Dimmer Pack heating

hey trainman i have 4 of the dp 415 dimmer packs myself and i use all the outlets on the dimmer pack to run my par 38 can lights my dimmer packs dont get hot. or even warm

are yours getting hot ?

I wouldn't worry about a full load of Par38's as that's a maximum of 150-watts/Par38.

I'd worry more about full load to breaker/fuse capacity. Chances are this won't be something to worry about. If the fixture have room to ventilate, the pack will be fine as well.

Thanks guys.
SonicDJ, are your DP-415s hanging or are they mounted against a board?

Sorry to answer your form email publically, but you ask VALID questions that perhaps others have similar interests in. But, thank you for the email form as well, I have no issues with people hitting my web site up and asking me stuff via those means.

The DP-415 is meanted to be used as a truss or tree mounted dimmer pack. The advantage is you can run power to the pack, and then the pack provides power to nearby fixtures. It makes more logical sense with pictures.

Now, you can remove the back panel to flip the bracket around, thus making it even easier to truss or tree mount the dimmers. Of course, it's best done with the power DISCONNECTED from the dimmer. Remove the screws from the back, flip the back panel around, then replace the screws and there ya go. You may wish to do the same thing anyways, based on your concept.

You expressed you wanted to mount these on a board in a ventilated cabinet. It sounds like you're doing this for a centralized management issue for a permanent install. Do keep in mind that you'd need to then run LONG power cables from each dimmer channel to the fixture. Ideally, you shouldn't need to keep changing the addresses of your fixtures.

I'm not sure if the jacket on extension cables is rated or approved for in-wall installation. But that is trivial as you can have an electrician run proper wiring for you

Back to the cabinet/board mount. Obviously, the dimmer's electronics do NOT touch the back panel, so they are definately not using that back panel for heat sink applications. Would I mount them on a board? No, I don't think I would. The manual states it would like 6 inches of clearance, and placing them on a board would somewhat mess that up a bit on the clearance stuff. If I had to do this(and I wouldn't because I'd use something else if I wanted an install configuration that would end up costing a LOT more), I'd stay you can still build or us your cabinent. But I'd find 1.5" wooden dowels(1" is fine) for hanging the dimmers onto, then a measured distance for another dowel for the bottom 1/4 of the pack to rest upon. Then, continuing with your idea of ventilation, you'd be in find shape. Is this going to be an enclosed cabinet? Maybe a glass front? Of course the dowers would have to be mounted a bit from the back.

Really though, I've seen thousands of clubs with dimmer packs in their trusses for permanent installations. Some want the LED displays viewable, others hang it so the displays are hidden. Ideally, the best application is to have the dimmer out there near the lights, where it is intended to be. Really, you shouldn't need to change addresses once you've got lights attached to it.

By the way, true rack mounted dimmers tend to be rather expense on the per channel basis, so it could be cost prohibitive to go this route. You may up for it in them often lasting darn near forever and having the options you need(dim/switch and addressing) in the centralized location you want. You also get higher channel density over what you'd get from hanging dimmers in the same amount of space(usually).

What is your end application? Nobody wants to lead you down the wrong path.

Chris, Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I am setting up a permanent model train layout w/ a desire to fadeout from day to sunset to night.
Recessed cans and track lights with PAR bulbs.
Some colored ones too. Wanted to put the dimmers in a closed cabinet in the wall with short runs to feed all the lamp circuits with a Stage Setter 8. LED rope light too. New to all this lighting so grateful for your help. -trainman

I could think of a few ways to get this done.

All I can really say is that it sounds like you've got a hobby/habit that needs a "fix" here and there.

About all I can say is to just ensure a licensed and qualified electrician does your in-wall wiring and he works with you for your wiring plan. It's definately NOT recommended to mount dimmers in a ceiling or in a wall because they need to be accessible because of the electronics inside the units.

Depending on how you need the lighting and total draw, you might be able to get by with a single DP-415, as it is a 4 channel unit. I guess it comes down to are you trying to emulate the path of the sun across the sky or just general lighting(morning, day, evening, night).

Are we gonna get any photos out of this?

Hi Chris,

Don't plan to follow the path of the sun, just fade/increase with color on the horizon/sky mural on the wall behind the train layout. Maybe later some night effect with blue light. Going to try some rope light to stop shadows from forming on the wall mural. Tree and building shadows don't look to good on the clouds...
Will send send a pic of the room when I pull it out of the crashed computer (hard drive ok).
Thanks for your interest. -Trainman

Here's an idea:

Using an LED bar-type fixture, if there is a gap between the track platform and the sky mural, you could light it from below. Since bar lights aren't that thick, you could have less than a 6" gap(I think, don't quote me on dimensions), that may be a way to go. Gives you any color you want too.

Or perhaps moving lighting so it's more direct onto the mural wall, that coupled with perhaps more controlled track lighting. That might be better, that's more along the lines of what you're going with already.

trainman sorry for not replaying back till now

my dp packs are hanging from the light rail

Since we're all clarifying things:

I don't own any DP-415's. I do own some DP-DMX20L's(all older), 2 PP-DMX20L's, an Aviator SP8(8 channel dimmer pack) and 2 non-ADJ or Elation 4 channel dimmers. These are all intended to be hung off a tree or a truss.