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Electronic Theatre Controls Inc

Record Loads Procedure via ETCLink in Express

Perform a Record Loads any time you relamp your fixtures, change the type of fixtures you are using, change the dimmer numbering scheme, or make any other significant changes to your system. In general, Record Loads should be the last step in setting up your system.

When you perform a Record Loads, the system records load information for dimmers set at a level above zero or for a list of dimmers. If setting dimmers above zero, you can record 24 dimmers per rack at a time until all non-zero dimmers have been recorded. If you have multiple racks, 24 dimmers in each rack are recorded simultaneously.108

Caution-Icon-new.png Caution: Record Loads changes levels on stage. Dimmer outputs rise and fall for several minutes during the procedure. To cancel a Record Loads operation that has already started, press [S7], Cancel, [Enter].
Keystrokes: Actions:
1. Set desired dimmers to a level above zero.a Only dimmers at levels above zero are recorded.  
2. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display
3. Select [9], ETCLink Functions, and press [Enter]. Selects ETCLink Functions menu
4. Select [4], Load Management, and press [Enter]. Selects Load Management display
5. Press [S5], Record Loads. If you wish, you may enter a specific dimmer or dimmers to record. Prompt reads:
To record loads, select dimmer(s) and press ENTER (Enter 0 to record loads for all dimmers)
6. Press [0] [Enter]. Advisory reads:
New loads will be recorded for all dimmers with levels above zero. Levels on stage will change while the Record Load is in progress. The system will automatically vary the dimmer outputs during the Record Load. The process may take several minutes to complete.
7. Press [Enter]. New loads are recorded for all dimmers with levels above zero

If you wish, instead of setting the desired dimmers to a level in step 1, you may enter a list of dimmers to record in step 5.
108 On single phase racks, the system checks 16 dimmers per rack at a time.

Load Check procedure

Load Check compares the current load on selected dimmers with their recorded loads. The system checks load information only for selected dimmers. To identify the dimmer(s) you wish to check, use either the console or the CEM to set the desired dimmers at a level above zero.

The system checks 24 dimmers per rack at a time until all dimmers at levels above zero have been checked. If you have multiple racks, 24 dimmers in each rack are checked simultaneously.109

Caution-Icon-new.png Caution: Load Check changes levels on stage. Dimmer outputs rise and fall for several minutes during the procedure. To cancel a check load operation in progress, press [S7], Cancel, [Enter].

Follow these steps to check loads for your system:

Keystrokes: Actions:
1. Set dimmers to be checked to a level above zero. Only dimmers above zero are checked.a  
2. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display
3. Select [9], ETCLink Functions, and press [Enter]. Selects ETCLink Functions menu
4. Select [4], Load Management, and press [Enter]. Selects Load Management display
5. Press [S4], Load Check.
(You may enter specific dimmers to check.)
Prompt reads:
To check loads, select dimmer(s) and press ENTER (Enter 0 to check loads for all dimmers)
6. Press [0] [Enter] [Enter]. Advisory reads:
All dimmers with levels above zero will have their loads checked.
Levels on stage will change while the Load Check is in progress. The system will automatically vary the dimmer outputs during the Load Check. The process may take several minutes to complete.
7. Press [Enter] to proceed with the load check, or press [Clear] to cancel the operation. Loads are checked for all dimmers with levels above zero
Once complete, advisory reads: Load check processing has completed
Press [Clear] to continue

If you wish, instead of setting the desired dimmers to a level in step 1, you may enter a list of dimmers to record in step 5.
109 On single phase racks, the system checks 16 dimmers per rack at a time.

Clear Loads procedure

Clear Loads allows you to clear recorded loads information for selected dimmers, thus disabling dimmer monitoring for those dimmers. This can be useful if you know that the load on a dimmer or group of dimmers will change over the course of a show and don’t want to receive load error messages every time it happens.

To clear recorded loads, follow these steps:

Keystrokes: Actions:
1. Press [Setup]. Selects Setup display
2. Select [9], ETCLink Functions, and press [Enter]. Selects ETCLink Functions menu
3. Select [4], Load Management, and press [Enter]. Selects Load Management display
4. Press [S6], Clear Loads.
(If you wish, you may enter a specific dimmer or dimmers to clear.)
Prompt reads:
To clear loads, select dimmer(s) and press ENTER (Enter 0 to clear non- zero loads for all dimmers)
5. Press [0] [Enter]. Advisory reads:
Recorded loads will be erased for all dimmers with levels above zero, disabling load error messages for those dimmers.
Press [Enter] to proceed, or press [Clear] to cancel
6. Press [Enter] to proceed, or press [Clear] to cancel operation. Loads are cleared for all dimmers with levels above zero
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