Tube lighting Fixtures

[Saim Tariq]

What do I need to Connect Tube lights like in the photo here? I'm a complete newbie to them and want to be able to make my own designs.

[Theodore P Rysz III]

This could be done in many different ways depending on your means. Sometimes there is fishing line that is used to hang them. Sometimes there is an actual piece of set design that the units hang from. It could also be a C-Stand with a cardellini clamp that clamps down on the tube itself.

All depends on what you are actually trying to accomplish and how you need to hide the support for the tubes.

[Edward Lawrence Conley III]

Are you close to any rental shops?

 

 

You need to be able to see how the Kino lamps are connected and then you can make custom wiring harnesses from Kino parts that are available for purchase.

 

You still need the ballast to drive the Kinos so it isn't really a cheap DIY project. Although you can rent those relatively cheap.

 

http://www.filmtools.com/kino-flo-har-4801-single-locking-harness-4.html?nosto=nosto-page-product1

[Saim Tariq]

Thanks for the info! I'll visit some rental stores to find out more.

[Phil Rhodes]

You can use fairly conventional electronic fluorescent tube ballasts, they're fine for every purpose I've ever used them for.

 

All of this can be built from off the shelf parts.

 

P

[JD Hartman]

You can use fairly conventional electronic fluorescent tube ballasts, they're fine for every purpose I've ever used them for.

 

All of this can be built from off the shelf parts.

 

P

 

Do you have a source for the clip-on (squeeze connectors) for the tubes? Regular tombstones won't work for this sort of application.

[Phil Rhodes]

That's the hardest part. I use conventional end caps designed for T8 tubes, which are reasonably secure. The main issue is that they don't fit shatter-sleeved tubes without modification; I trimmed the surround from all of mine.

 

It's also possible to make extremely effective connections to fluorescent tubes with two single pieces of a screw terminal block each end, although despite the fact that it's probably more secure than the commercial caps, it may not satisfy safety regulations.

 

P

[Jaron Berman]

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/258842-REG/Kino_Flo_EXP_LHC_T12_Lamp_Holder_Clips_for.html

 

Those clips are very handy, secure and cheap to have in a kit. I'm currently working on a show that uses Quasar tubes in-shot as design elements, so we cannot use those particular clips because they reflect. Our high-tech mounts are 1/2" shelving tracks with bolts through them. The tubes are taped to the front of the U-shape channel and the bolt runs out the back to a grip knuckle. Simple, super clean, flexible. The quasar are nice because they barely get warm whereas kinos do heat-up, so something to be aware of.