Snow Machines

[Zombek Christmas Light Display]

Last year I purchased two SnoWonder snow machines to use in my show. Running one from a standard controller seemed fine, but if I attempted to use two at the same time, it caused issues and lights to fade plugged into that LOR box. Is there a good way to power at the same time without drawing to much power? 

[Mr. P]

What are the specs on the snow machine. The CTB16PC can only do 1 amp per channel (no heat sinks) 8 amps with. 8 or 15 amps per side (2 sides) and 15 amps for the entire controller (no heat sinks) 15 amps per side with. You may try to run one on one side and the second on the other side, don't run both on the same side.

Edited October 14, 2023 by Mr. P

[Orville]

I have an older(version 1) controller that uses 2 power cords, 1 cord powers channels 1-8, the 2nd cord powers channels 9-16.  To prevent any type of power issues, each cord needs to be plugged into two DIFFERENT circuits.

Otherwise power draw may be too much on a single circuit setup.

I don't know if the Gen3 CTB16PC AC Controllers are still set up with 2 separate power cords, like their predecessors or not.

Just know when I attempted to run 2 fog machines, they needed to be on separate banks to work, as well as different circuits. 

Fog machine 1 was on channel 1  and Fog machine 2 was on channel 16 in my set-up, with each power cord from the controller plugged unto 2 different circuits, if both power cords from the controller were plugged into the same circuit and fog machines on the same bank(and even bank separated), I had similar issues to what you are having. 

Resolved by plugging each controller power cord in 2 different circuits.  And keeping the fog machines seperated by putting one on each bank.

Good luck.

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by Orville

[TheDucks]

@Orville I converted my Gen 2 and Gen 3's to single cord (so they come with 2).

Solid state Relay, since it is Snowing or Not 😛 An advantage of this plan is the Relay 'coil voltage' determines what controller drive it. (A CMB24 channel (un grouped RGB) or an AC output.) The relay (line in) can plug into a different circuit than the controller .

[Don]

On 10/14/2023 at 10:55 AM, Orville said:

I don't know if the Gen3 CTB16PC AC Controllers are still set up with 2 separate power cords, like their predecessors or not.

Very easy to learn if they are or not. https://store.lightorama.com/collections/residential-series/products/ctb16pcg3

[dgrant]

On 10/14/2023 at 11:07 AM, TheDucks said:

@Orville I converted my Gen 2 and Gen 3's to single cord (so they come with 2).

Solid state Relay, since it is Snowing or Not 😛 An advantage of this plan is the Relay 'coil voltage' determines what controller drive it. (A CMB24 channel (un grouped RGB) or an AC output.) The relay (line in) can plug into a different circuit than the controller .

I agree! I do this with a projection screen that I command via CMB24. The screen has its own power so all that I'm doing is using relays to command. You can do the same for power to your snow machines but be sure, as mentioned already, the relay coil power requirements don't exceed the output of the channel. You could also, use more than one relay...small one from the controller that then runs a larger one, which then turns on the snow machine. That interim relay would need its own power which is simple to wire in. So the first relay would be a 12vdc coil but its NO (normally open) contacts would be wired to a larger relay coil using say, 120vac, the power for the first relay NO contacts comes from the 120vac to the snow machine. The main 120vac for the snow machine is wired to the NO contacts of the second relay. So when you command the first relay, it turns on the second relay which then turns on the second relay, which in-turn, turns on the snow machine.

    There's lots of ways of accomplishing this without frying a controller. Just understand the limits of the controller channels and types, you are using.