TMB ProFan User manual

Rev 020513
Operating Manual

ProFan Operating Manual
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN....................................................... 3
ProFan Overview 3
Unpacking Instructions 3
Exploded Views 4
3. ASSEMBLY....................................................................... 5
Attaching the Yoke Assembly 6
4. MOUNTING OPTIONS….................................................. 6
Floor Mounting 6
Support Stand 6
Overhead Rigging 7
4. REMOTE CONTROL........................................................ 8
Basics of DMX Control 8
DMX Data Cable 8
Cable Connectors 9
DMX Termination 9
3-Pin to 5-Pin Conversion 10
5. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS......................................... 11
BackPack Overview 11
Connecting the BackPack Controller 12
DMX Mode 14
Manual Mode 15
Master/Slave Operation 16
Using ProFan with a Smoke Machine 17
6. TROUBLESHOOTING AND MAINTENANCE................. 18
Troubleshooting 18
Cleaning 19
Replacing the Fuse 19
7. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS................................................. 20
8. APPENDIX....................................................................... 21
Limited Warranty 21
Technical Specifications 22
Contact Information 23

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1. BEFORE YOU BEGIN
ProFan Overview
ProFan is a powerful and versatile DMX-controlled professional
fan designed for a variety of applications: Studios, theatres, theme
parks, touring, photographic, and more. ProFan is perfect for filling
large areas with smoke and haze; creating special wind effects;
blowing confetti, snow or bubbles; general air circulation,
ventilation, and ambient cooling.
ProFan’s combination of deep-pitch 11” blades, spiral grille, and
focused-air duct creates a powerful vortex. Multiple ProFans can
also be slaved together to increase air flow or to achieve multiple
vortex patterns for special effects.
ProFan operates from 100 to 240VAC. It can be floor-mounted,
stand-mounted, or suspended from truss or other suitable
supports (using ProBurger®accessory clamps or couplers). The
external BackPack controller allows DMX or manual control, and
master/slave control of multiple ProFans. The molded polymer
venting duct and tubular steel housing make the compact ProFan
lightweight and rugged. ProFan – the versatile vortex machine!
Unpacking Instructions
Immediately upon receiving the fixture, carefully unpack the carton
and check the contents to ensure that all parts are present (see
pages 4-5) and have been received in good condition. Notify the
shipper immediately and retain packing material if any parts
appear damaged from shipping or the carton itself shows signs of
mishandling.

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BackPack Controller
Power
Supply
Motor
Grille
Body
Yoke
Back Panel Detail
Knob
Blade
Knob

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2. ASSEMBLY
Included with the ProFan is a multipurpose yoke assembly for
standing on the floor or mating the unit to a stand or suspension
clamp. The yoke assembly easily attaches to the ProFan using the
hardware and wrench included with each ProFan unit
See assembly instructions (page 6)
A1 Small head, short
shank, T-Handle Knob
B1
Large Head, long
shank, T-Handle Knob
(swivel lock)
B2
Thrust Washer
B3
Flat Washer
B4
B5
Aluminum Bushing
C1
Allen Bolt
C2
Split Washer
C3
Allen Wrench
B1
A1
C1
C2
C3
B2
B3
B4
B5
B1
A1
C1
C2
B2
B3
B4
B5

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Attaching the Yoke Assembly
1. Place the ProFan face down upon its front grille with the hinge
barrel side on the left and the hinge flat side on the right.
2. Place Item B3 flat washer upon the shank of Item B1 T-Handle,
followed by Item B2 thrust washer and Item B4 flat washer.
3. Place the yoke bracket into position. Insert the shank of Item
B1 T-Handle through the flat face hinge until the shank just
protrudes from the flat face.
4. Insert Item B5 aluminum bushing between the ProFan
housing’s tubular bracket and the yoke assembly hinge’s flat
face.
5. Rotate the T-Handle clockwise until the T-Handle has
threaded into the ProFan tubular housing bracket. Do not
tighten completely at this point.
6. Place Item C2 split washer onto Item C1 Allen bolt. Place the
Allen bolt through the barrel portion of the ProFan hinge and
rotate the bolt until it threads into place.
7. Tighten the Allen bolt and the T-Handle until the yoke
assembly is fixed and not easily moved.
8. At this point the ProFan is ready for mating with a stand or
clamp. Grip the fan by its tubular housing brackets when lifting
or mounting to avoid pinching hands or fingers.
3. MOUNTING OPTIONS
Floor Mounting
The ProFan yoke assembly also acts as a stand which rests firmly
on the floor, allowing the ProFan to swivel vertically into position
as needed.
Support Stand
Always use a professional stand rated to support weight greater
than the ProFan weight (12.5 kg / 27.6 lb). The ProFan yoke is
equipped with a TVMP spigot that can fit into a 1-1/8" "Junior"
receiver or accept a 5/8" "Baby" spigot (see image on page 7).

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ProFan yoke spigot and rigging crossbar
Overhead Rigging
Proper rigging clamps may be attached to the ProFan yoke via the
9/16” bolt hole located on the crossbar at the base of the yoke.
Recommended ProBurgerrigging clamps:
1. PRBHC3/8 or PRBHC1/2 Half Couplers
2. PRBSNC1/2 Snap Coupler.
Make sure that any structure used to support the unit can support
at least 10 times the total weight of all installed fixtures, clamps,
auxiliary equipment, etc.
1. Check that all rigging clamps are undamaged and can support
at least 10 times the weight of the unit (27.6 lbs/12.5 kg x 10).
2. Clamp the fan to truss or similar support.
3. Loosen the swivel locks and tilt the fan to the desired angle.
Turn the swivel locks clockwise to tighten. Make sure that fan,
hardware, and safety attachment are secure before applying
power.
ProFan yoke with
ProBurger Half Coupler
attached

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4. REMOTE CONTROL
Basics of DMX Control
There are 512 channels in a DMX-512 universe. Channels may be
assigned in any manner. Any device capable of receiving DMX-
512 will require one or a number of sequential channels. The user
must assign a starting address on the fixture that indicates the first
channel reserved in the lighting console. There are many different
types of DMX controllable fixtures and they all may vary in the
total number of channels required. Choosing a start address
should be planned in advance. Channels should never overlap. If
they do, this will result in erratic operation of the fixtures whose
starting addresses are set incorrectly. You can however, control
multiple fixtures of the same type using the same starting address
as long as the intended result is that of unison movement or
operation. In other words, the fixtures will be slaved together and
all will respond in the same way.
DMX fixtures are often designed to receive and transmit data
through a DMX daisy-chain. A DMX daisy-chain is where the DMX
THRU of one fixture connects to the DMX IN of the next fixture.
The order in which the fixtures are connected is not important and
has no effect on how a lighting console communicates to each
fixture. Use an order that provides for the easiest and most direct
cabling. Connect fixtures using shielded two-conductor twisted
pair cable with 5-pin XLR male to female connectors. The
shield/ground is pin 1, while pin 2 is Data Negative (D-) and pin 3
is Data positive (D+). Pins 4 and 5 are not used according to the
DMX-512 standard.
DMX Data Cable
Use a ProPlex®PC222P, PC224P, or equivalent cable which
meets the specifications for EIA RS-485 applications. Standard
microphone cables cannot transmit DMX data reliably over long
distances. The cable should have the following characteristics:

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Minimum 2-conductor twisted pair plus a shield
Maximum capacitance between conductors – 22 pF/ft.
Maximum capacitance between conductor and shield – 41 pF/ft.
Maximum resistance of 14.5 ohms / 1000 ft.
Characteristic impedance of 80 – 110 ohms
Cable Connectors
Data cabling must have a male 5-pin XLR connector on one end
and a female 5-pin XLR connector on the other end.
DMX connector configuration
The maximum recommended DMX data link distance between
fixtures is 300 meters (984 ft.)
CAUTION: In order to prevent the corruption of DMX data, do
not allow contact between the common (pin 1) of a DMX cable
and the fixture’s chassis ground. Grounding the common can
cause a ground loop, causing erratic performance.
Test cables and terminators with a continuity tester to verify
correct polarity and to make sure the pins are not grounded
or shorted to the shield or each other.

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3-Pin to 5-Pin Conversion Chart
If you use a console with a 3-pin DMX output connector, you will
need to use a 3-pin to 5-pin adapter. The chart below details a
proper conversion:
3-Pin Male
(Input)
5-Pin Male
(Output)
Purpose
Pin 1
Pin 1
Ground / Shield
Pin 2
Pin 2
Data ( - ) signal
Pin 3
Pin 3
Data ( + ) signal
Pin 4
Not Used
Pin 5
Not Used

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5. OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS
BackPack Overview
XLR 3-pin male
connector to ProFan
DMX/MANUAL
Mode switch
LCD Display
Button:
1. Hold down and slide
fader to set DMX
address in DMX Mode
2. Press to bump to full
speed in Manual Mode
Slide Fader Control:
1. Fan Speed Control in
Manual Mode
2. DMX Address Setting in
DMX Mode
DMX512 input &
output XLR 5-pin
connectors
Input Output

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Connecting the BackPack Controller
With rear Power switch in OFF position:
Connect the integral male XLR on the BackPack directly to the
integral female XLR on the fan body. If desired, the BackPack can
be removed and connected using a standard 3-pin XLR
microphone cable up to 60 ft / 20 m in length.
Attaching the BackPack to the Fan Housing
The BackPack is secured to the fan housing by: 1) two snap-in
clips; 2) an internal magnet; 3) the XLR connection.
Prior to connecting the BackPack to the integral female XLR on
the fan body, note that two flat slots exist on the top and bottom of
the BackPack housing. These flat slots mate with the mounting
bracket fixed to the top of the fan housing.
Place the BackPack with the sliding fader to the left. Push the
BackPack forward to mate with the integral female XLR while

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gently pressing the BackPack against the fan body. While
inserting the BackPack onto the integral female XLR, ensure it
aligns with the slot in top face of the BackPack. Once fully
connected to the integral female XLR, the bottom edge of the
mounting bracket will snap into place fixing the bottom of the
BackPack by locating into the bottom housing slot.
CAUTION: Double-check that the BackPack is securely fixed
to the fan housing prior to use.
Note: Ensure the ProFan is pointed in a direction where
considerable wind will not cause a disturbance or any safety
issues.
Turn ProFan ON using the rear Power switch.

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DMX Mode
When the recessed switch on the BackPack is switched to "DMX",
the display will indicate that the unit is in DMX Mode and will
display the current address of the ProFan. If no incoming DMX
signal is detected, the display will then read "No DMX Found".
To adjust the DMX address of the unit, press and hold the Full
Speed button while adjusting the fader. With the fader at minimum,
the address will be 1. With the fader at maximum, the address will
change to 512. Adjusting the fader between min. and max. will
change the address between 1 and 512. To store the new
address, simply release the button.

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Manual Mode
When the recessed switch on the BackPack is switched to
"MANUAL", the display will indicate that the unit is in Manual
Mode. The display will also indicate the current speed of the fan,
based on the position of the fader and whether the Full Speed
button is depressed.
In this mode, a BackPack controller also acts as a master
controller for up to nine ProFans slaved to it via the DMX OUT
connector. See Master/Slave Operation (page 16) for details.

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Manual Master/Slave Operation
Up to nine ProFans can be controlled by a single Back Pack using
a DMX data link. To link multiple ProFans, use 5-pin XLR DMX
cables to link one ProFan to another.
1) Connect each controller to each fan via the built-in XLR 3-
pin line female connector.
2) Use 5-pin XLR DMX cables to connect the master ProFan
output (female XLR) to the next "slave" ProFan input (male
XLR).
3) Daisy-chain ProFans (up to nine), output-to-input as
needed,
4) Set the mode switch of the master controller to "MANUAL";
set all the slave controllers to "DMX" at address 001.

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Using ProFan with a Smoke Machine
When using ProFan with smoke, fog or hazer machines, place the
fan behind the machines as illustrated below. Do not place the fan
in front of the machine. This will cause residue build-up on the fan
blades and degrade the quality of the smoke, fog, or haze.
.
Correct ProFan placement
behind or to the side of
fogger/hazer
Incorrect ProFan placement
in front of fogger/hazer

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6. TROUBLESHOOTING AND MAINTENANCE
Troubleshooting
Problem
Symptom/Cause
Suggested Remedy
Power is
supplied, but fan
does not operate
via DMX
Display says "No
DMX Found"
Connect DMX
Incorrect DMX
address
Press button and move
fader until correct
address appears
In Manual Mode
Switch control switch to
DMX mode
BackPack
display
is blank
No Power
Check power supply and
connection
Fuse blown
Replace fuse with one of
same type and rating
BackPack not
connected
Check connection
Reduced airflow
Low voltage supply
Check AC supply

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Cleaning
Clean the outside of the fan with a damp cloth only. Do not use
solvents. Periodic cleaning of the fan blades and grilles is
necessary to maintain peak performance. Cleaning frequency
depends on the operating environment. Inspect the fan regularly
for dust and smoke residue buildup. Clean as soon as there is
significant dirt buildup on fan blades or if airflow through grilles
becomes restricted. Use a soft brush and vacuum to clean grilles
and fan blades.
Cleaning Steps:
1. Disconnect power
2. Remove the screws to clean the housing and blades
3. After cleaning, make sure that screws are securely tightened
Replacing the Fuse
ProFan uses a 10A, 125V cartridge-type wire fuse, 0.8”L x
0.21”DIA (20.46 x 5.34 mm):
1. Turn the fuse knob counter-clockwise
2. Replace fuse
3. Turn fuse knob clockwise

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7. SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS
Preventing Fire and Electric Shock
•Always ground (earth) the machine electrically.
•ProFan has a built-in speed control. Do not connect ProFan to
any external solid-state speed control device or dimmer circuit.
•Disconnect the machine from power before removing any
components or servicing, and when not in use.
•Moisture can cause dangerous electrical faults. Do not aim fog
output at electrical connections or devices.
•Do not expose this machine to excess moisture. ProFan is
NOT waterproof.
•Do not spill fluid over the machine. In the event of a fluid spill,
disconnect the machine from power and clean with a damp
cloth. If fluid is spilled onto electrical components, contact TMB.
•Do not dismantle or attempt to repair a faulty machine. Refer
all service to TMB.
•Do not operate the machine if the power cable or connector is
damaged. A damaged cable or connector must be replaced
with a new item, available from TMB.
•Do not operate the machine with damaged, deformed or
missing parts.
Preventing Injuries
•Never allow any object or part of the body to enter the path of
the fan blades. Ensure that clothing, cables or other items
cannot be sucked into the fan.
•Disconnect power before removing cover or grille.
•Do not operate unless all covers and grilles are installed and
securely fastened.
ProFan is designed to be used by professionals,
and is NOT intended for household use. Improper
use can cause severe injury due to electrical or
mechanical hazards.