Lifting Heavy Lights

[benash]

A while back I witnessed some folks lifting a couple of largish movers (ROBE 1200's I think but I can't remember exactly) from ground level up to the FOH bridge using a chain hoist. The chosen technique was to clip the light's safety tether onto the hook of the hoist and lift away. I didn't really like the look of the whole setup so thought I'd ask if there was a standard way of lifting heavy lights when they aren't in their road cases.

 

Cheers,

 

Ben

[son of lx dad]

Secure from the points that are designed to take the load of the unit - which (one would hope) would include the safety point. If the safety can't take at least the load of the unit then its not really possible to use as a safety is it?

[David Lee]

An OTT way I've seen - but usable - superlifts. (personally I hate the things , unwieldy nasty things :) )

[jonathanhill]

Personally I would put the flight case in a lift that went all the way to the FoH bridge. Or failing that a double purchase pulley system and a couple of strong lads normally suffice.

[ChrisBogg]

I would go for a pulley system but rather than use the safety point of the hook clamps I would pass the rope or strop though the handle on the unit then under the base of the mover and though the yoke and back up though the handle on the other side.

 

This then allows you to hang the unit easily when it gets to the top without messing about undoing the rope or what have you. This allows the man on the floor to keep hold of the unit on a rope until the unit is hung and the clamps tight.

 

Hope this helps

 

Chris

[jonathanhill]

I tend to use the screwgate of the safety for everything apart from 1000, 2000 and 3000 series V*L's, when I tie a bowline through the handles. Of course that needs me to be on the ground tieing the knot, and I am usually harnessed to the top of a prosc boom or standing in the basket of a 'scope at the time.

[Roderick]

A while back I witnessed some folks lifting a couple of largish movers (ROBE 1200's I think but I can't remember exactly) from ground level up to the FOH bridge using a chain hoist. The chosen technique was to clip the light's safety tether onto the hook of the hoist and lift away.

Sound fine to me.

Would you have any suggestions how you would prefer to see it done?

 

I tend to use the screwgate of the safety for everything apart from 1000, 2000 and 3000 series V*L's, when I tie a bowline through the handles.

Lifting equipment, other than just out of the case, by their handles is a very bad idea.

[Bryson]

I see that sentence all the time, but isnt a handle built for lifting the device with? I'm serious - surely there's a standard requiring a handle to be able to withstand the weight of the unit?

[niclights]

On those VL units the handle is also the safety point.

[AndyJones]

Lifting by the handles is fine, because obviously the handles need to be able to take the weight of the unit. However the handles are NOT designed for the shock force of a fall, and therefore should not be used as a safety point (Unless the manufacturer has stated otherwise I.e VL units).

 

Andy Jones

[benash]

A while back I witnessed some folks lifting a couple of largish movers (ROBE 1200's I think but I can't remember exactly) from ground level up to the FOH bridge using a chain hoist. The chosen technique was to clip the light's safety tether onto the hook of the hoist and lift away.

Sound fine to me.

Would you have any suggestions how you would prefer to see it done?

No, hence:

thought I'd ask if there was a standard way of lifting heavy lights when they aren't in their road cases.

:)

[WiLL]

Chain hoist, (as I'm a team of one) and a 1 tonne strap around both handles and under the ballast of the mover is how I do it. As to the handle comment, if the handles aren't strong enough to do a slow steady lift of the unit with, then they aren't fit for purpose and should bear the label 'Not fit for lifting the unit with'. Which, unless you particularly like the aesthtics of plastic handles, would make them entirely pointless. I've yet to see a manufacturer instruction saying I shouldn't lift the unit by it's handle.

[Pete McCrea]

Is the difference possibly in the difference between lifting and **lifting**? As in lifting it by hand, where the body is unlikely to suddenly apply a shock loading to the unit, and **lifting** (perhaps better described as Hoisting?) where a chain motor could apply an impulse load to the unit that the handle isn't designed to withstand? From memory isn't it good practice to leave 25% capacity on a motor point to cover the start up impulse loading - I.e a max of 750Kg on a 1T point?

 

Just a thought!

 

And there's something in me that feels wrong about hanging a fixture from a motor and hoisting it aloft. I've no idea why!!

[son of lx dad]

I would go for a pulley system but rather than use the safety point of the hook clamps I would pass the rope or strop though the handle on the unit then under the base of the mover and though the yoke and back up though the handle on the other side.

 

Chris

 

This is incorrect and will cause more harm than good. The rope should never pass through the yoke. Passing the rope through the yoke will put the connecting bearing under compression with the weight of both the head and the base which it is not designed to do. Instead pass the rope through the handle and then back across the top of the unit so only the handles are taking the lift of the unit as they are (sic) designed to.

[lxdad]

Is the difference possibly in the difference between lifting and **lifting**? As in lifting it by hand, where the body is unlikely to suddenly apply a shock loading to the unit, and **lifting** (perhaps better described as Hoisting?) where a chain motor could apply an impulse load to the unit that the handle isn't designed to withstand? From memory isn't it good practice to leave 25% capacity on a motor point to cover the start up impulse loading - I.e a max of 750Kg on a 1T point?

 

Just a thought!

 

And there's something in me that feels wrong about hanging a fixture from a motor and hoisting it aloft. I've no idea why!!

 

That would make it a 750kg motor then wouldn't it? They say 1t on the side for a reason.

 

You will soon know if you have overloaded a motor because when you press up there will be some noise and it will go down. Then everyone will point and laugh at you.

If you have really overloaded it, when you panic and take your finger off the up button the brake will fail and it will simply continue to go down until it meets something hard enough to stop it. Or the chain will snap. If this happens take some photos and post them here.

 

Lx Dad