Source 4 Jnrs

[MarcT]

Hi All,

 

Very quick question - will I have any problems using a Source 4 Junior zoom (25-50) pointing straight down, possibly also fitted with an iris? (Reduced lamp life, mechanical / thermal issues, etc)

 

AIUI, these use an axially mounted HPL575 lamp, which would therefore be upside down. Are there recommended limits to the angle of dangle for HPL series lamps?

 

I had a quick look on ETC's website, but couldn't find anything relevant.

 

Cheers,

Marc

[Neil Frazer]

I used 12 S4 zooms pointing straight down for 1.5 years on tour with no issues what so ever. I think they blew one lamp in this time. Didn't have iris or gobo in but shouldn't make any difference. S4 Jnr should be the same.

[Matt]

I wouldnt have thought certain lamps (almost said bulbs :S, for those who know the debate ages ago, I digress) would have problems about which direction or orientation they are in, they do the same thing anyway, and think when they are in transport all the vibrations they get etc.. you would have thought they would brake, but they are made to withsdtand certain amounts, I know you definitely not meant to move some lanterns when they are on incase the bulb does grow, but as Neil said, dont see why there should be a problem with hanging them that way.

[Ike]

We seem to get through quite a lot of HPL575s at the moment but it is the base falling apart not the filament going...maybe its just a bad batch?

[James C]

We seem to get through quite a lot of HPL575s at the moment but it is the base falling apart not the filament going...maybe its just a bad batch?

What make are they? I've found a surprising number of prematurely demised Philips "Broadway" HPLs.

 

Incidentally, I've no idea if pointing a S4 Jr (in particular) straight down affects the life of the lamp, but it can be a consideration from one model of lantern to the next, Matt. AIUI lanterns are designed with vents to allow optimum airflow in their most likely position (at least that's why I was told not to hang lanterns upside down in the distant past). Therefore, if you move too far away from that position, the heat gets trapped in the uppermost part of the lantern, overheating the lamp.

[Ike]

Have just checked and they are Philips Broadways.

[colinmonk]

I wouldnt have thought certain lamps would have problems about which direction or orientation they are in, they do the same thing anyway, and think when they are in transport all the vibrations they get etc.. you would have thought they would brake, but they are made to withsdtand certain amounts, I know you definitely not meant to move some lanterns when they are on incase the bulb does grow, but as Neil said, dont see why there should be a problem with hanging them that way.

The problem isnt the lamp not working in that orientation, its more that the heat from the lamp goes up, and the base is directly above it, some lamps have problems with this as it damages the base and leads to majorly reduced lamp life, as in they jus break in all sorts of ways.

 

Back to the original question,

Source4's seem to be fine in this orientation, I have used them pointing straight down for periods of time, and would agree with Neil that they should be fine (cant say ive been doing it to them for 1.5years but hey!

[MarcT]

Thanks chaps! Sounds like this shouldn't be a problem then.

 

We seem to get through quite a lot of HPL575s at the moment but it is the base falling apart not the filament going...maybe its just a bad batch?

 

I have also seen this happen - not sure what make they were...

 

Cheers,

Marc

[Martin]

In theory of course this shouldn't be a problem, but as the S4jr is a smaller unit than the fixed beam version (but with the same lamp) it does get much hotter at the back of the unit, due to reduced ventilation holes. On some of the early models I have heard of problems with the reflectors failing due to heat. A bit like our Strand Brio's [spits] :o The reflectors tend to crack prematurely.

 

Nowadays this may not be a problem with the newer S4jr's, but personally I wouldn't run them pointing down for extended periods.

[Just Some Bloke]

At least you can point S4JZs straight down if you want to. Our Hamony profiles [spits] :o won't physically point that way due to the design of the yolk. Prior to getting some S4s, if we wanted to have a top light profile, it meant hanging the lantern off the side of the bar and tightening it up virtually to breaking point so it didn't pull itself down again with the weight (harmonies are heavy!). Nowadays we just reach for a Source 4.

 

Thank you ETC!

[gareth]

Our Hamony profiles [spits] :o won't physically point that way due to the design of the yolk. Prior to getting some S4s, if we wanted to have a top light profile, it meant hanging the lantern off the side of the bar and tightening it up virtually to breaking point so it didn't pull itself down again with the weight (harmonies are heavy!).

It's a Strand thang! Used to be the same before Harmonies when T-Spots were all the rage, and it's the same with most of the Cantata range (unless you fit the yoke onto the lamphouse instead of the lenstube, which then seriously unbalances the fixture).

[Stu]

Our Hamony profiles [spits] :o  won't physically point that way due to the design of the yolk.

When I used to be at school (in the dark old ages) I'm sure we used to have a couple (out of a pile of like 30!) of Harmonies (forgotten which flavour) that had been 'modded' to put the yoke further up the lantern, and we'd put the bit that attaches to the lantern lower down the yoke (as there is 3 different holes I think?) so we could get the yoke over the top.

 

Perhaps these where a later model / release and you could do this!

 

(harmonies are heavy!)

 

Don't remind me!

 

Stu