# Correct way to hang an ERS



## Grog12 (Aug 30, 2010)

This one is an easy one but heavily debated one.

What is the step by step process for safely hanging an ERS?

As always, students only for one week please.


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## derekleffew (Aug 30, 2010)

First, the ERS must be tried and found guilty, by a jury of its peers.
Then, there are a number of appeals, to higher wattages.
Next, the ERS must choose hanging over lethal injection, gas chamber, shooting squad, electrocution, etc. Some ERSs may instead choose "suicide by FEL."





(The above steps may not be applicable in Texas.)


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## MarshallPope (Aug 30, 2010)

Easy! Hold the critter up the pipe-thing and give it a couple wraps of good 'ol duct tape. Aren't you supposed to give it a emergency cord or something? Oh, that's right. A couple of zip-ties 'll do just fine.

Yep. That'll hold.

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Hmm. I have no idea if I'm right or not, but this is my process:
Hook the clamp over the pipe. 
While still holding onto the fixture, one-handedly attach the safety.
Tighten the clamp.
Plug in.
Proceed to focus if ready.

Is that anywhere close, or even what you're asking?


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## Grog12 (Aug 30, 2010)

marshallpope That's what I'm looking for but you're missing steps.


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## mstaylor (Aug 30, 2010)

There are steps missing and it is amazing how many times they get missed.


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## gafftapegreenia (Aug 30, 2010)

(Assuming the light has been properly struck and assuming we are under-hanging on a batten with proper clearance)

1) Make sure you've taught everyone to strike a unit correctly as this will make hang easier. 
2) Hang ERS on batten
3) Finger tighten clamp bolt
4) Attach safety cable 
5) Give clamp bolt a quarter to a half turn with either a 6" or 8" Crescent wrench, depending on how good your "finger tight" is. 
6) Uncoil whip (you did loop the whip around the outside of the yoke when you struck the unit, right?)
7) Pull out the shutters (the shutters were pushed in when it was struke, right?)
8) Plug unit into designated circuit
9) Rough focus if you know the general direction the unit should be facing in
10) Depending on designer and availability, load accessories including, but not limited to, gel, gobo, top hats, scrollers. 

Some of this order is subjective, as it depends on where you learned/strictness of supervisors. Any way you hang, be sure you tighten and safety BEFORE doing anything else. In general, plugging in the unit is the last thing done. 

Honestly, in hanging, the most common problems are people forgetting to safety and people forgetting to pull the shutters. If I had a dime for every shutter still in....


Also, in striking, PLEASE, for the love of God, push in the shutters and take the unit out of focus and into a locked downward pointing position before removing the light from the pipe. One guy in my department is a lazy sack of excrement and will NEVER properly strike a light, just un-bolt it and leave it lying in whatever condition it was hanging in.


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## zuixro (Aug 30, 2010)

gafftapegreenia said:


> (Assuming the light has been properly struck and assuming we are under-hanging on a batten with proper clearance)
> 
> 1) Make sure you've taught everyone to strike a unit correctly as this will make hang easier.
> 2) Hang ERS on batten
> ...


 

+1

I could type up what I do, but it would be identical to that. I also make sure to keep my hand on it until the clamp is tight.


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## derekleffew (Aug 30, 2010)

One of my biggest pet peeves (and I see it ALL the time, but not from the factory) is Source Fours and SLs that aren't assembled correctly: lens tubes installed upside-down and/or knobs in the wrong places. 
If one wants to pay attention to correcting this, where would this step belong in gafftapegreenia's chronological order?

And I think there are still some steps missing.


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## gafftapegreenia (Aug 30, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> One of my biggest pet peeves (and I see it ALL the time, but not from the factory) is Source Fours and SLs that aren't assembled correctly: lens tubes installed upside-down and/or knobs in the wrong places.



Yea, that drives me NUTS. 

So derekleffew, where do you like your lens tube nut, top or bottom?


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## dramatech (Aug 31, 2010)

gafftapegreenia said:


> Yea, that drives me NUTS.
> 
> So derekleffew, where do you like your lens tube nut, top or bottom?




I am not Derek, but I like mine on the bottom. Probably 1/3 or more of my Src4s are 1997 or earlier, and only allow the lens knob on the bottom. I like them all to be consistent. Knowing where to look for the knob when you are up in the genie, and your head stuffed up between a bunch of lights and curtains, goes a long way to make the day easier.


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## Kelite (Aug 31, 2010)

dramatech said:


> I am not Derek, but I like mine on the bottom. Probably 1/3 or more of my Src4s are 1997 or earlier, and only allow the lens knob on the bottom. I like them all to be consistent. Knowing where to look for the knob when you are up in the genie, and your head stuffed up between a bunch of lights and curtains, goes a long way to make the day easier.


 
Exactly my tastes as well. Makes searching for the lil boogers while standing in a lift or on a ladder much easier.

(And yes, it is annoying when rental units are _sdrawkcab_!


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## NickVon (Aug 31, 2010)

If you need a place to put "make sure lens tube is not in upside down or conforms to your theater's standards." I'd say that would go at the step of...

Step i )
Pick up light and inspect it for conformity before moving any further away from where the light storage is.

then followed the the list posted earlier.


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## Les (Aug 31, 2010)

NickVon said:


> If you need a place to put " make sure lens tube is no in upside down or conforms to your theater's standards. I'd say that would go at the step off...
> 
> Step i )
> Pick up light and inspect it for conformity before moving any further away from where the light storage is.
> ...


 
+1.

I would correct derekleffew's gripes while the fixture is still on the floor. Dropping lens knobs, washers, lens tubes, etc is a lot less of a day/life ruiner when said part only has a few inches to fall, rather than from the height of a ladder, personal lift, catwalk, cove, etc.

One thing that I always do after getting the fixture secured is run the lens tube all the way in, creating a relatively sharp focus. That way, if there's a gobo, it can be seen clearly for 'fine' focusing. Also, it's just much easier working with a beam that is clearly defined, and it's much much easier when it was put that way when it was hung, rather than having to do one more adjustment before beginning your focus.


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## xander (Sep 1, 2010)

derekleffew said:


> And I think there are still some steps missing.


 
¡ǝuo ɟo ʞuıɥʇ uɐɔ ı


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## Les (Sep 1, 2010)

xander said:


> ¡ǝuo ɟo ʞuıɥʇ uɐɔ ı


 
Stop beating around the bush, xander, tell us what it is!


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## mstaylor (Sep 2, 2010)

In my usual venues I am mounting on trusses or ladders so the exact order is a little less important than when hanging from a lift or catwalk. I generally correct the barrels after the light is on the bar.


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## MNicolai (Sep 2, 2010)

gafftapegreenia said:


> Yea, that drives me NUTS.
> 
> So derekleffew, where do you like your lens tube nut, top or bottom?



I would say for 95% of fixtures, I want the focus knob on the bottom, because in most cases, I'm focusing while my torso is below the fixture. However, a reason to put it on top would be, for example, on a catwalk. If you are reaching over a railing and bending down to reach the fixture, it's probably a lot easier to focus with the knob on top than if it's on the bottom. Many of my catwalk fixtures are positioned such that reaching for the underside of the fixture is not a safe thing to do. Some re-rigging from the original design has made this less difficult, but when my torso is above the fixture for focusing, that's also where I'd like the focus knob to be.


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## Grog12 (Sep 7, 2010)

Using gafftapegreenia's list as a starting point and adding whats missing in red.


1) Make sure you've taught everyone to strike a unit correctly as this will make hang easier. 
Check the plot, hang card or hang tape then double check that you've grabbed the right instrument with the right barrel for the posisition you are hanging
2) Hang ERS on batten While keeping a hand on the instrument
3) While keeping a hand on the instrumentFinger tighten clamp bolt
4) Attach safety cable 
5) Give clamp bolt a quarter to a half turn with either a 6" or 8" Crescent wrench, depending on how good your "finger tight" is. 
6) Uncoil whip (you did loop the whip around the outside of the yoke when you struck the unit, right?)
7) Pull out the shutters (the shutters were pushed in when it was struke, right?)Center the shutter rotation
8) Plug unit into designated circuit
9) Rough focus if you know the general direction the unit should be facing in
Make sure the Yoke bolt and Pan nut are tight
10) Depending on designer and availability, load accessories including, but not limited to, gel, gobo, top hats, scrollers. 
If not adding color immediaetly open the gelframe clip.
If unit isn't getting any accesories make sure the accesory slot is closed


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## derekleffew (Sep 7, 2010)

1) Make sure you've taught everyone to strike a unit correctly as this will make hang easier.
Check the plot, hang card or hang tape then double check that you've grabbed the right instrument with the right barrel for the position you are hanging
2) Hang ERS on batten While keeping a hand on the instrument
3) While keeping a hand on the instrument, Finger tighten clamp bolt
4) Attach safety cable
5) Give clamp bolt a quarter to a half turn with either a 6" or 8" Crescent wrench, (or speed wrench, or Ultimate Focus Tool or Altman wrench or [almost anything except Channel Locks]) depending on how good your "finger tight" is.
6) Uncoil whip (you did loop the whip around the outside of the yoke when you struck the unit, right?) No, I didn't. I doubled-back the whip, then loosely tied an overhand knot in the middle.
7) Pull out the shutters (the shutters were pushed in when it was struck, right?) Center the shutter rotation, tighten knob
8) Plug unit into designated circuit, dress cable--don't tie or capture the whip.
9) Rough focus if you know the general direction the unit should be facing. Of course you know, it was drawn on the plot or indicated on the hang tape. Some designers prefer to have every unit pointing straight down prior to focus, others want everything roughed in.
Make sure the Yoke bolt and Pan nut and Tilt Lock are tight
10) Depending on designer's preference and communication, load accessories including, but not limited to, gel, gobo, top hat, scroller.
If not adding color immediately open the gelframe clip. Just makes it easier for later.
If unit isn't getting any accessories make sure the accessory slot cover is closed and tightened.


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## xander (Sep 7, 2010)

It really surprises me that no one has added this yet:

1) Make sure you've taught everyone to strike a unit correctly as this will make hang easier.
Check the plot, hang card or hang tape then double check that you've grabbed the right instrument with the right barrel for the position you are hanging
2) Hang ERS on batten Making sure the unit is right side up (which means both the gel clip & accessory slot "up") While keeping a hand on the instrument
3) While keeping a hand on the instrument, Finger tighten clamp bolt
4) Attach safety cable
5) Give clamp bolt a quarter to a half turn with either a 6" or 8" Crescent wrench, (or speed wrench, or Ultimate Focus Tool or Altman wrench or [almost anything except Channelocks]) depending on how good your "finger tight" is.
6) Uncoil whip (you did loop the whip around the outside of the yoke when you struck the unit, right?) No, I didn't. I doubled-back the whip, then loosely tied an overhand knot in the middle.
7) Pull out the shutters (the shutters were pushed in when it was struck, right?) Center the shutter rotation, tighten knob
8) Plug unit into designated circuit, dress cable--don't tie or capture the whip.
9) Rough focus if you know the general direction the unit should be facing. Of course you know, it was drawn on the plot or indicated on the hang tape. Some designers prefer to have every unit pointing straight down prior to focus, others want everything roughed in.
Make sure the Yoke bolt and Pan nut and Tilt Lock are tight
10) Depending on designer's preference and communication, load accessories including, but not limited to, gel, gobo, top hat, scroller.
If not adding color immediately open the gelframe clip. Just makes it easier for later.
If unit isn't getting any accessories make sure the accessory slot cover is closed and tightened.


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## bdkdesigns (Sep 7, 2010)

So why do you feel that the whip should be coiled on the outside? I've never liked it on the outside because I have found that it frequently comes loose and then I'm dragging a whip behind me all of a sudden.

I've only done it Derek's way or coiling it up on a S4 ERS prior to pointing it vertically when striking it. The insulated handle prevents it from coming loose above and the yoke prevents it from unwinding itself. This obviously shifts the hanging order around a bit, but it does not slow anything down. Essentially, you just rough focus it prior to plugging it in. I've also never had a problem with focus slack since it is already roughed in prior to cabling and dressing everything. 

Also, I'd add idiot checking everything during step 1. While checking to see if the fixture is correct, check if it has all of its pieces. I can't tell you how many retaining bolts have been missing from fixtures or how many accessory slot (gates?) were missing entirely. I couldn't even begin to explain where they went or how they disappeared, but they were issues that needed to be addressed prior to hanging the fixture. While not as big of a deal anymore since S4 ERS shutters don't easily slide out, older fixtures could easily be missing entire shutters as well. After all, Grog never specifically dictated the brand and age of the ERS.


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## mstaylor (Sep 7, 2010)

Most trusses I hang I do not have a hang plot. Even the theatre productions I do in my arena we are hanging day of show under direction of the head electrician. I prefer wrapping the whip around the body, it stores in the meat racks better. The part about dressing the cable but not capturing the whip is vital. I can't tell you how many times I have been on a truss or in a basket and haven't had enough whip to focus. As noted above some LDs want the light left straight down so the whip needs to be free.It also makes me nuts to see a light go in the air and and not have the shutters pulled. Lastly make sure you teach the hands to loosen the handle when adjusting the light up and down.


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## Anvilx (Sep 8, 2010)

Wait a second we missed step 1.5 check for clamp directionality (so that the claps on the baton are all in a uniform direction) This is where I tell you to take pride in your work!


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