Solo Light Show

Hello,

You can start with a simple Par Can system. Two would be ideal (one on each side of you)Each system comes with a stand 4 Par 38 cans and a sound active controller. Here's the link http://www.americandj.com/product.asp?ProductIDNumber=1109&cat=LightPackages
You could also check with a local dealer and assemble or build a system to fit your needs. Our Elation division also makes a foot controller specifically designed for musicians.
http://www.americandj.com/product.asp?ProductIDNumber=1...cat=Foot_Controllers

Master DJ,

Okay, I purchased what you suggested. Now my problem is when I use the lights, I blow the house 15 amp circuit. I play in a small coffee house and I am forced to plug all lights which use a total of 20 amps and all of my PA and sound gear into the same 15 amp circuit. Is there a device I can purchase to increase the 15 amp circuit without involving an electrician? Something that I could plug into the wall receptacle that would convert the 15 amp circuit to maybe 40 amps?

Thanks for your help.

Nope.

There is no way to do it without violating tons of electrical codes and creating a potentially dangerous situation. 15 amps is the maximum safe current rating for that particular circuit (due to wire gauges, types, and receptacles used).

My advice would be to find another circuit and run an extension. Put the lights on one circuit and the PA on another. Or, run half the lights with the PA (if you can) and run the other half on another circuit.

Otherwise, consider trimming things back.

Best,
-Tech

Thanks.

maybe you should keep your lighting a bit simpler..... coffee house simple....

Put 2 Downstage left and right for front light on the floor with floor bases plugged into the house wall sockets. Put 2 or 4 for upstage behind you at a 45-60 angle plugged into house sockets as well (color these in pairs [ie 2 magentas on the outside 2 blues in the inside]). It will be a static look but it sets up in under 15 minutes.

Consider going to 90 watt halogen lamps instead of 150 watt lamps for less power draw.

Comparing 90-watt halogens vs 150-watt floods for Par 38's, is there a noticable difference in brightness and dispersion?

Basically, I'm all for losing my 28 Par 38 bulbs in a heartbeat to save on wattage draw. But if the dispersion is tighter, I'm good with that. But if the brightness at 100% is not as good, then that's not acceptable for me. I wonder what the heat difference is as well?

Hi Chris,
I went from 300 watt bulbs in my par 38's to 150 watters, and I don't really see any difference in visable light. The benefits however, no more burnt gels, no more burnt wiring and no more socket replacement!

The dispersion pattern will only change I'm afraid if you go from a flood to a spot pattern bulb.

The only way to know for sure is to get one bulb and install it next to the 150's. This will put to rest any questions about luminesence differential.

Jeffery,
Does your controller allow for dimming? If so perhaps just using a lower setting will allow you to use the same setup. Otherwise look at using more efficient light bulbs, with lower wattage.

Now the formula for converting watts to amps in a fixed voltage setup is: amps = watts/volts. So, if were using 8 ea 150 watt bulbs in a standard PAR 38 can 8 X 150 = 1200 watts. 1200 watts / 120 volts = 10 amps. The controller may draw an an amp or two additional if its analog (or all the current if it has the controllers onboard, but the digital ones that control the pacs only draw Milliamperes of current. If you went with 90 watt bulbs you would cut the draw to 6 amps.

Are you running ALL the lights at one time? If so perhaps if your controller has 'scenes' that you can switch between, even if you set the rate at its lowest setting the scene would only change every say 10 seconds or so. At 4 bulbs running you would draw 5 amps. This also provides a change that draws the audience to the performance.

My .02

Be well
Gary Perrett
Twilite Zone Productions
Full band production, Lighting and sound
DJ, Karaoke, Portable PA's and lighting

I'm well versed with figuring out current draw. Simple math.

Unfortunately(well, fortunately), I'm an audio expert. Lighting is handled by one of my crew, and they lack things like, oh, common sense, cleanliness, manners, couthe, stuff like that. They get the job done and that's what I pay them to do.

See, my thing is, I don't have time to waste. When I'm on here, I'm typically editing audio or video(or both) or am doing tech support, so I'm typically slammed 24X7X365. Otherwise, I'm transfering film to computer, doing live sound, or else recording or second engineering. I work with a regular radio broadcast and a nationally broadcast syndicated TV show, as well as contract with two production facilities in addition to running a data comm company and my own live sound/audio production company.

That's why I am asking questions such as the luminosity of a 90-watt halogen vs a 150-watt flood-type bulb. As I said, I don't mind buying some, but getting the chance to test is not really practical. I have gear over 3 years old still new in the box, completely sealed and unopened because I'm too busy with other stuff. I'm getting to stuff WELL outside its warranty period these days, that's how busy I am.

So, answering a direct question directly is really much prefered in my situation.

Regardless if my controller supports dimming(it does), I have 28 Par 38's, gel'ed, and am planning on getting 4 DMX color changers(another brand, ADJ doesn't make what I need), as well as some more effect lights and soon some intels and then some movers. I do lighting because I have to, not because I want to. I deliberately handed off lighting duties to my crew as I simply don't want to be bothered with the set-up of it anymore.

I have no interest in running ALL the lights at any one point in time, but I do have the need to blend more than just a few colors. Scene creating is not something that there is time for when I do shows. Why? Those hiring are of the philosophy of "I don't understand it, therefore it must be simple. Set up 40+ lights and a 13,200-watt PA with 10 monitors and 76 ins and 16 returns, rung out, big drum set, lots of misc gear(oh, and we'll make last second changes). Estimated time to complete tast from the time the truck arrives: 15 minutes". It takes 15 minutes just to unload the truck, and that's blazing.

This whole "power draw" problem is what has driven me to LED lights.

My new system is:
(2) ADJ Autospots (150 watt discharge bulb)
(8) LED fixtures (Octopod 80)

This covers a smaller stage quite nicely, and with a little programming looks GREAT

and best of all, draws under 600 watts total.
Oh YEAH! LEDs are the way to go!