Skip to main content

10 replies

Rotoballs Tri LED - Can I mount this light on a crank II truss?

FM Former Member
I am a mobile wedding DJ and use the crank II truss for my lights. I just recieved my new Rotoballs Tri LED.

I did not realize it would pose a challenge as to where I would place it. It is heavy and I originally wanted to set it on the ground in front of my system. With the moving rotating balls, I am concerned about the safety for people who get too close and trip over or wreck my light. On the ground it also loses a great deal of impact.

It should be up high....I am now thinking it might be best to mount it up on the truss or set it on top of a speaker. Only problem is 2 of my speakers are on tripods and the other 2 on the ground are angled up....Any suggestions?


Can it be hung upside down on the truss with two c clamps? I have a Revo II, mirror ball, 2 pin spots, red spotlight and a warp. What is stand alone and centerpiece? I searched the internet on the light and this is all that came up??

Anyone else out there who has this light....what did you do?? How do you like it? It looks great spinning and moving in my living room. I will be using it this weekend at a wedding and I have high hopes that it will be awesome no matter where I put it.

Thanks in advance for your suggestions.
Last edited {1}
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

FM Former Member
Hi DJKleener and welcome to the forums.

You should be fine hanging a couple of Rotoballs Tri LED off the truss system. The system is rated for 140 lbs. The Rotoballs weigh 11 lbs a piece, the Revo II is 10 lbs, mirror ball depends on size, pin spots should weigh between 5-10 lbs as well as the spotlight and the Wrap is 8 lbs. So only about 60 lbs without cabling, clamps, and the mirror ball. That is 80 lbs of lead way and I can't imagine a mirror ball, clamps, and cable weighing that much (unless using a giant 3+' diameter mirror ball). So under hanging them like you asked should be perfectly fine.

Couple things to remember, make sure your clamps are rated for what they are holding and make sure you are using safety cables that can hold 3-6 times the weight of the fixture they are attached too. Also make sure all hanging fixtures have a safety cable as well.
FM Former Member
Thanks for the quick reply. OK...What about the moving balls? Will it make the truss more unstable?

Also, sometimes the ceilings in venues are low and I cannot crank the truss up too high. I am worried about the balls knocking some drunk guest in the head when they walk under to request a song. (nothing is idiot proof)Can it be mounted on the front of the truss... not hanging down?
FM Former Member
Since this is getting into the area in which serous injury can occur, I can't safely say. Hanging under should be perfectly fine. I would check it out in the safety of your own space/time and make sure it is okay hanging off the front. If it is a little shaky/wobbly, I would maybe look at putting some sand bags on the stands for added stability. I know Global Truss sells them in 15 lb, 25 lb, or 35 lb sizes. They are also part of the AMDJ family of companies.

It is ultimately, your call. I can't say one way or another for legal reasons. Just be safe is all I can say and make suggestions for safe practices. I can also say when something clearly isn't safe as well, but again, it comes down to your call.

Sorry for the gray area.
FM Former Member
Thanks! Yes of course I will make sure it's safe and that is my dilemma. I am professional and would never comprimise my business with neglect or liability. I can spread the tripod legs out to ensure the stability of the truss, so that it will not tip over.

I am just wondering if there are any DJs out there who have experience with this light. The rotating balls need a great deal of clearance. Most lights have the moving parts inside or are small...this one is large. So what about mounting it on the front or even the top. This as a great light and should be up high. In your professional opinion what is the best place? Or should I just construct a stand for it, mount it and place it out of the way?
FM Former Member
Well, the way I see it, you can use it a few ways. On the ground it would wash the ceiling and walls more then the dance floor, so more air effect. The second way is like you have stated, get it high and hang it so it splashes more on the dance floor.

Personally, I think it would work better hanging. On the ground, the lights shining down only hit the ground and don't do anything. In the air, lights are either hitting the floor, the ceiling, or the wall, no matter which way the face. Now, if your ceiling is low, it wouldn't be as effective.

The last option, hanging straight out would also be good for hitting the whole room vs just the ceiling/walls by sitting it on the ground. Since it spins completely, coverage under hanging vs straight out shouldn't be different. If you make a stand which it sits straight down on, it shouldn't be too different then hanging it.

So basically, getting into the air is the way to go. I don't actually own the fixture in question, just stating based on geometry and from experience as to what will happen.
FM Former Member
The light works very well hanging off the truss. No instability and it looks great. I have bbeen mounting it with bolts and I use zip ties to stabilize it a little more. I am a little disappointed that it does not have a huge impact in the light show but all in all it is a good light. I also made a stool to mount it on with four holes for the screws to bolt to. I have been using this for smaller set ups.Thanks for all the advice!!
FM Former Member
Looking at the light, it would seem that it would be an awesome effect, mounted flat on the truss...so that it was "aimed" straight out. That wouldnt be hard to do, with a couple of clamps on the top bar...But I would want to check the balance of it, as it rotated around, to be sure that it didnt shake the truss. I have a 4 foot pipe mounted to my truss right now, that has the motor and a 2ft mirror ball mounted to it...that hasnt changed the stability of the truss to ant great degree.

Attachments

Hide
Images (1)
  • 9116_1266573782129_1163324898_30812311_5152526_n

Add Reply

Post

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×