I have a Elation SD6 slide dimmer control and 1 DM415 dimmer pack and 4 par 56 lights, everything is connected but nothing works - what do I set the dip switches too - right now they are all off as factory set.

I wasn't able to find on the web either an Elation SD 6 or a DM-415.

Elation makes a DP-415 and Strand makes an SD 6 Digital Dimmer. If those are what you are talking about, they are both dimmer packs. They are intended to be controled by a DMX controller - which is a separate piece of equipment [although the DP-415 can also be controlled with a special, dedicated controller made for it]. They are pretty much worthless without a controller.

You would have to set the controller to send it's DMX signals on twe different channels, one channel to control the SD6 and the other channel to control the DP-415. Then you would set the dip switches on the SD6 and DP-415 to the channel it is to "listen" on.

sorry the dimmer pack is a DP-415, but the controller is a Elation SDC-6 6 Channel Manual Dmx Controller With Fader Control - It has a DMX out and I have everything connected properly, the dimmer pack is flashing that its receiving a dmx signal - but I don't have any of the dip switches set - don't know what to set them to other that number 10 off for dimmer instead of switching

OK, I found the manual for the Elation SDC-6 6 Channel Manual Dmx Controller. It is not particularly clear with respect to DMX, but here is my best guess at what it is saying.

The SDC-6 says it adjusts values of 1~6 channels. I'm guessing that you can't adjust which six channels it controls, i.e., it only sends signals on channels 1 thru 6.

That means you have to set the dip switches on the DP-415 to "listen" on those channels. Note that the DP-415 only handles 4 channels - so two of the slider on the SDC-6 won't cause anything to happen.

The first 9 dip switches on the DP-415 set the DMX "listening" addresses for the unit, and the last switch tells it whether to operate as a switch (on/off) or a dimmer. Whatever you set the dip switches to, the unit will "listen" on that channel and the next three, e.g., if you set it to listen on channel 1, it will listen on channel 1, 2, 3, and 4.

Try setting all the dip switch switches to the down/off position except the first one and the last one. By flipping only the first switch on your are telling it to "listen" on Channel 1, 2, 3 & 4. So it will look like this:

- _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ -

Now plug each of your lights into its own socket set [I'd recommend that you plug two lights into the left side and two into the right side each as far away from the other as possible - that way you won't risk pugging two lights into the same channel.]

Now sliders 1~4 should brighten and dim lights 1~4. Sliders 5 & 6 won't do anything.

Elation makes a handy DIP switch calculator right here:

DMX DIP Switch calculator