AVForums

Our philosophy in our forums, reviews, podcasts and feature videos is to promote audio and visual excellence by gathering and sharing the best information and resources available.

Help

To begin please visit our help section »

Not a Member Yet?

It only takes a minute to start enjoying the benefits of AVForums membership, and it's free!

Member Log in

Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Post Reply
Old 15-09-2009, 5:13 PM   #1
Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ipswich
Experience Points:
15,477, Level: 30
Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 22, Got 18
Posts: 649
Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

I want to get remote control of the lighting in our cinema room.
All we have is a single cieling rose with 5 bulbs that currently is controlled with an IR dimmer.

The existing IR dimmer will control on and off with a tap, while holding it on fades in and out. The limitation of this is that if you want a particular lighting level, you have to hold onto the switch while it cycles to where you want it.


There fore I want to upgrade it to something like the rako system.

The existing switch has 3 wires, 2 covered and a third bare, that I assume is the earth.

Therefore:
1: Can I use the RDL250C in-line dimmer. Does this unit have to have a 3 wire lighting circuit, or will it work without an earth?

2: If the circuit proves unsuitable for the RDL250C, then presumably I have to use the RDT-PILL which goes into the switch box on the wall?

3: With one set of lights in the room on a single circuit, What I want is obviously an on / off switch setting and maybe 2 diiferent brightness settings that will fade to full on and full off. What control panel do I need in order to be able to do this?

4: Can these lights be controlled by a Pronto TSU9600? I know that 9600 has wi-fi, but not RF so does that mean I can only control a raku using a dimmer with RS232 feedback?

5: If I want the 9600 to 'display' the current light setting, again I presumably need a controller with RS232 feedback?


Many thanks in advance for any help people can give!
  Quote
Old 15-09-2009, 7:00 PM   #2
Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ipswich
Experience Points:
15,477, Level: 30
Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 22, Got 18
Posts: 649
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Alternatively, what about the Futronix P50?
  Quote
Old 16-09-2009, 10:04 PM   #3
Member
 
LukeFoster2006's Avatar
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Spalding, Lincs
Experience Points:
2,842, Level: 12
Points: 2,842, Level: 12 Points: 2,842, Level: 12 Points: 2,842, Level: 12
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 19, Got 13
Posts: 140
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Hi maj74

1. As I am aware it should work fine without the earth as that's how I run mine.

2. As above.

3. Rako do a seven button wall plate that I feel is the best option. It will allow you to have 4 different scenes and off. It also has the dim up and down functions. It's model number is RCP07 and you can get a variety of different fascias for it.

4. I control my Rako system through my TSU9600 using there RAV232 interface attached to my RFX9600 via RS232.

5. The only way you will be able to get feedback is if you buy the more expensive RAV232+ as this is the only unit that is bi-directional.

If you need any more info just let me know.

Cheers Luke
  Quote
Old 02-11-2009, 8:24 PM   #4
Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ipswich
Experience Points:
15,477, Level: 30
Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 22, Got 18
Posts: 649
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Well, my rako units have arrived and I've wired in the pill control unit as well as the face plate, and they are working properly which is good.

Not having so much luck with the Pronto control. The rako software module is installed onto my TSU9600 and all the settings in the software are correct as far as I can tell.

The RAV232 unit is attached to my rfx9600 extender.

However the pronto is not running any lights successfully.

Can someone help me with possible reasons?

a) Does the rako software on the TSU9600 work purely through prontoscript? When I press buttons on the pronto, should I see the transmit animation on the top of the screen? (I see nothing) The only rako units in the control code database are for the RAVIR controller.

b) Does the RAV232 have to have a 12v power supply connected when working from an rfx9600 extender? My rako supplier thought it shouldn't need one, but haven't got a spare one at the moment, so can't test. If it has to have one, then I'll go buy another 12v power transformer tomorrow!

These are my 2 thoughts on most likely issues. Is it one of these, or could it be something else?!

Last edited by maj74; 02-11-2009 at 9:00 PM.
  Quote
Old 02-11-2009, 9:14 PM   #5
vex vex is offline
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: London, Home Counties & North West
Experience Points:
10,368, Level: 24
Points: 10,368, Level: 24 Points: 10,368, Level: 24 Points: 10,368, Level: 24
Activity: 4.2%
Activity: 4.2% Activity: 4.2% Activity: 4.2%
Thanks: Gave 27, Got 252
Posts: 2,567
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Can't help on the pronto side, but check the wattage of the bulbs in your light, 5 bulbs at 50W will push the little PLL to its limit (if not beyond)

Our typical installs is run usually 50 to 100w below the listed rating of the dimmer. I currently run the 500w dimmers to 400, anything beyond on that can cause problems.

HTH

V.
  Quote
Old 02-11-2009, 9:29 PM   #6
Member
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Ipswich
Experience Points:
15,477, Level: 30
Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30 Points: 15,477, Level: 30
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 22, Got 18
Posts: 649
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

They're only 40w Bulbs, so even at full power thats only 200w, which in a 250w controller ought to be ok! As I said, the wall panel is working fine, it's just the pronto side of things not playing ball at the moment!
  Quote
Old 03-11-2009, 1:47 PM   #7
Assured Advertiser
 
Liam @ Prog AV's Avatar
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Kent
Experience Points:
27,664, Level: 40
Points: 27,664, Level: 40 Points: 27,664, Level: 40 Points: 27,664, Level: 40
Activity: 1.3%
Activity: 1.3% Activity: 1.3% Activity: 1.3%
Thanks: Gave 6, Got 803
Posts: 8,203
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Just don't accidentally replace 40w with 60w when they pop.... I had a dimmer melt that way before!!
How much does a cockney pay for shampoo? Pantene

call me: 01892 860801 / e-mail me: liam@progressive-av.com / twitter me: @ProgressiveAV
Progressive Audio Visual Ltd and AVToad.co.uk are proud to be AVForums Assured Advertisers.
  Quote
Old 04-11-2009, 9:15 PM   #8
Assured Advertiser
 
hornydragon's Avatar
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Where ever you want me to be.
Experience Points:
63,997, Level: 61
Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61 Points: 63,997, Level: 61
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 102, Got 1,406
Posts: 28,088
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

Yes the RAV232+ needs power the RFX9600 won't power it. Not sure if the script is designed with feedback I know the Digilinx rako lua has feedback but it would need changing in the script IIRC.

All the info is in the manual...

Last edited by hornydragon; 04-11-2009 at 9:18 PM.
  Quote
Old 05-11-2009, 10:21 AM   #9
Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Experience Points:
2,595, Level: 11
Points: 2,595, Level: 11 Points: 2,595, Level: 11 Points: 2,595, Level: 11
Activity: 0%
Activity: 0% Activity: 0% Activity: 0%
Thanks: Gave 1, Got 10
Posts: 194
Re: Trying to find out about Rako Lighting.

hey bud
i get the feeling that you haven't added a 12v power supply to the rav232. the rav232+ gives two way feedback but not for pronto unfortunately, and yes the module was written through prontoscript which is the only way they can be written and the gentlemen who wrote it are in this forum actually and they're very helpful indeed. i just did a rako integration with pronto few days ago and was very straight forward.
  Quote
Post Reply



Thread information and display options
Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off