Donald Mitchell Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 I run 9 x spacelights in my rental studio to cover the cyc, and often have to rig and de-rig them between jobs. I fit them with 5 x 800W lamps so I can have 1600W, 2400W or 4000W all at 3200K. I find the lamps don't last very long and blow regularly with the slightest provocation. Is this just the nature of these fixtures? I use GE Quartzline P2/11 lamps. Is there tougher alternative out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Dunn Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 They should last 100 hours or so. Presumably you're not moving them hot, or putting them in the wrong burning orientation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Mitchell Posted August 30, 2019 Author Share Posted August 30, 2019 Not moving them hot, but did not know about burning orientation - what's the correct way to have them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JD Hartman Posted August 31, 2019 Share Posted August 31, 2019 (edited) Double ended tubular lamp. In a spacelight I don't see how orientation would be an issue. Do you dim them up and down or are they full-mains power on? You should get at least 100 hours burn time or better. Check your mains voltage as well, is it on the high side? Edited August 31, 2019 by JD Hartman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans Lau Posted September 2, 2019 Share Posted September 2, 2019 Most of GE's Quartzline lamps specify burning position "Horizontal +/- 4 deg". If you are tilting these fixtures you might run afoul of that for some of the lamps in the fixture. That whole family of tubular lamps are notorious for premature failures and it is often exacerbated by reflector designs that trap more heat than the lamps can take. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Donald Mitchell Posted September 2, 2019 Author Share Posted September 2, 2019 I'll check the voltage. I never use the spacelights at an angle, only horizontally. Sometimes dim them but usually just switched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Parnell Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 Normally when I run spacelights I chuck a dimmer curve in the console that limits them to somewhere between 85-90% (this depends on the dimmer itself, if the voltage of the stage is on the high side, I may go a little further). The 10-15% reduction doesn’t tend to affect the output much, but does increase lamp life a lot. Bringing the lamps on and off softly does also help. I find transporting with globes in the head, though often unavoidable, adds to the problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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