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Re: NEON- re: dimming stage neon


> The good news is that most neon interference attenuates rapidly with
> distance. You can get away with a lot more on a large stage where
> the performers aren't right up against the props or goods.

Yup, unfortunately some of my shows 'cram' the actors among the neon. 
The mics must be getting better though since I've had no trouble for 
quite a while.


> 
>  >>For Eric: how about designing those solid state transformers to
>  optionally
> take a standard, isolated, 0 to 10vdc brightness control signal? 
> This could be easily supplied by any of a number of dimming
> controllers.<<
> 
>  I was going to ask the same thing. I have a friend at ETC who
>  designs the

Yes, I've bugged Eric I think since they day he signed on.


> dimmers for one of the major theatrical lighting controller
> manufacturers and we discussed the use of some of his dimmers for
> testing purposes. At the time he was having some problems with a
> large neon job installed in Vegas which was on his dimmers and he
> was having all kinds of problems with it. There are a number of
> theatrical control standards which could be utilised for control of
> neon dimming circuitry which I think could be easily utilised with
> the solid state units.... No?


Not to mention that I think just a tiny modification to the Allanson design will 
do the trick.

> 
>  One thing not mentioned about dimming. That is that I find merc
>  units will dim
> much easier than the neon ones. Especially in the low end of the
> range the turn off is smoother and there is less flicker probably
> due to the argon's lower striking resistance. I find that most

My thought here was that that lower breakover voltage you refer to 
enables more of a sine-like curve compared to neon.

> modern stage dimmers seem to handle neon without problem if given
> enough "headroom". The use of a "dummy load" such as Telford
> mentioned was common in the earlier days (most used 1000W. par cans)
> but the compensation circuits in modern dimmers seem to handle the
> phase shifts much better.
> 
> 

Yep.  You still occassionally see this.

Kenny

Kenny Greenberg --  Neon - Scenic and Environmental Art  
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