# | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | Home

P

PARABOLIC LOUVERS
Parabolic louvers control luminance precisely; they consist of multiple cells with parabolic reflectors, and a specular or semi-specular finish. The cells range in size from ½ in. X ½ in. to 1 ft X 1 ft.

PARALLEL

• The folding frame that forms the base of a readily portable platform.
• The opposite of SERIES when referring to wiring two loads into one outlet. The two loads share the available current, but are both given the same voltage.

PARCAN / PARCANS

• Type of lantern which produces an intense beam of light, ideally suited to "punching" through strong colors, or for special effect. The Parcan is literally a cylinder of metal (the "can") within which sits the PAR lamp (PAR stands for Parabolic Aluminised Reflector) which consists of the bulb, a reflector and a lens in a sealed unit. The Parcan first appeared in the early 1970's in the Rock concert industry due to the intensity of the beam, and the light weight and near indestructibility of the lantern. The lens of the lamp is either clear (which produces a narrow beam), frosted (medium) or stippled (wide).
• Lighting fixture that accepts parabolic type lamps that cast an oval beam of light.

PARNEL
Brand name for a wash light manufactured by ETC. It's a cross between a soft-edged focussable Fresnel and a ETC Source Four PAR.

PATCH

• (verb) The act of plugging a lantern into a dimmer (e.g. "Can you patch circuit 12 into dimmer 18 please").
• (noun) The system for connecting lanterns to dimmers (The Patch).

The term also applies to sound - a PATCH BAY is used to connect outboard equipment into the sound desk and to connect sound desk outputs to amplifiers, and amplifiers to speakers.
• The process by which different parts of an electrical or control system are selectively connected. Patching traditionally takes place at several key points in a lighting system: at a patch panel, at a pin patch, or in a soft patch.

PATCH PANEL

• An electrical panel where individual circuits can be connected to the physical dimmers in a dimming system. Common patch panels look like large old-fashioned telephone switchboards. Patch panels have all but been replaced by dimmer per circuit systems in which the dimmer to circuit relationship is permanently fixed. A touring lighting system rarely includes a patch panel since individual connections between circuits can be made directly on the dimmer rack.
• A board consisting of rows of sockets into which plugs can be connected to route sound signals or power for lighting circuits. Some American systems use a Pin Plug patching system.