WET Series II Premium Quality All-Weather/All-Purpose Installation Loudspeakers WEATHER ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY Operation and Installation Manual
COMMUNITY PROFESSIONAL LOUDSPEAKERS A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION Since the founding of our company in 1968, Community has been a constant developer and innovator of loudspeaker technology. Many of our engineering achievements were undertaken to solve problems, where no prior solutions existed. Others resulted from simply seeing a better way to do things. Over the years our technologies have been imitated, and our methods have become common practice throughout the professional sound industry.
REFERENCE TO EC STATEMENT OF CONFORMITY This document confirms that the range of products of Community Professional Loudspeakers bearing the CE label meet all of the requirements in the EMC directive 89/336/EEC laid down by the Member States Council for adjustment of legal requirements. Furthermore, the products comply with the rules and regulations referring to the electromagnetic compatibility of devices from 30-August-1995.
Community WET Series II Operation and Installation Manual Table of Contents CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................................................6 WET SERIES II LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEMS FROM COMMUNITY ..............................................................................................................6 IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION .......................
TABLE OF FIGURES PAGE FIGURE 1 - PHYSICAL FEATURES OF A TYPICAL LARGE WET II ENCLOSURE ................................................................................... 12 FIGURE 2 - WIRING DIAGRAMS FOR W2-218T........................................................................................................................................... 17 FIGURE 3 - WIRING DIAGRAMS FOR W2-228T, W2-2W8T AND W2-312-HT .................................................................................
COMMUNITY WET SERIES II OPERATION AND INSTALLATION MANUAL INTRODUCTION Thank you for selecting Community’s WET Series II premium all-weather/all-purpose installation loudspeakers. WET is an acronym standing for Weather Environmental Technology, which describes one of the main design goals of this product line. WET Series II products are built using unique weather-resistant materials that can survive sustained exposure to harsh climatic conditions.
These materials provide the absolute best in sound quality, appearance, and longevity. WET II products offer a wide range of power levels, frequency response capability, and directional pattern control. The WET II product line consists of a basic complement of six sizes of loudspeaker enclosures with multiple dispersion patterns available in three of the size formats.
Important Safety Information Always follow these basic safety precautions when installing and using WET Series II loudspeakers and accessories: 1. Read these instructions. 2. Keep these instructions. 3. Heed all warnings. 4. Follow all instructions particularly those pertaining to rigging, mounting, hanging, or suspending the products, and all information pertaining to electrical connections. 5. Only use accessories that are specified and approved by the manufacturer.
Italiano - Gli altoparlanti descritti in questo manuale sono disegnati e sono intesi essere ‘volato' o sospeso per la prestazione massima acustica usando una varietà di attrezzare di hardware, i mezzi, ed i metodi. È essenziale che tutta il lavoro di installazione coinvolgendo la sospensione di questi prodotti di altoparlante è eseguita da dalle persone competenti, addestrate che capisce le pratiche di attrezzare di cassaforte.
Important Note – Mounting/Rigging Provisions The mounting/rigging points found on the sides and back of the enclosure must either be used for mounting hardware or “plugged” with the bolts and washers provided. The rubber washer provides the water seal and must be used. The reason for this is that if all these holes are not plugged up, they created leaks in the enclosure that will compromise its weather-resistance.
GETTING ACQUAINTED Physical Features Note: These drawings show the physical features of a W2-218 and a W2-312 enclosure. Other WET Series II enclosures may differ in size, shape, and number of mounting points. Figure 1 – Physical Features of a Typical Compact WET II Enclosure NO. 1 FEATURE DESCRIPTION MOUNTING/RIGGING POINTS1 ½”-13 captive zinc plated inserts with ½”-13 x 2” stainless steel bolts and lock, flat and rubber washers.
Figure 1 - Physical Features of a Typical Large WET II Enclosure NO. 2 FEATURE DESCRIPTION MOUNTING/RIGGING POINTS2 ½”-13 captive zinc plated inserts with ½”-13 x 2” stainless steel bolts and lock, flat and rubber washers. Used for attaching the yoke mounting brackets or customer-supplied mounting system. W2-218, W2-228 and W2-2W8 include two ½”-13 rigging points. W2-112 and W2-312 include four ½”-13 rigging points. W2-215, W2-322L, W2-315, W2-122 and W2-125 include six ½”-13 rigging points.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION WET Series II loudspeakers are designed for top-of-the-line installation work. Their premium components are housed in rugged, uniquely shaped curved enclosures that are acoustically inert. WET II systems are characterized by high power and low distortion, with exceptional musicality and speech intelligibility. The WET II line comprises six form-factors, three of which may be ordered with a choice of horn patterns.
CONNECTING THE AMPLIFIER TO THE LOUDSPEAKER All WET Series II loudspeakers come with an attached input cable that is coated with an EPDM rubber jacket, twelve feet in length and colored to match the finish of the enclosure. The cable enters the enclosure through a waterproof gland nut. The other end of the cable is un-terminated. A typical installation method is to bring the cable into a waterproof Junction Box equipped with a waterproof gland nut.
Know Your Amplifier Not all amplifiers can safely drive loads below 4 ohms. Very low impedance loads may cause the amplifier to overheat which may lead to device failure. Even if the amplifier is quite stable driving a low impedance load, the cable loss will be greater, the damping factor is reduced, and if the amplifier were to fail, a larger portion of the sound system would be taken off-line.
70V AND 100V OPERATION Using Power Taps A WET Series II loudspeaker equipped with an optional autoformer has four selectable power taps. These are set at 12.5W, 25W, 50W and 100W on the W2-218, and at 25W, 50W, 100W and 200W on the W2-228, the W2-2W8, and the W2-312 for 70V systems (note: for 100V systems the taps equal twice the numeric value stated above; i.e. a 25W tap becomes a 50W tap, and so on). Note that the autoformer has a maximum output capability of 200W regardless of the primary voltage.
Wiring Diagrams for 70V/100V Operation Figure 2 - Wiring Diagrams for W2-218T Figure 3 - Wiring Diagrams for W2-228T, W2-2W8T and W2-312-HT Community WET Series II - Operation and Installation Manual - Page 17
70.7V and 100V Systems Several voltage standards have been put in place regarding so called ‘constant voltage systems.’ In the United States, 25V, 70.7V and 100V are common. Occasionally 140V systems can be found, usually in very large venues such as racetracks, where the need to overcome cable resistance by scaling the voltage upwards becomes extremely important, due to the very long cable lengths from the amplifiers to the loudspeakers.
SELECTING AMPLIFIERS Amplifiers are a vital part of the sound system’s performance and should be carefully selected for appropriate power output. A table is provided below to help you size your amplifier’s power output capability to the various models in the WET Series II product line. Typically, it’s good practice to select an amplifier that can provide substantially more power than the continuous rating of the loudspeaker. This is so that enough reserve power will be available for transient peaks.
AUTOFORMERS Autoformers, or autotransformers as they’re often called, perform similarly to transformers but with certain distinct advantages. First, they exhibit inherently lower distortion and lower insertion loss than an equivalent rated transformer. Second, they are less prone to magnetic core saturation than a transformer, providing better linearity under peak operating conditions. Lastly, they can be manufactured to a greater level of precision than that of a transformer at a similar or lower cost.
INSTALLATION CONSIDERATIONS Installing WET Series II loudspeakers is simple and straightforward. In most cases they will simply be affixed to a wall or ceiling surface by means of the stainless steel yoke-style mounting bracket that accompanies the four smaller models, and is available as an optional accessory to the larger models. Always pay close attention to the type of fasteners used, the nature of the mounting surface(s), and the suitability of the mounting method.
RIGGING AND MOUNTING WET SERIES II ENCLOSURES One of the most important tasks the installer faces is the rigging and mounting of the loudspeaker system. WET Series II loudspeakers have been designed with rigging and mounting in mind; thus, there are numerous ways to safely and easily install these loudspeakers in optimal locations in a venue. Safety First! There is no way to overemphasize the importance of safety. But we’ll try. The kinetic energy of an 80 lb.
source your rigging items from an industrial supplier or specialty rigging house, never from a hardware store. Items found in local hardware stores are often poor copies of the original designs and may not be safe, as well as typically being more costly than items purchased from an industrial supplier. By planning ahead, you will not be in the uncomfortable position of having to delay the work if you can’t locate a shackle or eyebolt at the last minute. 2.
4. Threaded Fasteners Threaded fasteners are often used in rigging and mounting systems. As with eyebolts, many of Community’s optional mounting brackets, yokes, and rigging plates utilize threaded fasteners. The fasteners that come with each Community rigging kit are load rated to a sufficient strength to be safe when used within their specified parameters. If replacement bolts are needed, or if additional bolts are required for mounting a bracket to a beam, wall, or ceiling etc.
WET SERIES II MOUNTING YOKES AND MOUNTING KITS W2-218, W2-228 and W2-2W8 Yoke Assembly The compact W2-218, W2-228 and W2-2W8 loudspeakers include a yoke mounting bracket, constructed of 304 stainless steel finished in black or white with Community’s proprietary dual-layer powder coating process. The yoke bracket is fitted with a series of mounting holes that allow the installer to vary the distance from the enclosure to the mounting surface in order to suit the requirements of the installation.
Figure 5 - W2-218 Yoke Assembly Figure 6 - W2-228 and W2-2W8 Yoke Dimensions Community WET Series II - Operation and Installation Manual - Page 26
Figure 7 - W2-228 and W2-2W8 Yoke Assembly Community WET Series II - Operation and Installation Manual - Page 27
SSY25KIT Mounting Kit for W2-112 and W2-312 An optional mounting bracket kit (model SSY25KIT) is available for the W2-112 and W2-312 loudspeakers. It is sold separately. The SSY25KIT is designed to mount a W2-112 or W2-312 loudspeaker in either a vertical or horizontal orientation, providing precise acoustic focusing. The SSY25KIT consists of a yoke mounting bracket and two adapter plates, constructed of powder-coated stainless steel.
SSY25KIT Adapter Plate Figure 9 - SSY25KIT Assembly Community WET Series II - Operation and Installation Manual - Page 29
SSY25KIT Assembly Instructions 1. First, remove the two ½” hex head bolts located towards the front of the enclosure on both of the two end panels (four total). 2. Next, attach one adapter plate to each end panel of the enclosure using the two ½-13 hex head bolts fitted with lock washers and flat washers. Make sure to install a large rubber washer between the adapter plate and the enclosure. Tighten these bolts to 15 foot-lbs using a torque wrench. Do not over tighten! 3.
MAINTAINING WEATHER RESISTANCE There are several things that must be observed when installing a WET Series II loudspeaker in order to maintain its weather-resistant integrity for outdoor use. 1. Always orient the loudspeaker so the mouth of the horn is, at a minimum, pointing at least 15 degrees downward. Failure to do this could result in water collecting inside the enclosure under extreme weather conditions. 2.
TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE Should you have a problem with your WET Series II loudspeaker(s), find the symptom and follow the associated “What To Do” instructions below. Be aware that a particular symptom may have several possible causes. SYMPTOM PROBABLE CAUSE WHAT TO DO High distortion, low output, or no output from any or all drivers. Faulty connection to the loudspeaker. Possible solder joint failure on crossover card. Using an ohmmeter, check the continuity of the wiring to the loudspeaker.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS Compact WET II Models Model W2-218 W2-228 W2-2W8 Loudspeaker Type Two-way, full-range, weather-resistant Quasi three-way, full-range, weather-resistant Two-way, full-range, weatherresistant Drivers LF: 1 x 8” HF: 1 x 1” LF: 1 x 8” LF/MF: 1 x 8” HF: 1 x 1” LF: 2 x 8” HF: 1 x 1” Nominal Dispersion (H x V) 80° x 60° 85° x 85° 120° x 60° Operating Range 70 Hz - 18 kHz 70 Hz - 18 kHz 65 Hz – 18 kHz Frequency Response 90 Hz - 15 kHz (±3dB) 80 Hz - 15 kHz (±3dB) 80 H
Large Full-Range WET II Models Model W2-215 W2-312 W2-322L W2-315 Loudspeaker Type Two-way, full-range, weather-resistant Three-way, full-range, weather-resistant Three-way, full-range, weather-resistant Three-way, full-range, weather-resistant Drivers LF: 1 x 15” HF: 1 x 1.
WET II Subwoofer Models Model W2-112 W2-122 W2-125 Loudspeaker Type 12-inch subwoofer, weather-resistant Dual 12-inch subwoofer, weather-resistant Dual 15-inch subwoofer, weather-resistant Drivers LF: 1 x 12” LF: 2 x 12” LF: 2 x 15” Nominal Dispersion (H x V) 360° x 180° 360° x 180° 360° x 180° Operating Range 40 Hz – 700 Hz 35 Hz – 600 Hz 30 Hz – 1 kHz Frequency Response 50 Hz - 160 Hz (±2.5dB) 40 Hz - 160 Hz (±1.
SUMMING THINGS UP WET Series II loudspeakers and accessories are intelligently designed to provide you with a wealth of solutions for common and not-so-common sound reinforcement problems. These great-looking and superb-sounding building blocks can be utilized in an enormous variety of ways. By giving careful consideration to your application needs, and taking the time to properly position, focus, adjust, and equalize the installation, your WET II system will provide years of quality service.
Obtaining Warranty Service Warranty service may be obtained from the factory, or from an authorized Field Service Station. For complete warranty information, visit the website at www.communitypro.com/warranty. To obtain factory or field warranty service for products purchased in the United States, return the product for inspection to the address below, freight prepaid, in the original packaging.
Notes Community WET Series II - Operation and Installation Manual - Page 38
Notes Community WET Series II - Operation and Installation Manual - Page 39
Community Professional Loudspeakers 333 East Fifth Street, Chester, PA 19013-4511 USA Phone: (610) 876-3400 | Fax: (610) 874-0190 www.communitypro.
