Help. How do I set a dimmer output to 100% but still have a DMX output of 165?

[Julio Rodríguez]

I need to use some small DMX devices that have a maximum output of 3A, which would be equivalent to 660W, but the lamps I have are 1000W.
I'd like to know if there's a way to set an output limit of 65% or scale the output from 0% to 100% so that it's equivalent to a DMX output of 0 to 165.
Thanks.

[Julio Rodríguez]

I need to use some small dimmers devices that have a maximum output of 3A, which would be equivalent to 660W, but the lamps I have are 1000W.
I want to know if there's a way in Qlab to set an output limit to 65% or scale the output from 0% to 100% so that it's equivalent to the DMX output of 0 to 165.
Thanks.

[nat...@ramserv.com]

There may be a way to do that; but I'd be very cautious. I know enough about electricity to know how much I don't know, and it wouldn't surprise me if, even at (say) 50%, the lamps are not drawing a steady 2.5A, but drawing 5A half the time and 0 the other half the time, and thus drawing enough current to damage the dimmer device. I'd recommend getting different lamps.

[Paul]

DO NOT CONNECT a 1000W lamp to a 3A dimmer!

You could over load the circuit and cause a fire. You risk putting the safety of yourself, others and the insurance and license of the venue at risk.

The correct way to do this would be to either re-lamp the fixtures, so say a 500W lamp (assuming a nominal supply voltage of 230V) or to use dimmers correctly rated for the load. If the venue doesn't want to buy them, then you could hire them for this specific show if the electricity supply in the venue was adequate.

To answer your original question AFAIK there is no way to scale a lamp output in the patch or elsewhere in QLab. And as others have pointed out the load is unlikely to be linear with an incandescent lamp.

[Julio Rodríguez]

Solved, I got some 5A dimmers per channel. Thanks, it's clear to me that that couldn't be done.

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