Blinder/molefays without much power

[Matt Riley]

Hi guys,

 

I'm looking at augmenting our current lighting rig. One of the solutions I've got to come up with is a way of using blinders. The main limitation is the available power - I reckon we've got 18A max, and the hall is a fan shaped 350 seat auditorium being used in this case for gigs. We've got one 2 channels of the showtec multidim left, or I could get another one in if necessary.

 

1) Would a pair of 2-lites be bright enough for the desired effect. I've used lots of them before on big gigs, but am unsure how it will work?

 

2) Are there any other bulb options apart from the P36 - 650W 120v ones which would draw less power?

 

3) How bright are the showtec sunstrips relative to stuff I know and love?

 

The budget would be about 200 quid max so that excludes the pixelline approach sadly.

 

Cheers,

 

Matt

[J Pearce]

Sunstrips are more than bright enough to be used as blinders, as would any howie batten.

 

I've seen some PAR16 based 4lites somewhere before. Not as bright as proper 4lites but in glare-y blinder position they work well enough.

[niclights]

A pair of 2-cell DWE's would always be my choice out of those suggestions. The lamps are a wide flood and this is important. Things like the sunstrips are narrow spots and look horrible as blinders IMO. The same is true for any MR16 type. Also, due to the lower power they tend to snap on or off. This might be fine, but you can't beat the natural afterglow on DWE's. As for pixelline or any other LED as blinder. Yuk!

[themadhippy]

Codas or equivalent floods work well,you could drop the lamp down to 300w to save a bit of power.

[dmxtothemax]

Why dont you try,those cheap 500w tunsten halogen flood lights,

They are really cheap, have a broad beam, good for blinders,

and a broad range of lamp wattages are available,

500w, 300w, 200w, 150w,

very flexable.

[Ashley R]

Actually back a few months ago I was still using those 500w Work Light floods as blinders until I recently upgraded to proper ones.

 

I did a comparison between the two and the DWE ones just look much much better as its a slow fade in and a slow glow out. compared to a instantaneous Flash that you get from the floodlights.

 

but I have made them work. and they work quite nicely when you don't have an alternative and the lamps are nice and cheap :)

 

(DWE Lamps cost about $50.00 compared to 500w halogen ones at $5.00)

[marktownend]

Seem to remember the Opera House in Bournemouth (now the O2 Academy) at one stage were running a pair of cheap halogen 1000w floods as blinders for dance events. 4amps each, fittings £10 each from the 1st catalogue I had to hand with them in (Toolstation) and lamps at 85p each. Certainly did the job for 3000 pilled up ravers.

[smalljoshua]

WRT to the fade times on Halogen Floods, why don't you set up a timed sub so when you hit the flash button it brings them up in approx 0.4s then down in approx 2s

 

Josh

[ed_ld]

Hi,

 

I have a few of the Showtec Compact Blinders that I save for venues when power is an issue, I bought them because rental companies don't seem to stock them as they aren't so tough, here's a link :-

 

http://www.highlite.nl/index.php/highlite/...mpact_blinder_4

 

They take 120v 250w lamps and come as 2 ways, 4 ways or 6 ways. They're very bright and don't pull as much power as the par 36 DWEs. They've got me out of quite a few holes over the years, I love em!

I got mine from Lighting Partners who don't seem to have them on their site anymore but I'm sure a quick google will find you some. I bought the 6 light versions and they were only 50 quid each.

HTH

 

Ed

[Ashley R]

Wow Never seen those Mini Blinders and never knew they existed till now. Look like a very interesting product to me.

 

Especially when more than 50% of the venues I go around to don't have 3 phase power and I end up having to scab power from all over the place.

 

Hmmm now I wonder if anyone sells them in Australia.