Low Voltage power supplies

cscool36

cscool36

Full time elf
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
168
Location
Belrose NSW
Hi All,
This year I am running 24vdc and 12vdc power supplies.
So I Need some advise on.


1. Do I leave them running with 240vac switch on.
2. Use a timer and turn on before the show and turn off after the show.
3. I can use my 240vac channel and turn on through vixen.


What are you doing?.


Hoping someone can help.


Thanks
Colin
 
you can do it many ways except using the controller to switch it on, it all depends if you want it automated with a timer or not. Personally i turn everything off manually
 
Don't switch your power supplies on/off via a 240V controller channel, especially if they are switchmode power supplies. You really want to switch it with a timer or relay.

On a slight tangent....

I was only thinking last night about a single channel DMX relay that could switch mains to my switchmode power supplies. In my case I have a DR4 in each location, so would need to leave that powered up all the time so the DMX relay board could get it's signal.

The other thing I'd do is make the output stay on for a while (5 minutes?) after the DMX channel drops to zero so it doesn't drop out between sequences.

Alternatively, the power relay board could just sense a valid DMX stream to know when to power up. The only issue with that is if you're using a DMX source that sends out DMX with no input (such as a DR4 with "keep-alive" enabled), it would never shut off.
 
Thanks for your help and Ideas.


At this stage I am using 1 240 volt channel to turn on a small transformer to 24vac than through a bridge rectifier for 24vdc, Then using it for a 24vdc contact relay to control the 240 volts to the power supplies. I have also added some capacitors to hold the coil on the contact between sequences.
I am using vixen. Is there a code that I can use to turn on this cannel for longer then the sequence?.


Thanks


Colin
 
Definitely a good call not running the power supplies off a 240V channel. The inrush current with switchmodes is often in the 20A or more range. A switch or a relay can handle this momentary current spike but semis don't like that sort of monster overload.
 
I am just leaving mine on 24/7 at the moment. I did not think there would be a problem with this.

I am unaware of any dangers this would cause, as my switchboards at work contain 24VAC transformers and run 24/7 everyday of the year. I thought the more times you turn a power supply on and off everyday could have more of a damaging effect than leaving it on all the time.

Are DC power supplies different to AC transformers and should they not be left on?

Or are people only switching them off to save power?
 
David_AVD said:
I would be wary of leaving the "no-name" switch mode supplies on and unattended 24/7.
Click to expand...

We have seen the quality first hand of the cheap Chinese power supplies at the Brisbane mini when David let out the smoke of a Steves power supply when he plugged it in and it went bang.
 
Kane said:
I use timers to switch mine on 15 minutes before the show, and off again 15 minutes after the show.
Click to expand...

Same here, the transformers switch on 15min before an 15min after the show.
I leave the dr4 on 24/7 tho.
 
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