For Sale: Power Gems 425CD Flicker Free HMI Ballast

Guy Holt · December 5, 2010

Hey Everyone,

I have some new gear that I am selling. I have listed on ebay Power Gems 425CD “Flicker-Free” Electronic HMI ballast. You can buy directly at any time for the ebay opening bid amount as long as the item on ebay does not have a bid. If you want added security, you can partake in the ebay auction. As you can see from the screen grab of the present ebay auction, I have 100% positive feed back on my auctions so you can bid with confidence. Use the link below the screen grab to connect to the auction site. If the auction pictured below has expired, be sure to search for the item on ebay because it will be relisted if it did not sell.

Power Gems 425CD Flicker Free Electronic Ballast for 1200, 1800, 2500, 4000 Watt HMI Lights

An industry workshorse, the Power Gems 425CD Ballast is ideal for a wide range of film and video production applications because it is a Universal Ballast. Since Power Gems only makes ballasts (they make them for LTM, Strand, Cinemills, Film Gear, and Mole) they make their ballasts so that they will operate any light on the market -

even Arri lights. This feature can be quite advantageous to small owner operators. You don't have to invest in a ballast for every light you own, the Power Gems 425CD Electronic Ballast allows you to mix and match it with different sizes (1200, 1800, 2500, and 4000 Watts) and types (Max, Par or Fresnel) of lights depending on the requirement of the job (header adapter required for 1200 & 1800 fixtures is included in this auction.) Where the ballast is usually half the cost of a complete HMI system, buying a universal ballast like the Power Gems 425CD can result in a tremendous savings. This ballast is set up for Arri and LTM, so it makes the Arri 4k Par presently the brightest light that you can plug into wall outlets or run off a Honda Generator (see below for details) - making it an indispensable part of any small truck or van lighting package for High Definition production. As an Arri dealer we can sell you a new Arri Head of your choice for this ballast.

The Power Gems 425CD Ballast will power a 4/2.5 Par (left), 1800 Baby Max (Center), and 1800W Par (Right).

Unlike the old Lightmaker Ballasts, the Power Gems 425CD electronic ballast will operate at 120V or 240V. The 240V feature of this ballast will allow you to operate a 2500W or 4000W light off of common household outlets or portable generators with the appropriate adapter. Set up for Arri & LTM, this ballast presently makes the Arri 4k HMI Par light the brightest light that you can safely plug into wall outlets or operate off the enhanced 7500W output of our modified Honda EU6500is portable generator (see below for details.) In 2011 Arri plans to roll out a 4k with ARRIMAX reflector. As it did with the 1800 lamp, the Max reflector will give you more output from a 4k lamp than a Par system and make the light distribution similar to that of a Fresnel.

The end result should be a fixture that has the output of a 6k Par, but with the output and light distribution of a 12K Fresnel. We are very excited about this development because an ARRIMAX 4k will take what you can do with our modified Honda EU6500is portable generator to a new level. This ballast will be compatible with the 4k ARRIMAX when they come out. It is a great investment for low budget HD feature producers for this reason. Please call 781-326-5088, Ext 1# with questions on how this ballast works off wall receptacles and portable generators. If you miss us, call back. We will not return long distance calls or explain how this works by email - you must call. As is now the case with the 1800W Baby Max, there will most likely be a conversion kit to convert 4k Pars to 4k ARRIMAXs, which makes our current auction of a new style Arri 4k Par Sales Demo another great investment for independent producers (use our other auction link below for details.)

New 7500W "Movie Blimped" Genny for Mole, Arri, Kino

This Power Gems 425CD ballast can serve as the backbone of a powerful HD lighting package when used in conjunction with our 7500W modified Honda EU6500is blimped generator (see ebay listing above for details.) For details about powering large HMIs on wall outlets and portable generators with this Power Gems 425CD ballast read our company newsletter article: “The Use of Portable Generators in Motion Picture Production.”

This article is cited in the just released 4th Edition of Harry Box's "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" and featured on the companion website "Box Book Extras." The article is available online at http://www.screenlightandgrip.com/html/emailnewsletter_generators.html. Of the article Harry Box exclaims:

"Great work!... this is the kind of thing I think very few technician's ever get to see, and as a result many people have absolutely no idea why things stop working."

"Following the prescriptions contained in this article enables the operation of bigger lights, or more smaller lights, on portable generators than has ever been possible before."

I have also listed on ebay a practically new sales demo Arri 4k Par Head with Flicker Free Electronic Ballast. This is a rare opportunity. Once this sells, you will not find a complete Arri 4k Par System for under $10’000.00 again. Use the link below the screen grab to connect to the auction site. If the auction pictured below has expired, be sure to search for the item on ebay because it will be relisted if it did not sell.

Demo Arri 4K HMI Par w/ Flicker Free Electronic Ballast

This Arri 4k Par is an especially good value because it was a sales demo and has only a few hrs on the head. It can serve as the backbone of a powerful HD lighting package when used in conjunction with our 7500W modified Honda EU6500is blimped generator. As long as there is a sun and moon in the sky there is the need for a large HMI like this Arri 4k Par on interior and exterior sets because smaller HMIs, Kino-Flos, & LED panels don’t come close to balancing direct sunlight in day light scenes or covering deep background in night scenes. For powerful daylight fill on exterior sets, to create the feel of hard sunlight on interior sets, or to light deep background on night exterior sets, a dual wattage HMI Par like this Arri 4k Par is invaluable because it will operate off our modified Honda EU6500is (pictured above) or off of regular wall outlets. (also pictured below.)

4k & 1.2ks HMI Pars powered from 30A/240V dryer outlet through step-down transformer/distro for Bose still shoot.

The Par configuration of this light not only gives you more output, but it is also extremely versatile. When you need a lot of light for fill on day exteriors you can lamp it with a 4k globe. To cut a hard window pattern, swap the standard spreader lenses for a Frosted Fresnel. When you don’t need the punch of a 4k Par, like on a night exterior, you can swap the 4kw globe for a 2.5kw globe giving you more power to run additional lights on a small portable generator. The 23 Amps you save by burning the smaller 2500W globe will power quite a few more lights when you consider that a Kino Flo Parabeam 400 uses only 2 Amps. Given the light sensitivity of HD Cameras, a package consisting of a 2.5kw Par and up to ten Parabeam 400s is just about all the light you need to light a night exterior.

Financing is available on items over $5000.00. If you want added security, we can handle the transacton as an ebay auction. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to send me an email at rentals@screenlightandgrip.com or call 781-326-5088, Ext 5# for the Rental Dept. All Prices are in USD and do not include shipping. You are also welcome to pick items up personally in Boston, but you will then be subject to the 6.25% Massachusetts Sales Tax.

- Guy Holt, Gaffer, ScreenLight & Grip, Lighting and Grip Rental in Boston