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Author Topic: Room Lighting Control from the 70's  (Read 10789 times)

Mike Sokol

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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #10 on: December 21, 2013, 01:45:47 PM »

On the plus side, it is mounted on a block wall, so little to kindle a fire with though that doesn't help those that actually have to touch it!

Yeah, a lot of the receptacles are mounted right where the carpeting comes up the wall a bit, so that's fire hazard as well. I'm guessing that block wall and electrical panel will probably be the only things left standing after the rest of the building burns down.

I just got a look at my upcoming diner theater gig this morning, and there's a 12-channel dimmer board from the early 80's that has 9 channels still working. And it has a 16-channel Biamp mixer in a wall rack from the same era. Lots of basic on/off switches routed right into the table-top for connecting various lighting circuits into the still operating dimmers. Looks pretty safe with no visible exposed wires, but I'm guessing that spilling a coffee on the table would be a very bad thing. Plus the booth is tiny with an 18" by 24" window to look out at the stage area. Not going to be a comfortable gig, and I'll be mostly deaf and blind to the stage action.

I keep telling the play director I'm not really a lighting guy, but one time I knew what the Grand Master fader did, so I was promoted to Sound AND Lighting. Yikes!!!!

Jonathan Johnson

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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #11 on: December 23, 2013, 03:45:05 PM »

I just did sound and lighting for a kids' play at a local ballroom that was a big deal back in the 70's, but which hasn't had any electrical upgrades since then.

Considering that every single dimmer looks different, I'd say there have been about 24 upgrades over the years.  :P

By any chance, do some of the labels say "here be dragons?"
« Last Edit: December 23, 2013, 03:50:41 PM by Jonathan Johnson »
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Mike Sokol

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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #12 on: January 04, 2014, 10:30:28 PM »

Here's another goofy 50's lighting panel from a church near Washington DC. There's a bunch of twist-lock dummy plugs on the front, and I suspect you used patch cables to tie it into a non-existent second panel. Nobody there knew exactly how it was tied in or what it did, so I'm making an educated guess since it's next to a newly added modern dimmer box and there's a bunch of unused Edison receptacles in the ceiling where the old lighting pipes used to be.

No, I'm not going to power this up or try anything cute. Looks too scary to play with.

« Last Edit: January 05, 2014, 02:26:21 AM by Mike Sokol »
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Stephen Swaffer

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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #13 on: January 04, 2014, 10:37:28 PM »

If you change your mind, set up a video camera first-might get some nice arc flash footage :)!
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Mike Sokol

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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #14 on: January 04, 2014, 10:42:49 PM »

If you change your mind, set up a video camera first-might get some nice arc flash footage :)!

I'm going back there in the morning to run a church service for them, so while that's a tempting idea, I think not....  :o

Chris Clark

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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2014, 02:57:56 AM »

By any chance, do some of the labels say "here be dragons?"
Not that I could read, but did you notice the one labeled "VOID"? (right under, ironically, a hole in the backing plate)  :o
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Re: Room Lighting Control from the 70's
« Reply #15 on: January 05, 2014, 02:57:56 AM »


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