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Thread: Laser + Generator

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Location
    New Orleans, LA USA
    Posts
    402

    Default Laser + Generator

    I'm going to be doing lasers at a festival again this year. The first year everything worked fine, but last year 2(both) of the lasers PS got blown by the generator, but as far as I know everything else survived(lighting/sound). This year im going to be using MY laser and I want to be absolutely sure that nothing goes wrong cause this is my baby were talking about.


    Not sure the exact model but it looked like this....


    Probably going to be the same generator again this year and Im worried.....
    What would yall do?

    I thought of 2 solutions....the first one I like the best cause it seems easiest...

    http://www.furmansound.com/product.p...id=AC-215A_PRO
    That would be installed in the projector...
    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Or something like this.....(obviously not installed inside projector)

    http://www.labsafety.com/APC-Back-UP...sredirect=true




    What do yall think about the levels of protection these devices offer? What would you do to save your laser from an early fiery death......?

    Thanks
    -Brooks
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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Athens, Greece
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    1,930

    Default

    the second solutions looks best for me, i'd go for a good quality on-line UPS and be done with it
    "its called character briggs..."

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    East Sussex, England
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    Default

    Personally I'd do nothing more than ensuring the generator is adequately specced for everything connected to it and a proper distro with appropriate breakers installed and metered for correct polarity before use. I'd also make sure that the incomer fuses on the projectors are the correct rating as in the event of a surge these should catch it. Switch mode supplies are usually quite forgiving of voltage fluctuations anyway.

    I'd be curious to know what you think went wrong last time, particularly given other sensitive electronic kit seemed to survive it?
    Frikkin Lasers
    http://www.frikkinlasers.co.uk

    You are using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

    I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Nottingham, UK
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    2,845

    Default

    When running stuff from a generator; I use a nice line interactive UPS: this 3000VA 'lil thing


    Got one flight-cased up and ready to rock
    Works super great!
    Heavy f*cker though. Hate it.
    - There is no such word as "can't" -
    - 60% of the time it works every time -

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
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    UK
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    It sounds like the generator last year suffered from power surges.

    I would concur with you and suggest some kind of surge protection therefore.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    East Sussex, England
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    I'd insist on a generator with a decent regulator on it instead. Thats a long way over voltage if its blowing smps, and i'm unclear why it wouldn't also have taken out smps in the rack gear for the PA and lighting.

    Can you provide any more info about the power? were the phases well balanced? Were you sharing a phase with a very dynamic load like strobes/blinders/dimmers?
    Frikkin Lasers
    http://www.frikkinlasers.co.uk

    You are using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

    I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    106

    Default

    I use those Furman 215's pretty regularly. NEVER had a single problem with them nor any power issues with anything connected to them. Then again, I do not recall powering any of those things from generators.

    my $.02

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Australia
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    The issue you will find is lighting. The demand will be great and when the lights go down quickly the generator goes high for lack of "load shedding".

    In the 80's when I was touring sound eng, sound and lighting always used dedicated gen sets.

    Online UPS is the go if you must be on the same gen set.
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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
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    East Sussex, England
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    Thats what I suspected. I usually try and make sure I'm on a phase without blinders/dimmers/strobes to avoid the peaks and troughs. If they have a phase for the movers then get on that, they have a very constant draw once the lamps are struck.

    Unfortunately, when balancing the phases they tend to spread these out over the phases and then add the dynamic stuff.

    How about using the sound phases?

    Also, it may be a sign of an underspecced genny if its reacting violently with voltage swings when load is applied/removed.
    Frikkin Lasers
    http://www.frikkinlasers.co.uk

    You are using Bonetti's defense against me, ah?

    I thought it fitting, considering the rocky terrain.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Australia
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    Quote Originally Posted by norty303 View Post
    Thats what I suspected. I usually try and make sure I'm on a phase without blinders/dimmers/strobes to avoid the peaks and troughs. If they have a phase for the movers then get on that, they have a very constant draw once the lamps are struck.

    Unfortunately, when balancing the phases they tend to spread these out over the phases and then add the dynamic stuff.

    How about using the sound phases?

    Also, it may be a sign of an underspecced genny if its reacting violently with voltage swings when load is applied/removed.
    The standard approach is to use separate gen set for sound and lightning. At least tha was always my configuration. In many cases the lighting generator was typically the one emitting smoke.
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