Gazlights Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 Just wondered how often you do maintenance of your lighting rig? and what you have to document in paperwork for this type of task? I've been asked to make paperwork for a daily/weekly and monthly maintenace routine/schedule..... surely this is just a case of walking round the righ and checking for dead lamps/gel burnouts etc..... what else should I be looking for? cheers for the advice :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevieR Posted October 17, 2006 Share Posted October 17, 2006 If its an install then an annual clean is always recommended. Don't know how many venues/theatre's that I've been in where the in house kit is full of gunk! And lets not forget the annual (or more regular if deemed necessary) PAT test. This should have a record. As we're a hire co, maintenance is an ongoing routine. Kit is checked when it comes back off hire and any problems noted and dealt with then. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimWebber Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Personally, I would do the following... Daily: lamp check, just put the entire rig on 10-20% walk round and spot any duds. I would be tempted to do this before every performance as well. Weekly: Again, a lamp check, but with a view to replacing any badly faded or burnt filters. Monthly: Depending on ease of access, (Bridges, catwalks etc.) I would carry out a visual inspection of hook clamps, bolts, safety bonds etc. Annually:Obviously PAT test each lantern. When it is down from the rig, this is an ideal chance to clean reflectors, lenses etc. Also an excellent time to free up sticky shutters/barn-doors/focus mechanisms/whatever. It may also be worth casting your eye over any suspension or fixing arrangements. Although part of the building structure, and not the lighting per-se, to my mind the building/barrel interface is the weakest point in any installation. Just my 2p I'm sure others have just as good ideas! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted October 18, 2006 Share Posted October 18, 2006 Try working in a nightclub enviroment. My maintenance schedule consists of cleaning movers every 3 or 4 weeks, usually every 8th week I'll gut them out and clean the lenses and motors. Also every other week I'll sort cables/rewire anything/changed lamps/general clean up. If you think about the amount of smoke that gets used on clubnights and band nights not to mention clubs and bands rigging and de-rigging all kinda of things and requiring certain equipment in certain places - it does get on top of you. During the Fringe festival (4 weeks) we went through nearly 15 litres of smoke fluid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazlights Posted October 19, 2006 Author Share Posted October 19, 2006 Great.....I'm putting the schedule together now bit its made even more difficult by the fact that most of the rig has been focused before I started and as the production shows are pre-programmed by another operator I have to just program any guests we may get...its a pain in the ass! its really difficult to find lamps that are in any usefull position for the guest performers, thank god I've got some twirlies... :D I dont know how they expect me to maintain the lamps when I cant move them for fear of messing up the focus...it would be okay if I knew it but I've only been here two weeks! So what do you use during maintenance of lamps/fixtures? Alcohol? soapy water? oil? silicon? any tips? I wish I could just find a maintenace guide for each fixture.....would make this alot easier! anyone know where I'd find any usefull info? I'm using ec90 dimmers, 85 lekos, 85 par64, 28 scrollers, Mac 300/250's,source 4's,lycian spots, martin magnum pro smoke machines.... cheers once again...good to see how different everyones schedules are....I for one am glad I dont work in a nightclub Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dosxuk Posted October 19, 2006 Share Posted October 19, 2006 During the Fringe festival (4 weeks) we went through nearly 15 litres of smoke fluid. 15 litres a week here! Three rooms with stupid amounts of air-con = lots of fluid used. Had our delivery today - 200 litres - should last till christmas! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayselway Posted October 20, 2006 Share Posted October 20, 2006 For me, in theatre work, it's pretty much what Jim said. Clubs - oh 'eck - what a palaver! Seriously though, it depends on the use of the club. My regular venue has 4 rooms open 3 nights a week, but the remaining night has only 2 of those rooms running. Based on how the rig looks, we have come to a schedule of: Frequent rooms: Fortnightly dust out and check, monthly lens clean / full clean out. Other two rooms: Monthly dust out / check, alternate months lens clean etc... The rig itself gets checked every month, while I'm up there, to make sure that nothing has worked loose, and gets a brushing down to get rid of that awful fur! Documentation wise, each light has a sheet in a folder, detailing: date, job done, comments. I find it helps to keep track of things. Also noted is any repairs and parts fitted, just in case the client comes back and says "didn't you repair that last week?" :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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