Power supply for Miniscans

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   Hiya

I'm thinking of getting some Clay Paky Miniscan HPE's (the 300w ones) and was just wondering if these are safe to connect up to a typical ('domestic') 13A socket? Ideally I'd like to run 4 on a 4 gang trailing socket into a 13A plug, but don't know if this is possible. Most of the rooms that I would be using these lights in have 16A (and bigger) supplies if necessary, but that requires extra logistics and cables etc. If it makes a difference (and I think it does) each of the scanners has an on/off switch so they can be turned on one by one, rather than all at the same time. 

Thanks

Rich

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djgorey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 29 December 2007 Location: S. Wales Status: Offline Points: 1306	Post Options Post Reply Quote djgorey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Power supply for Miniscans Posted: 28 April 2016 at 3:20pm
	Hiya I'm thinking of getting some Clay Paky Miniscan HPE's (the 300w ones) and was just wondering if these are safe to connect up to a typical ('domestic') 13A socket? Ideally I'd like to run 4 on a 4 gang trailing socket into a 13A plug, but don't know if this is possible. Most of the rooms that I would be using these lights in have 16A (and bigger) supplies if necessary, but that requires extra logistics and cables etc. If it makes a difference (and I think it does) each of the scanners has an on/off switch so they can be turned on one by one, rather than all at the same time. Thanks Rich
	Gaffa tape is like the force in Star Wars - there's a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together

James Tengo Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 09 May 2008 Location: Brighton Status: Offline Points: 2155	Post Options Post Reply Quote James Tengo Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2016 at 3:36pm
	They each pull roughly 4a at 230v, but more when you strike the lamp. Two on a 13a socket would be fine, three would be ok if you staggered when you strike the lamp. Four might not take out the fuse in the plug top, and would probably run fine if you are on a 32a ring main, but would you take that chance in a show situation? If you stick to two off each 13a supply then if one pair goes you still have half your rig working to get through the gig

djgorey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 29 December 2007 Location: S. Wales Status: Offline Points: 1306	Post Options Post Reply Quote djgorey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 28 April 2016 at 3:44pm
	That's great, thank you for the advice. 2 per socket is completely manageable, but sounds like investing in the proper cables to make use of the 16A and other supplies would be a better long-term solution. I'll have a chat to the AV guys at the hotel I'm planning on using these in to discuss what power supplies exactly they have
	Gaffa tape is like the force in Star Wars - there's a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together

mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 03 November 2008 Location: Brighton Status: Offline Points: 7801	Post Options Post Reply Quote mk2_ginger_biscuit69 Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 April 2016 at 12:20am
	16A cabling/hardware is pretty cheap on the whole, so isn't the end of the world if you need to buy. If its there, id make use of it
	''Remember that the object of a subwoofer is to enhance the output of your main speakers, not overpower it'' ''Dubstep - an elongated electronic fart''

jacethebase Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 23 September 2009 Location: Somerset Status: Offline Points: 5699	Post Options Post Reply Quote jacethebase Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 April 2016 at 9:45am
	Great little lights. How ever due to their age now they do require taking care of and will need steppers being replaced and driver chips might start failing soon too. So if your not really up on the maintanance side of things with fixtures I personally wouldn't go old clay paky. Or any fixture of that sort of age really. Even though their optics and colours are lovely. Power wise I would go 2 per 13a make some 16a - 2xIEC leads with 2m tails and that will do you.
	www.wedding-production.co.uk www.stage2sound.com

djgorey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 29 December 2007 Location: S. Wales Status: Offline Points: 1306	Post Options Post Reply Quote djgorey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 April 2016 at 9:55am
	I'm not very good with maintenance so that is a consideration. Power wise, I think I'm fine - the hotel I'll be taking these to also have 32A (single and 3 phase) supplies so it would just be a case of getting the correct cables (and I won't be making them myself - setting fire to the hotel is frowned upon!) I'd only be using the scanners rarely for particular gigs where I need the brightness and scanner effect - nowadays weddings are all about the room decoration and minimalism so we just tend to use a couple of led 'mushrooms' (the things that do a mirror ball effect). I'm a fan of scanners and 'big' shows, but for a wedding, it has been my experience that people don't want a big truss with black lights hanging from it. Working at height regs also have an impact.
	Gaffa tape is like the force in Star Wars - there's a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together

ceharden Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List The 10,000 Points Club Joined: 05 June 2005 Location: Southampton Status: Offline Points: 11776	Post Options Post Reply Quote ceharden Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 April 2016 at 6:41pm
	Warning, the power factor on these things is horrific. They may only draw 4A based on their power consumption but in reality the current can be much worse. I once managed to weld a 32A ceeform into a distro which I'm blaming on the miniscans I was running off it! (On paper the current draw was well within ratings) So definitely no more than 2 per 13A socket. You might manage three but only if you were using decent cabling and not domestic extensions leads. I wouldn't worry about the fuse, 13A fuses are very hard to blow but I'd want at least 1.5mmsq cable.

djgorey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 29 December 2007 Location: S. Wales Status: Offline Points: 1306	Post Options Post Reply Quote djgorey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 29 April 2016 at 7:19pm
	The more I listen, the more I think these are not for me! Maybe some led moving heads are the way forward - they draw so little you can link loads together (I only want 4). I've heard some good things about the chauvet intimidation range. I also saw a pair of Martin (or Rush, as they seem to call themselves) Multibeam 2 that looked interesting
	Gaffa tape is like the force in Star Wars - there's a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together

ceharden Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List The 10,000 Points Club Joined: 05 June 2005 Location: Southampton Status: Offline Points: 11776	Post Options Post Reply Quote ceharden Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 30 April 2016 at 12:02am
	There are some very good, inexpensive LED moving heads out there now. Chauvet, Acme iSolution, American DJ and the rest. If you're worried about power then they're a no-brainer. As has been said, the Miniscans have their good points but they're getting on a bit, are heavy and power hungry.

djgorey Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Young Croc Joined: 29 December 2007 Location: S. Wales Status: Offline Points: 1306	Post Options Post Reply Quote djgorey Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 May 2019 at 9:02pm
	I know this is an old thread, but thought I'd use this one rather than starting another. Just a quick question... I've got some Chauvet Scan 305's with the 60w LED. How much brighter would some miniscan HPE's be "in real life"?! I appreciate that it would be a different colour temperature. Are the 300w Miniscans stupid bright? I tried to do a calculation of lux based on published specs by both companies and there doesn't seem to be much in it (9000 vs 10,000), but I appreciate that specs are only part of the story. There's some miniscans that I've seen and I can sort out power for the rooms I would use them in, if they are significantly brighter than my Chauvets
	Gaffa tape is like the force in Star Wars - there's a dark side and a light side and it holds the universe together

csg Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 17 September 2007 Location: bedford Status: Offline Points: 6086	Post Options Post Reply Quote csg Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 May 2019 at 9:50pm
	miniscans are fairly bright, back in the days where i used to use them, i frequently mixed them with mac500's and 600's and the HPE's easily kept up. Many budget LED's struggle in the orange / red colour region, something the scans will not. harking back to the current draw questions in the old thread, back when we used to stock these, i made up a load of power factor correcting units ( merely a 33µF PF capacitor across the L-N) that we used to plug the miniscans into, with a rig of 16 or 24 minis, this made a MAJOR difference to our power usage! I never understood why i never saw anyone else doing this as it was so simple and cheap.
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kedwardsleisure Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Old Croc Joined: 20 January 2009 Location: Staffordshire Status: Offline Points: 4947	Post Options Post Reply Quote kedwardsleisure Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 20 May 2019 at 10:05pm
	I'm surprised the miniscan doesn't have built in PFC but glancing at the datasheet shows its power consumption as '900VA' which tells me it really doesn't!
	Kevin North Staffordshire