Author Topic: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?  (Read 1620 times)

Offline Jeffl

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Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« on: October 04, 2012, »
Ever since I started using a BetaBrite sign, I have powered it from a LOR controller.  After having a sticky display the last few years, I'm implementing my two year plan to migrate to DMX via Lynx Expresses.

I'm very hopeful that my sticking problems will go away and keep my channels flowing and the BetaBrite always on.  The question I have is; is a Lynx Express a good power source for a BetaBrite.  I once read in a past post on another forum that the power from the LOR boards was not really clean and should not be used for a BetaBrite.

Do you recommend I continue to use a Lynx Express channel or come up with a 120v relay of some kind?  If you recommend a relay; do you have any suggestions for units that have 12v or 120v triggers?

Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #1 on: October 04, 2012, »
what's a betabrite?
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Offline rm357

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Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2012, »
You can use the strobe light curve in the express to program the channel so that it is either full on or off, but the power is still going to be noisy because of the way the dimming works and there will be 15 other channels that are being dimmed... Also, it's never a good thing to run a wall wart off of a dimmer channel... It's also not good to run a relay or any other inductive device (like a motor) off of a AC light dimmer channel.

Do you cycle the power on the beta bright or are you looking to turn it on when the show starts and off when the show ends?

The best solution in my mind is to use a 12v relay off of a DC controller. In lynx flavor, there is the mr16 (DMX) and the DSC (pixelnet). Holiday coro has some 3 channel DMX controllers and Ali express has some 27 channel DMX controllers. All of these will do ok with a relay as long as you have a diode hooked across the relay to absorb the reverse energy spike that the coil creates when you turn the relay off...

Robert
Warner Robins, Georgia, USA

Offline Jeffl

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2012, »
Here is a BetaBrite.  I have a Prism.

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I have 12v DC based LOR controllers to do the triggering.  I will be running them via DMX off a LE.  I thought I could use the direct power from the extension cord to power the relay and use the 12V DC controller or the Lynx Express to trigger it.

I start the BetaBrite at the start of the show and stop it at the end. 

Thanks for the help.

Offline chrisatpsu

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2012, »
why not use a landscaping timer on your wall wort?
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Offline Jeffl

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #5 on: October 04, 2012, »
It will be on a timer.  The scheduler within LOR S3. :)

Offline Jeffl

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #6 on: October 04, 2012, »
I think I can wire up one of these and trigger it from an open DC channel.  It looks fairly simple.  All I need to do is figure out where to mount it so that it's sealed from the weather.

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Offline tbone321

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #7 on: October 05, 2012, »
Why don't you use an X10 appliance module. 
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Offline Jeffl

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Re: Clean power from Lynx Express for BetaBrite?
« Reply #8 on: October 05, 2012, »
I think x10 would work as well but I don't have experience with it.