Rainbow RCC 100 User manual
RCC 100 – Manual
Congratulations on choosing a Rainbow Colour Changers product! We thank you for your custom.
Please note that this product has been designed and made with total quality to ensure excellent
performance and best meet your expectations and requirements.
It is essential to know the information and comply with the instructions given in this manual in order
to ensure the fitting is installed, used and serviced correctly and safely.
Carefully read this instruction manual in its entirety and keep it safe
for future reference! Please hand this manual over if you sell or give this
product to somebody else.
General
Rainbow Colour Changers products are intended for professional use and should only be used by
qualified personnel or under their supervision.
Follow all cautions and warnings indicated on the unit.
After unpacking this product, please check if the device is intact. If this is not the case, please
contact the support service.
Rainbow Colour Changers
An der Talle 26-28
D-33102 Paderborn, Germany
Phone: +49 (0)52 51/14 092-28
Fax: +49 (0)52 51/14 092-90
Installation
Make sure all parts for fixing the colour changer are correct.
Make sure the fixture is stable before positioning the Colour Changer.
Do not fix this device on or near flammable surfaces.
Usage
This product is designed for indoor use only. For the fitting to operate well and reliably, it should
not be used in humid environments. The ambient temperature should not exceed 40°C (104°F) or
fall below 0°C (32°F).
Avoid any liquids or metallic items entering the unit.
Ensure adequate ventilation and do not block or cover any ventilation slots in the device – they
guarantee the reliable functioning of the unit and protect it against overheating.
The scroller may only be used in its standard position, which is +/- 60° from horizontal.
The colour changer may only be put into operation with original Rainbow Colour Changer power
supply units (PSU).
Check that the mains frequency and voltage correspond to those for which the PSU is designed as
given on the surface label of the PSU. Refer to the manual about the max. amount of scrollers to be
connected
Maintenance
All service work should be exclusively performed by qualified personnel.
Do not dismantle the scroller or modify it yourself.
Before starting any maintenance work or cleaning the scroller, remove the power from the PSU.
The surface of the device may heat up due to the luminaire used. Please let the scroller cool down
before touching it.
Rainbow Colour Changers GmbH disclaims all liability for damage to the fitting or to other property or
persons deriving from installation, use and maintenance that have not been carried out in conformity
with this instructions manual, which must always accompany the fitting.
Rainbow Colour Changers GmbH reserves the right to modify the characteristics stated in this
instructions manual at any time and without prior notice.
System introduction
Controlling the Rainbow scrollers
The Rainbow scrollers are controlled with a 0-10V Analog signal or a DMX512 digital
signal. DMX signal can only be used if the DMX option card has been fitted. The DMX
option card can be fitted at any time by your local dealer, and will still allow Analog
operation. The Analog and the Digital systems are treated seperately in this manual. There
are great advantages in using a digital system. The units can be linked and addressed
seperately, making rigging easy. The speed of a unit is directly proportional to the speed of
your control signal.
Calibrating
Contrary to most other scrollers on the market, Rainbow scrollers will remain in position at
loss of power. They will not require any form of startup process (Most other scrollers will
”learn” the Gel string at startup by running through all colours and ”remembering” the
tabs. They will also ”forget” the tabs at loss of power. This means trat they will have to run
through the Gel string after a loss of power to function properly. This procedure can take
up to 30 seconds. The Rainbow Colour Changer will find it´s position according to the
control signal as sson as it´s powered up).
This is due to the fact, trat they are run with a DC motor together with a feedback
potentiometer. Another advantage of this construction is trat you are able to position
anywhere along the Gel string and at any speed.
Mounting on instuments
There are diffrent mounting plates for mounting the units to diffrent lanterns. The
maximum aperture of the PAR scroller is 192 mm. It can be mounted to work in any
position.
Power supplies
There are Power supplies for 12 or 24 units. The power is fed to the splitter box and
distributed from there to each unit in the same as the control signal. The power supply can
be fitted with a G clamp to be mounted in the truss. The power supply is a short circuit
proof switched mode construction which allows AC mains to alter between 200/260 V or
100/130 V, (factory setting).
Splitterbox
The splitterboxes differ depending on it you are running an Analog or a Digital system. The
same power supply is used in both cases. Each type is described seperately in this manual.
General for all splitterboxes is an input for the control signal, another input for 24 V from
the power supply and several output conectors to the scrollers. The splitterboxes can be
fitted with a G- clamp to be mounted in the truss.
System introduction
Gel rolls
The gel roll construction of the units consists of two spools, one with a gold knob and the
other with a black knob. The spool with a gold knob has a build-in spring which takes care
of tensioning the gels. You can easily prepare, mount and install gel rolls following the
instructions in this manual. Changing gel rolls in a unit is done without need of any tools in
amatter of minutes.
The units are factory trimmed foe a working range of 11 colours, or a total filter lenght of
3080 mm plus a leader and a tail of 320 mm each. The standard number of colours is
eleven because it gives one colour for each 10% control signal input to a unit. You are free
to change the lenght of each colour within the total lenght of the colour string without
need for readjusting the unit. If however you wish to change the total lenght of the colour
string, you will have to re-trim the unit with the trim pot in the back of the unit. This
described later in this manual. A unit can be trimmed for 2-16 colours.
If the colour string is shorter than the range it will be ripped of the spool and if it´s too
long you won´t be able to reach the end colours.
Cooling
To lenghten the life span of the gels we have fitted each unit with an internal fan. The fan
can run at two speeds, high or low. This is set with the fan switch on each scroller. Running
on low speed will shorten the life span of the gel string and should be used only when
extremely quiet operation is needed.
Rigging a Rainbow scroller system
The units are mounted on the lighting instruments of your choice. You can mount the
splitterbox and the power unit (1 per 24 units) in the truss with G-clamps. The power is fed
into the splitterbox and distributed from there to each unit. The distribution and the
splitterbox depend on if your system is controlled digitally (DMX512) or Analog (0-10V).
The cables used for distribution to the units are of the same sort in both systems.
Standeard four pin XLR connectors are used. (seepage17 on Power/control cables).
On the base of each unit there are three LED indicators. The red LED indicates, trat power
is on. The yellow LED shows the input signal to the unit. The green LED indicates, trat the
incoming DMX data is correct. If the red LED is flashing, it indicates ”auto motor shut off” is
activated – the scroller for some reason cannot reach it´s position.
Cutting and mounting a gel string
Drawing:
Step 1
Use cutting templates provided by us or make your own as described above.
Use a razor or a sharp knife to cut the filters.
Step 2
Align filters correctly, no overlapping.
Step 3
Tape only on one side. Cut ends of exessive joining tape. Use only high temperature tape
Scotch 3M. Avaible from us.
A gel roll can have 2-16 colours and will always consist of two leaders measuring as
above and filters inbetween measuring 280 x 208 mm. You can vary the size of the gels
but the maximum total length trat a scroller can be trimmed for is 4480 mm.
Hint1:
When preparing spare rolls, take care to store rolls with the joining tape outwards and the
end colour outward. It is then easier to mount the gel string on the spool with the black
knob as described further on.
Hint2:
Dark coloured filters will react to heat and become deformed earlier than lighter coloured
filters. This can effect the positioning of the other filters if the darker filters are placed as
the last filters, thus being rolled up most of the time. Therefore it is a good idea to place
darker filters closer to the start colour than to the end colour.
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