This is a new highly useful dimmer for controlling powerful low voltage (12 to 48volt) lamps. 
Completely stand alone, the unit which runs from a “leisure” or car battery. Controlling 4 by 50Amp independent dimmer channels with data supplied either using standard DMX or wireless eDMX; in which case there are no physical connections to the control console making the unit ideal lighting for placing in “hard to get cable to” areas such as moving stage trucks, cars on film shoots, and garden parties where cables cannot be run. 
The unit can be used inside or outside and currently twenty ART DC dimmers are lighting The Storr mountains at Trotternish, Isle of Skye on a lighting extravaganza. A built LCD screen displays status, battery voltage, and displays DMX levels and the dimmer can be fully patched with separate fade profiles per channel including linear and relay.
 
Next time you need to light some awkward location with no power and no hope of getting DMX think Avolites ART DC because it will do the job.

Specification

Why a DC Dimmer?

The ART DC dimmer was designed to fulfil a specific unique but seemingly quite common need which over the years we have had requests for. A totally standalone dimmer and power system which needs no external power feed. Most recently and the catalyst for actually creating this product was the requirement to provide dimmable lighting control for “illuminating the side of a mountain”!

The Dimmer needed to be “environmentally friendly” to meet planning consent. In effect the dimmer supply needed to be supplied from renewable energy, and pollution free at the point of operation, therefore generators were ruled out.

Although Avolites has always made dimmers we have up to now never needed to consider the environmental impact of operating these. The ART DC is to our knowledge the only dimming system which gives a number of supply options which can be adapted to specific jobs.

Outside of Avolites Dave Bryant, who commissioned the system, carried out tests using low voltage car and aircraft lights which provided some stunning results, comparable to mains powered fixtures.

Having proved that a low voltage supply could provide sufficient illumination, the innovative concept of using rechargeable batteries evolved, these could be charged during the day from whatever supply was chosen and run lights for a period at night.

Different charging systems were considered, including solar and wind power, wind power could definitely provide sufficient energy, but was eventually ruled out because of the visual impact and possible damage to the site during installation, and eventually a 30Amp ring main was proposed.

It is worth noting that to run conventional cables with sufficient capacity to power 230 volt fixtures would have needed considerably more man power and using the ART DC therefore made a saving on installation time and costs, this actually also transferred into a reduction in environmental damage, but in a more conventional setting this might also be relevant.

We feel confident that whilst the ART DC will never replace mains voltage dimmers, it provides an excellent, innovative off the shelf solution to some real world problems that lighting designers have experienced over the years such as Stage Trucks, Film work with moving vehicles, Garden Parties etc. and (obviously) lighting mountain sides with complicated environmental issues.

The Avolites ART DC dimmer in operation

The ART DC Dimmer in use on the Isle of Skye. This system is controlling 12 volt fixtures mounted on a light weight platform which was specially designed to ensure the ground below suffers as little damage as possible. On the lower deck are the rechargeable batteries and a second dimmer which controls fixtures placed nearby. DMX is received by an eDMX receiver and the batteries are recharged by day from a ring main which circulates the site. Lighting levels similar to those from 230 volt fixtures was achieved. This approach has minimised damage to the local environment and it is intended that for future jobs the batteries will be recharged from wind or solar power giving a fully cable free lighting, saving the need to run in the ring main.