Powering a 2K Tungsten

[Max Field]

Might be buying a Mole 2k Baby Junior soon.

 

Is there any way to power these things at home? Do I need to buy a ballast or something? When I plug a 1K and a 650 onto a single circuit they cut out after a couple minutes.

 

How do I go about plugging these things in??

 

Thanks

[Stuart Brereton]

You can't power a 2k from a domestic 15 amp outlet. They are tungsten lamps, no ballast is necessary, they just draw too much power.

 

In a regular US household, most of the outlets will be 15 amp. At 120 volts, that gives 1800w of power. Unfortunately, many houses have older wiring which cannot reliably carry that much, and so you'll trip breakers if you try to max the load out.

 

Your best bet is to use the washer/dryer outlets which are usually 20 amp or higher.

[Guy Holt]

Might be buying a Mole 2k Baby Junior soon. Is there any way to power these things at home? Do I need to buy a ballast or something? When I plug a 1K and a 650 onto a single circuit they cut out after a couple minutes. How do I go about plugging these things in??

 

Not a ballast but a transformer. Using a 240v-to-120v step-down transformer is without a doubt the most reliable way to power a 2k on wall out-lets. A transformer will convert the 240V output of a Range Plug, Dryer Plug, or the receptacles installed under windows for air conditioners into a single large 120V circuit that is more than capable of powering the 16.8A load of a 2k at 120V. If you outfit the transformer with a 60A Bates receptacle, it will enable you to use a real film style distro system that will minimize line loss over a long cable run, and provide a 20A circuit right at the light. Common 240V sources found on interior locations include Range Plugs, Dryer Plugs, and special receptacles installed for Window Air Conditioners. Use this link for more detailed information on successfully operating large tungsten lights up to 5ks on wall outlets.

 

Guy Holt, Gaffer, ScreenLight & Grip, Lighting Sales & Rentals in Boston

[JD Hartman]

If your 15A breaker is tripping on the combination of a 1K and a 650W, you either have other loads on that circuit or the breaker has been tripped to many times and has become "weak".