Conference napalm::commusic_v1

    Both Sunn and Peavey are selling some small, (relatively) inexpensive
    lighting setups.  I think they can even be MIDIed, for automatic
    lighting changes via sequencer.  Check your local dealer.
    
    						Brian

    You can build what your looking for quite easily. 
    
    Use ceramic light fixtures and standard 150 watt flood or spotlights.
    Put 6 of them in line into a box. I use 1 yellow, 2 red, and 3 blue. 
    Use a separate switch for each color. The switch can be a regular light
    switch or a footswitch (110VAC rated). Build 2, one for each side of
    the stage...or more for behind the amps...under the drums...etc.
    
    You can add all kinds of nifty stuff later, like reostats, pushbuttons,
    etc. If I had plans I would send them to you...I just build them from
    my head.
    
    Have fun
    kpb

I put a fairly comprehensive 'build - it' set on instructions on this topic
in the MUSIC notes file.

My lights are basically made out of 4 flood light holders mounted on a large
metal outlet box, which has a 3/4 inch female threaded galvanized steel
pipe fitting. This screws into 3/4 inch galvanized pipe (available in
many lengths), that screws into 18 inch square 1/8 inch steel plates that
have a threaded fitting mounted to the middle. It all comes apart for easy
transport. I have 50 foot cables (I use 6 conductor connections) and a very
simple lighting control center (4 cheap on/off wall switches). I did add
some diodes (they can be switched out of the circuit) that are used to reduce
the voltage to the lights by 50% (a great, cheap & noiseless dimmer).

I've been using this system since 1984 (and built a similar system back in
the early 1970's) and it sees between 50 and 150 gigs a year. The diodes
reduce the voltage to the 100 watt colored lamps & they last quite a long
time. My lights are Yellow, Red, Blue and Green. If you can only have one
color, go with red. If you can only have 2 colors go with red & blue.

I would seperate the RED and BLUE from each pole so that one can be red while
the other is blue (I'm assuming 2 poles).

Keep it simple & use mechanical parts that are available from any hardware
store & it will be cheap to maintain & use.

							Jens

                                        ...I just build them from
    my head.

    I guess he just has a bright idea, and then one of those lightbulbs
    appears over his head?
    
    - Edd

    re: -.1
    
    You crack me up! I wish I was as witty as you, instead of the dullard
    I am...
    
    Hoyt

    RE .3
          I pulled your lighting info from the music notes file, very
    interesting. I started running some ideas through my head. I have
    deceided to go with 3 lights (RED,BLUE,GREEN). I'm going to make
    up a small weighted box that will sit on top of the main PA speakers.
    I'll then mount 3 swivel spots lights per box.  Questions...
    
    	- Can't I run just a 4 wire line to each of these boxes. Using
          the common wire for all lights, and then just switch the hot
          lead per individual light? What should the gauge of the wire be?
          My electrical knowledge is basic.
    
    	- I like the diode idea. What size and how do I wire these in?
          One diode per light box or one for the whole system? 
          Do you use a dimmer switch in combination with the diodes?
    
        - How far do the spot lights mounted on the box have to be apart 
          from each other?  I'm thinking of using a box about the size of
          a DF03. Is that to small to mount 3 lights to? 
     
    Thanks for the replies.
    Rick L.
           

    
    Re: .5, .6
    
    Hey! How did you do that? Edd noting from Hoyt's account and Hoyt
    noting from Edd's account?
    
    CdH
    

>    	- Can't I run just a 4 wire line to each of these boxes. Using
>          the common wire for all lights, and then just switch the hot
>          lead per individual light? What should the gauge of the wire be?
>          My electrical knowledge is basic.

	This will work fine. 18 gauge zip cord (like that used for
	extension cords) will work fine.

		Lighting controller box
                                          +-->
		110 V            /        |    RED lights
		-----------+----o o-------+--> 
			   |
			   |              +-->
		----+      |     /        |    BLUE lights
		    |      +----o o-------+--> 
                    |      |      
		    |      |              +-->
		    |      |     /        |    GREEN lights
	            |      +----o o-------+--> 
		    |
	            |
		    +------------------------>
				     common

	     Lights wiring:


		>-------(RED)--------+
	                             |
		>-------(BLUE)-------+
                                     |
		>-------(GREEN)------+
                                     |
		>--------------------+				         
		        common


	A set of 4 conductor connectors will work fine. Use A MALE connector
	on the lights them selves, and a FEMALE connector on the lighting
	controller box.


>    	- I like the diode idea. What size and how do I wire these in?
>          One diode per light box or one for the whole system? 
>          Do you use a dimmer switch in combination with the diodes?

	Nope, I don't use a dimmer (it adds noise to the AC line which
	inturn tends to be picked up by random instruments or microphones.
	The circuit is pretty simple to add:

	110 v AC

                |\ | 200V  5 Amp Diode                  /  
	----+---| >|------+----------------------------o o------->
            |   |/ |      |                 
            |             |                  Switch open   = light off
            |       /     |                  Switch closed = light on
            -------o o-----

		Switch open   = dim (50% power)
		Switch closed = bright (100% power)


	I used one diode per color (ie 4 diodes for 4 sets of 2 lights
	per color. The bulbs are only 100 watts each, they don't draw
	more than .84 amps per 100 watt bulb). I got stud mounted Diodes
	and have yet to have a problem with the system.


>        - How far do the spot lights mounted on the box have to be apart 
>          from each other?  I'm thinking of using a box about the size of
>          a DF03. Is that to small to mount 3 lights to? 
     
	If you use a metal outlet box, with the pre-punched holes, you'll
	find that you can fit them like:

			  (RED)
                            |
                          +---+
	          (GREEN)-|   |-(BLUE)
                          +---+
		            X
                            X
			    X <- Pole

	Using flood light holders. If you mount them on a flat piece of 
	material, all in a row, 6 inches apart should do fine:

		  3    6      6     3    Inches apart
		v   v      v      v   v
		+---------------------+
		|                     |
		|   O      O      O   |
		|                     |
		+---------------------+
	          BLUE    RED    GREEN


								Jens

    RE: .9
          - Are you using 4 diodes (or one diode per light set) so you can set
    some colors to 100% and others to 50% at the same time?  
    
    	  - If I want my switch control box located off the light boxes the
    power cord I should use is 4 wires like 14/4, correct? If I use
    extention cord I will have to run 3 (2 wire cords)per light box.
    This would allow me to switch on and off certain colors.
    
    	- If I have just the reds on (3 lights per set), will one light
          per side be enough?
          Or maybe I should go to four lights. Which configuration would
          be better?
    
           Side One                              Side two
          red red blue blue                  green green yellow yellow
    
    				  OR
    
    	   Side One                              Side Two
         Red Green Yellow Blue                Red Green Yellow Blue
    
    Thanks so far. Starting to pickup some of the hardware tonight.
    Rick L.

This is what I would consider:

BLUE/RED/GREEN in each box and have a seperate box for each side (3 lights
total per side).

You need a total of 4 wires in the cables running to each of the light boxes.
One for each color and a single wire for the common. You could easily
use a seperate set of wires for each light (that would make 6 conductors for
3 lights).  If you want to have more lights, you need to add additional
wiring for them.

My lighting set up uses 4 lights: BLUE/RED/GREEN/YELLOW. I find that I don't
use the YELLOWs very much unless we are playing outside. I also find that 
I rarely run the lights in 'BRIGHT' mode unless I'm outside. Normally,
the lights are run in the 'DIM' mode.

My switches are the cheap (49 cent) wall switches that are made for 110V AC.
I get these at a hardware store.

No wire needs to be heavier than 18 gauge. Radio Shack (as well as many
hardware stores) sell this by the SPOOL. 50 feet will be needed for at
least one length of the run between the light controller and the light
boxes. You could make the other cable shorter, but I wouldn't make any
cables less than 30 feet in length (you'll be sorry!!!). The cable going
into the light controller box should be 12 feet or more in length.
As always, your outlets will be further away than you really wanted them
to be & it's better to have too long of a cord than too short of a cord.

If you add a seperate switch for LEFT and RIGHT for each of the colors
(that would make 6 light on/off switches), you could have a seperate
on/off for each color on each side (this is nice to have) & you could
tune on any light as you needed it. The cables to the lights themselves
would not change, just the lighting controller box.

I have diodes set up where there is 1 per color of light (even tho there
are 2 lights per color). 200V at 5 amps is overkill, but I don't like
failures out in the middle of nowhere, so I overbuilt it.

								Jens

    An earlier reply said that there is more info about building lights in
    the MUSIC notes file.  Can someone tell me which note it is in?
    
    	Thanks
    
    
    

    RE: .11
            I built the first prototype last night. I must say it came out
    great. (pat self on back) I haven't had time to start the control box
    yet but when I do I think I'm going to add all the bells and whistles.
    My cost so far as been $12.00 per light box (3lights), excluding the
    wire and bulbs.  Speaking of bulbs another question...
    
    	- I have been having trouble finding the colored ones. One light
          shop quoted me $10.00 per 100 watt bulb. One person told me to
          use the 75 watt bulbs instead. Will the 75 watt be strong enough?
          I wonder if stores like CALDORS or AMES carry the colored spot
          light bulbs?
    
    I see why you suggest ZIP cord, wire tying a few together. The 14/4
    wire is expensive. I going to try the prototype this weekend.
    bulbs.
    
     Thanks
    Rick L.
    

	Go look at Kmart (or any other department store) they usally have
	export brands of colored lights (usually for Christmas stuff) that
	are usually $4.00 to $5.00 each for the 100 flood light type. I've
	never seen 75 colored flood lights. I've seen the 50 watters, but
	they tend to be very hard to find when you are looking for them.
	Hardware stores usually want $10.00 each for the U.S. made floods.
	From what I can tell, they all work just fine & I prefer to keep
	the cost down. Lucky for you, most department stores start selling
	Christmas stuff before Halloween.

	Any colored flood light will work for you. I've had a total of
	5 flood light failures in the last 7 years. They were all caused
	by the wires that go to the screw in part of the bulb breaking,
	not a single failure caused by filament burn out. I suspect that
	this is because I tend to run at 50% voltage (because of the diodes).
	Yes,  you can re-solder these broken wires, but you have to drill
	holes in the Brass in order to get to where the break was. Sometimes
	you can't get to where the break is (it's too far into the glass
	part).

							Jens