Quaestion on how to control a contactor.

[glangri2]

I am looking into the idea of a cinema room and I want to be able to turn off all of the devices in one go.

I want to be able to turn them off properly, rather than leave them all on standby, but I also want everything racked nicely and hidden away with tidy wiring.

It has been suggested to me that the best way for this to be done would be to have the bank of sockets all controlled by a contactor, then have one switch controlloing that.

I have got two questions -

1. What kind of switch would I need to use to control the contactor? Becasue the load required to control the contactor is relatively low, Is it simply a case of using a normal light switch, or would that not meet regs ?
It would be nice to have the controller switch on the wall next to the light switch, with them both looking the same.

2. Would it be a good idea (or simpler to wire) to have the cinema sockets wired up on their own MCB from the CU as well, and if so should it be a ring or radial circuit?

Don't worry - I am not going to do this work myself, I am just interested to know how all these things work, so that I know to get the right set up installed to meet my requirements.

Cheers
Gary

 

[Gees]

I would consult an electrician .... However, what you reqire is simply a contactor of suitable capacity annd a simple switch to control it.
( radial supply.)

 

[Spark123]

What is the loading? I'm thinking you'll probably get away with just a switch.

 

[mattylad]

It would be nice to have the controller switch on the wall next to the light switch, with them both looking the same.

Until someone switches everything off thinking they had turned off the lights.

Put it near maybe but mark it clearly.

Or put it further away so that when fumbling for the light switch in the dark it is not found.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Make sure that it's OK for the equipment to be turned off by having its supply chopped off while it is running. Projectors, for example, will be ruined by doing that.

 

[glangri2]

Make sure that it's OK for the equipment to be turned off by having its supply chopped off while it is running. Projectors, for example, will be ruined by doing that.

Good point.

Personally, I would be interested in making my equipment last, so wouldn't use the single switch as a method of turning everything off in a hurry.

The logic behind it is that Amps have pretty high standby loads, so once everything was turned off normally via the remote, it could all then be isolated properly and stop wasting electricity.

 

[glangri2]

Back to the original question - Would a conventional light switch be ok to control the contactor?

 

[OwainDIYer]

yes, if the contactor coil supply is protected by an MCB at less than the lightswitch rating.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yup.

Or you could get one of those socket strips which detect things going into standby and switch off all but 1 load (leaving it in standby so you can power up again).

And as per Spark123, you probably don't need a contactor, just a switch.