Hanging Light Bulbs

[PuppetLight]

I am the student lighting technician for my school, and the only lighting technician in the building and for the school production I have been asked to rig up some standard light bulbs to be flown in, or permanently hung above the set, to be controlled from our desk.

I have no idea how to wire what to what, and how to rig it, any advise would be welcome!!

Thanks

Chris

[mark_s]

Find a knowledgeable professional to do it for you or demonstrate how to do it and then supervise you, before you kill either yourself or some unsuspecting innocent. Sorry for the blunt reply, but mains electricity isn't something you want to get wrong, and isn't something you (should) learn about from experimentation.

[david.elsbury]

The concept is good, well done on a well writtenpost, and for asking for help. :)

 

Is festoon lighting an option for your show? This would remove the need to wire anything up specific for your show. Or could you use (for example) the portable inspection lamps that plug in?

 

Your dimmers will be able to dim regular lightbulbs with no issues, you will need to calculate the current draw to assess if you are within spec for your equipment. Physics teacher could assist?

 

You can hire y splits to plug multiple lights into one dimmer channel, again, check calculation.

 

You could call your local hire company and ask, I'm sure they would be happy to advise.

 

Finally, don't go messing with electricity or mains wiring. Too much to go wrong!

 

Hth

 

David

[adam2]

The wiring of basic pendant lampholders is very simple, but still not to be recomended for the inexperienced as mistakes with electricity can have very serious consequences.

 

Get somone suitably experienced to wire d0m3stic type hanging lampholders to suitable flex and plugs that fit your dimmed outlets.

Observe how the job is done, and perhaps do some yourself under supervision, it is a basic and easily learnt skill but best learnt by example from somone experienced. Remember to use old fashioned filament bulbs and not modern energy saving lamps as most of these can not be dimmed.

[sleah]

Apart from what has been mentioned, you need to be very aware of having bare 'bulbs' (lamps for the pedantics :P ) hanging, especially if they are to be flown. Could there be a chance if they are flown in of them swinging on their cords and hitting something? I don't even want to think of the consequences.. :o

Ditto for something hitting them even if they are statically hung?

[kerry davies]

The safety aspects have been covered so on a slightly more positive note, I have done this sort of thing plenty of times and safely as well.

One thing I did learn was that over-sized "bulbs" make it an awful lot more "representative". A normal 100W household incandescent looks a bit puny on stage and if they are to be dimmed, a really good effect, then the bigger the bulb the better.

 

Yes they do have to be fixed properly, yes hanging them where they will be bumped into is bonkers but all this is common sense once someone competent has made up the pendants for you.

[Stuart91]

Remember to use old fashioned filament bulbs and not modern energy saving lamps as most of these can not be dimmed.

 

As has been said above, large bulbs will look better on stage. But aren't most traditional filament bulbs now discontinued? I can't remember the last time I saw a 150w BC bulb on a shop shelf. Are larger bulbs available through other channels, on the understanding that they're for specialist rather than domestic use?

[sleah]

Remember to use old fashioned filament bulbs and not modern energy saving lamps as most of these can not be dimmed.

 

As has been said above, large bulbs will look better on stage. But aren't most traditional filament bulbs now discontinued? I can't remember the last time I saw a 150w BC bulb on a shop shelf. Are larger bulbs available through other channels, on the understanding that they're for specialist rather than domestic use?

 

The likes of B&Q don't seem to sell them. However, I have seen halogen lamps in a more traditional clear glass envelope, but they tend to be lower power (50W or so), they could be dimmed though.

[timsabre]

You can still buy normal 100W light bulbs, but they are now classed as "rough service" or "industrial use only". I suspect they are identical, but while I can still avoid the scourge of compact fluorescent I don't really care and I have a big box of them in my garage.

 

for example

http://www.tlc-direc.../LARS100BC.html

[timtheenchanteruk]

they do the halogen jobbies in a range of wattages, the common being 28,42 and 70, you can get 105W too (got some in front of me :) )

 

Larger conventional ones are about, but can be pricey, and harder to get hold of, Crompton still make them afaik.

[sleah]

they do the halogen jobbies in a range of wattages, the common being 28,42 and 70, you can get 105W too (got some in front of me :) )

 

Larger conventional ones are about, but can be pricey, and harder to get hold of, Crompton still make them afaik.

I quite like the look of them too, I find them "interesting" much in the same way as conventional clear 'bulbs' but a bit different :** laughs out loud **:

 

 

 

 

I'll get me coat....

Anyone want to share the taxi?

[adam2]

Higher wattage GLS lamps are now not meant to be used d0m3sticly, but can still be found if you look around a bit, fleabay, markets and corner shops often have them.

In the longer term though I suspect that production may cease, or at the very least they that will be made in small numbers at very high prices by specialist firms rather than being a low priced commodity from many competing manufacturers.

[timtheenchanteruk]

as a slight aside, for reference more than anything in the future.

If you need frosted/pearl lamps they just don't exist any more in production (so our suppliers tell me anyway) what you can get though is an adaptor base that takes a G9 halogen capsule, and they then do a range of frosted (and clear) tops for them, in candle, golf, and GLS varieties, they can do this apparently as they don't sell it as a complete unit, so it gets round the rules somehow.

 

For anyone interested they are made by BELL and are called convertalamps.

[timsabre]

If you need frosted/pearl lamps they just don't exist any more in production (so our suppliers tell me anyway)

 

They must do, they are still commonly available through electrical wholesalers as "rough service". Unless there is an EU pearl lamp mountain somewhere.

[Nicktaylor]

I hav some old 500W Es bulbs in holders on a trailing wire. They tick over to give great effect. No scenery movement near so last the week without a problem