ETC is introducing the F-Drive RX rack, a modular system designed to control installations involving a large number of LEDs, along with the Foundry Switch Panel, a switched power distribution panel available in 12, 24, or 48 circuit versions. Nicolas Liabeuf, Head of the Projects & Clients Department at ETC France, presents these new products.
F-Drive RX
The F-Drive RX, designed to power and control a large number of LEDs — up to 2800 W of output power distributed across 80 channels — comes in a 2-unit rack that can accommodate up to 10 driver cards mounted on slide-out drawers. These are therefore easily accessible, simplifying wiring and servicing, and they are hot-swappable.
The separate low-voltage power supply, presented in a 1-unit rack, is available in two versions: 56 V DC, 2800 W or 56 V DC, 1800 W. The system’s low-voltage architecture reduces both installation costs and complexity.
The F-Drive RX can be controlled via DMX (two inputs) and sACN through an RJ45 connector. Several card versions are available to match the requirements of your LED luminaires, including the ETC Navis, ArcSystem, and Irideon ranges, as well as any fixtures operating in constant current or constant voltage.
The F-Drive RX is particularly well suited for permanent installations such as theatres, cruise ships, convention centers, hotels, and similar venues.
Foundry Switch Panel
For the European market (230 V), ETC is launching switched power distribution panels available in 12, 24, or 48 circuits. The ETC Foundry uses relay-only switching technology. Notably, it has been developed and manufactured in Europe.
It provides relay switching with a positive air-gap isolation, with protection via RCD (residual current device) per group of four circuits or RCBO protection per circuit.
The relays reduce inrush current through staggered power-up, helping to manage sensitive LED installations. An integrated current-monitoring system also allows optimization of energy consumption.
Key features
– 10 A circuit breakers with RCD options per circuit or per group of 4 circuits
– 16 A breakers with RCBO protection per channel
– Designed for capacitive loads (e.g., LED drivers)
– Supports DMX, RDM, and sACN protocols
– Rack-mount options available
More information on the ETC website
