Help my chandeliers are disintegrating

[opman]

Can anyone point me in the direction of alternatives to crystal chandeliers for use as houselights. Need four of, dimmable obviously, max weight 50kg. Current [horrible 70's style] ones are about 1 metre height, have 40 x 40 watt fittings and have been condemned by insurance company. Budget = 5K but that has to include any dimmer replacement if required. Energy saving is a consideration as we are urged to be green.

[musht]

Is that 40 lamps per fitting or 40 lamps total?

 

When you say crystal, does it sparkle with a rainbow or just act like a hall of mirrors. Full lead crystal sparkles with a rainbow , ages gracefully and has a residual value if you scrap current fittings. Bohemian crystal doesn`t sparkle into rainbows, goes milky white with age and should go to a bottle bank when its done. Lead crystal costs multiples of cost of Bohemian new.

 

If its some sort of 70`s glass confection, still might have a value to a dealer in modern collectible furniture. Chandeliers can sometimes be converted into smaller fittings.

 

5k sounds fairly tight on budget depending what you have to include,are the units winched?

[Jivemaster]

What was the point of failure? What must you change?

 

Going green could be a problem for chandeliers as the twinkle depends on the tight source of a filament (or a candle!)

 

http://www.emanator.demon.co.uk/bigclive/halogen.htm -- might similarly be un insurable!

 

 

 

FIBRE OPTIC - SHEMMIRA CHANDELIER -- http://www.starcloth.com/fibreoptic.html --- effect but brightness issue

 

http://www.christopher-wray.com/ Have probably been asked just your questions (today)

 

Most importantly, what will suit your remaining interior design?

 

Remember the brightness of the finished product is probably a term of your venue licensing.

 

CFL and discharge lamps will not dim. Leds will be costly for adequate brightness