cliveybaby Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Hi all has anyone found that the 500hr ELC halagen lamps in cheaper effect lights dont last any where near that the 50 hr standard ones last about 50ish hours is there a reason for this they are all respacatble makes eg. GE, osram, phillps etc Cliveybaby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aidso Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Are the lamps being allowed time to cool? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 Yes. I would say it's very common. Possibly specific to fixture, but in my experience they are terribly unreliable lamps. I have used in a variety of lovely stand-alone disco effects including Datamoons and Twisters. Both had poor life, especially the Twisters. And that includes running the former at the low voltage setting and our supply tending more towards the 230v zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ynot Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 One theory I have for low life expectancy in such fixtures is that the manufacturer's life quotes may well be for the lamp burning in a static position. Sticking them in a wildly vibrating fixture like disco lighting is bound to have a detrimental effect on longevity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
niclights Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I don't think so. There are far fewer moving parts in these than in any average moving head. In fact with the Twisters you have two motors, both spend most of their time gently rotating. The fixtures are so simple there is plenty of space for air to move around and the fans shift enough air. My theories are that it is either the air flow itself that they don't like or, more likely, that they don't cope well with the initial 0-100% strike. If they had a more gentle start or even a preheat I think life would be much closer to spec. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinE Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 I think it's a combination of the intolerable heat some fixtures subject the lamp to (the datamoon runs cool BTW) and maybe more so the bashing around in the back of the Transit when they're still hot. Add to that the temptingly cheap ELC's around from our eastern friends and there we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cliveybaby Posted July 8, 2008 Author Share Posted July 8, 2008 yer all makes sense the lights are static BTW so never get moved around Think I will try a full set of cheap standards and then a quality set and see If their is not much difference then bulk loads of cheap bulbsim afraid I wish they had choose the better but slightly more expensive option withlong life discharge lampsthe light quality would be better too oh well they will never learn Cheers all CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sound In Gloucestershire Posted July 8, 2008 Share Posted July 8, 2008 ive always been under the impression that the long life lamps were approx 300hours? ive had these in a pair of lights for about 18 months without changing a lamp. At the end of each evening I set them to blackout (which turns the lamp off after a minute or so, but the fan keeps blowing) and its the last thing I switch off so they are nice and cool also I was once told by the Lamp Suppliers that the approx hours and based upon a controlled environment with cool air being blown across etc, which isnt always realistic and doesnt reflect what the lamp is inside! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamtastic3 Posted July 9, 2008 Share Posted July 9, 2008 Just to say that you an get 1000 hour versions but I'm guessing from the opinions of life expectancy of 500 hour versions, the 1000 hour lamps won't last that long either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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