - cleaners (all on), subdued, speech, disco. That kind of thing.