LeMaitre Salamander User manual

Salamander
Flame Effect System
User Manual
Version 1.3 –January 2020

Le Maitre Ltd. Salamander User Manual
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1. Safety Information
This information should be read and thoroughly understood before use of the Salamander.
It is the responsibility of the user to be fully aware of all potential consequences and actions when
using this machine.
The manufacturer cannot be held responsible for events occurring due to use of this machine by
unqualified or untrained personnel.
Warning: All directions in the manual should be read thoroughly and completely
understood before any attempt to use the machine.
The machine should only be operated by or under the instruction of trained personnel.
Any maintenance of the machine should only be carried out by the manufacturer or after
the manufacturer’s strict approval.
Should there be any doubt as to the safety of operation of the machine under any
circumstances, the machine should be taken out of service immediately.
The Salamander must not be used in confined spaces, under any conditions of rain, snow
or precipitation of any fluids, or moving air which will cause the flame to divert from a
vertical path.
The Salamander should not be subjected to temperatures below 5°C or above 45°C, nor
exposed to unsheltered conditions.
Warning: Failure to observe correct operating procedures may lead to serious injury,
damage by fire, or explosion.
Warning: Before initial use and each subsequent use, the Salamander should be checked
for functional suitability. Should any damage be observed or doubt about suitability of use
occur, it should be immediately decommissioned and held for service.

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1.1. Operational Guidance
The Salamander is only suitable for indoor use, or situations that meet the same
environmental conditions.
The machine must only be used vertically, secured in position, protected from
unauthorised interference, impact forces and vibration.
Any installation or repositioning should only be performed when the machine is cool,
disconnected from the mains supply and all data communication.
Changing canisters should only be performed when the machine is powered down, the HSI
is cold, and no other sources of ignition are present. Operator must check no residual fluid
is present or alight.
Safety distances must be given a priority when using the Salamander. This includes persons
in the performance area, and surrounding flammable objects. Minimum safety distances
are as follows:
oHorizontal radius: 2 metres.
oVertical safety height: 8 metres for a single unit or 2 units coupled in a single location.
oVertical safety height: 10 metres if three or more units are coupled in a single location.
Full risk assessments must be made before use, and all relevant emergency failure
procedures must be immediately available, including qualified personnel, fire extinguishers
and first aid.
All operations should have undergone preliminary tests and rehearsal.
Always ensure it is possible to shut the machine down immediately in case of emergency.
Use of an Emergency Stop to interrupt mains supply is recommended.
Use only Le Maitre Chameleon Flame Fuel or Le Maitre Salamander Flame Fuel. Use of
alternate fuels might lead to unexpected behaviour.

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The Salamander is controlled by instruction from the DMX-512 protocol. The manufacturer
cannot be held responsible for incorrect application or malfunction of data sent via DMX.
Should DMX isolation or other devices be required for safe operation, this will be deemed
the responsibility of the operator.
Avoid live-wiring DMX to the Salamander, ie. do not plug in or unplug DMX cables while the
controller is actively transmitting data.
The Salamander is not designed for continual flame use. It is intended for short duration
bursts, ie. maximum duration of 5 seconds.
Should the Salamander fail to fire correctly, immediately shut down the machine and allow
it to cool before investigating the problem.

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2. Contents
1. Safety Information ..........................................................................................................................1
1.1. Operational Guidance.............................................................................................................2
2. Contents..........................................................................................................................................4
3. Features and Dimensions................................................................................................................5
4. Product Overview ...........................................................................................................................6
4.1. Product Description ................................................................................................................6
4.2. Features ..................................................................................................................................6
4.3. Specification............................................................................................................................7
5. Operation........................................................................................................................................8
5.1. Getting Started........................................................................................................................ 8
5.2. Control Panel...........................................................................................................................9
5.3. DMX Operation .......................................................................................................................9
5.4. Set-Up ...................................................................................................................................10
5.5. Coupling Units.......................................................................................................................11
5.6. Fixing points ..........................................................................................................................12
5.7. Shutdown..............................................................................................................................12
6. Advanced Settings.........................................................................................................................13
6.1. DMX Filter .............................................................................................................................13
6.2. Tilt Switch..............................................................................................................................13
7. Troubleshooting............................................................................................................................14
8. Maintenance .................................................................................................................................15
8.1. Solenoid Testing....................................................................................................................16
8.2. Firing Pin Adjustment............................................................................................................16
8.3. O-Ring Replacement .............................................................................................................17
8.4. HSI Testing.............................................................................................................................18
9. Contact Details..............................................................................................................................19
10. Warranty ...................................................................................................................................20

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3. Features and Dimensions
Figure 1: Salamander Features and Dimensions
All dimensions are in millimetres.

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4. Product Overview
4.1. Product Description
The Salamander is a versatile new real flame effect from Le Maitre Ltd. The small footprint and
modular design allow the Salamander to produce stunning flame effects of over 6 metres in height
with a purely canister based system. The unique firing mechanism eliminates the requirement for
internal valves and accumulators, minimising the risk of flammable gas leaks, and a robust hot
surface igniter ensures reliable flame ignition.
The canister based design removes the requirement for bulky and expensive propane bottles and
high pressure hosing, and allows for a choice of fuels making the Salamander ideal for any venue
where propane is not permitted.
Details of the full range of Le Maitre products are available online at:
www.lemaitreltd.com and www.lemaitreusa.com
4.2. Features
4m high flame effect from a single unit
Over 6m high flame effect from 4 coupled units
Canister based system
Multiple colours and fuels available
Up to 35 seconds of flames from a single canister
No internal valves or accumulators; flammable fuels are only stored within the canisters
themselves
Small footprint
Modular; designed to allow easy coupling of multiple units
DMX operation
Optional external display for remote monitoring
Robust hot surface igniter
Tilt safety switch
Igniter current monitoring

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4.3. Specification
Power Requirements (EU):
(US):
230VAC, 50Hz, 250W
120VAC, 60Hz, 250W
External Fusing (EU):
(US):
3.15AT
6.3AT
Fuel Capacity:
1 x 500ml Canister
Fuel Type:
Propane / Butane mix OR Ethanol / Methanol
mix (colour specific)
Effect Duration:
30s continuous / up to 50 fireballs
Control:
DMX512 –2 Channels (Igniter, Fire)
Dimensions (mm):
433 (H) x 170 (W) x 204 (D) (including handle)
Weight:
10kg

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5. Operation
5.1. Getting Started
Remove the Salamander from all packaging and place on a flat, stable surface.
Prior to use, the Salamander should be inspected for damage. If the unit is found to be damaged, it
should be removed from service immediately, and referred to Le Maitre for servicing and repair.
Install a canister of Le Maitre Chameleon or Salamander flame fuel by screwing the canister into the
brass canister base. Be careful not to over-tighten the canister as this risks damage to the canister,
the canister base, and the seals within the canister base.
Unlike other flame effect systems, no gas should leave the canister as it is being installed. If escaping
gas is detected, immediately remove the canister. The most probable cause is the tension of the
spring supporting the firing pin. Refer to the Maintenance instructions for correct adjustment of this
spring.
The unit is controlled via DMX protocol (see section 5.3). Plug in your DMX control into the DMX IN
socket. DMX OUT socket allows for daisy-chaining multiple DMX units together on a single DMX
output from the controller. For safety, it is advised that such network be reserved for flame units.
Power is supplied to the Salamander via the blue Neutrik PowerCon socket. A suitable mains cable
fitted with a blue PowerCon plug must be used to connect the Salamander to a mains supply. The
white PowerCon socket is a mains through connector allowing multiple Salamander to be powered
from a single mains supply.
Please note: The blue Powercon must only ever be used as a mains input, and the white
Powercon must only ever be used as a mains through / output.
Please note: Electrically, the Salamander’s fuse and power switch are located after the
mains through socket. This means the mains through socket will always be live while the
Salamander is connected to a live mains supply, even if the unit is switched off, or the fuse
has blown.
The power switch isolates the unit from the power socket –put it in ON position in order to turn on
the machine. When turned on and loaded with a canister, the unit should be treated as if it could
fire at any moment. Immediately move to safe distance after turning the machine on and never
adjust settings while canisters are fitted.

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5.2. Control Panel
The Salamander is configured through an on board control panel featuring a 3 x 7-Segment LED
display, 5 x indicator LEDs and 4 x multi-function buttons.
Figure 2: Salamander Control Panel
5.3. DMX Operation
The Salamander can only be operated through DMX-512. Two channels are required –one channel
activates the HSI, the second channel activates the firing solenoid.
These two channels can be set independently.
The HSI will be activated when the HSI channel is raised above 50%. The display will show the text
H99. At this point, a timer will activate, preventing the unit from being fired until the HSI has had
time to reach full temperature. While the timer is active, the 3 digit display will flash. When the
display stops flashing, the unit is ready to fire.
When the Fire channel is raised above 50%, a solenoid forces a plunger into the fuel canister,
opening the canister valve and allowing the pressurised fluid to escape via the output nozzle located
at the base of the flue.
It is recommended that the fire channel is activated with the ‘flash’ buttons present on most DMX
controllers. This allows for greater control over the effect produced. A brief activation of the channel
(0.5 –1s) will produce a short-duration fireball effect. A longer activation will produce a tall ‘tongue’
of flame.
It is recommended that operators of the Salamander take some time to familiarise themselves with
the effects produced in order to achieve the best results.