Another LED Par question

[ekul1978]

Been looking round at various LED Pars and came across these:

 

https://www.aliexpre...ef-4b3d2e0bb290

 

 

 

 

Price wise they look quite good and there are a few bundle deals too, but the main selling point that I'm looking at is the power link feature as this would make rigging them in our school studio a lot easier rather than running multiple power cables/extensions. I've read the other LED Par posts about other fixtures but was wondering if anyone had any experience with these. May order just one to see what they are like but ideally looking for around 10-12. As for Aliexpress I've ordered some stuff from there in the past and not had any problems but they were just some servos so nothing too big.

[BenEdwards]

Yes, I just had one arrive. I also have 5 other very similar 54*3watt lantern with plastic shells (2 slightly different models but very similar). The main issue is the fans in the one you are looking at are (IMHO) quite loud. My first impression was that they are louder than the other similar models I have but need to take them in and do a proper compare. We have 5 rigged around 4 meters high and the noise is just about OK but you can hear them slightly when everything is quiet but we have not had performers complain. When you fist get them out they all seem loude when standing next to them but if you rig them high it is OK. I certainly would not use them on floor level.

 

They are fairly bright (2 crossed will give a decent wash on a 8-meter wide stage) and the color quality ant bad (for cheap LED cans).

 

The white LEDs are useless. Not only are they harsh for lighting skin (which is the same as all but the most expensive LEDS) but the positioning means they throw light a little wider than the RGB ones so blending them in is not does not work well.

 

In terms of the saturation of the colour it ant bad.

 

You can get this model cheaper than the link you had and other (I think quieter) cans using the same LEDS (but plastic shell) are cheaper.

 

There are ones branded as eurolife 54X3W RGBW LED which are £30.

 

I have found that even the same make/model the fan nose can vary. I recently got 3 54X3W RGBW LED (http://www.ebay.co.u...JcAAOSwr7ZW53Zd) and the fan on one was a lot noisier than the other two.

 

Also with this cheap Chinese stuff make sure you use them with a DMX isolated/splitter as you don't want them shorting , sending mains down the DMX cable and frying everything.

 

Think is all the cheap stuff I have seen has fans and you would have to pay a lot more for ones that bright or without fans.

 

I would get a few slightly different models of the 43x3w ones and see what you think. fan noise will probably be the only real difference and you can use a mixture and you should not notice any difference in terms of the light/spread.

 

there are also some slimline (flatter) ones. I avoided these as I thought they may be noisier but due to the latest one 9like you are looking at) seeming noisier I would get one and see,In terms of power we use ceeform extensions. fidelity to make up but work well. Stage electrics do the plugs sockets at a good price. I would not imagine you would be able to find anything in this type of budget with pass through power.

 

Be

[dbuckley]

I have some that look identical to these other than they have power cables, and not powercons. The ones I use are RGB, not RGBW.

 

When I say "I have some of these", I ordered eighrt of these in batches of two over a few weeks, from the same supplier, and have two distinct version. The ones just like these have the clicky buttons, are 7 channel, and a LEDs are beginning to fail. The others look the same other than they have membrane buttons, are three channel, and all four work just fine. They are noisy as hell though. The QTX 6x6 you'll have heard talk of in these parts which many of us have a very much quieter, and weigh a lot less too!

 

Edited to add: And internally, the two variants use different electronics. And the 7 channel ones flash all the LEDs on powerup, which is annoying. As these things are so loud, and I work in a theatrical setting, I relay switch these so they are only on (and thus loud) when required, which is usually for musical bits. So fixtures that flash when you start them up are a bit annoying...

 

http://davidbuckley.name/pix/led_settings.jpg

 

I think it's Paul that continually and correctly mentions: no two thing you order from China are the same. Buyer beware.

[ekul1978]

Thanks for the replies so far. Guess I will tread with caution. Like I said the price looks ok and the powercon in and out was the main thing making me lean towards them, they also look very similar to some of the LED pars one of the hire companies I use has. Sent them the link too to see if they are but no response as of yet. At least if they are I could go down and have a look for myself before committing to anything. I saw the ones you are talking about dbuckley with the trailing cables but that put me off as id rather be able to make my own powercon/DMX looms to the length I need.

[BenEdwards]

he OK, took in the one I just got which looks similar to the one you were looking at with aluminium cases `(but with power cords) and it is so noisy I had to take it down and won't be using it. For context, I have 3 54x3w the front bar and 2 on the middle bar above the stage. These are not quiet but when you are in the auditorium are just about OK. These had tough plastic shells and sell for around £30. The aluminium one was on the back bar and with it up the noise is about 3 times greater in the auditorium. Which is nuts as the aluminium shell should enable it to be necessary to have no or less fan cooling. Real shame as if they were quiet these would be extremely useful cans;(.

[ekul1978]

Still looking round for some semi decent LED pars and ive now come across these on gearsourceeurope. Again just wondering if anyone has any or has seen them in action as I cant seem to find any videos of them. The say they are convection cooled so no fan noise. May get two to have a look see. They are made by CLF which I haven't heard of before but that's not necessarily a bad thing I suppose unless anyone has information to the contrary.

 

 

 

 

http://www.gearsourceeurope.com/catalog/listing/58146

 

http://www.clf-lighting.com/product/clf-color-par-12/

 

 

 

[Don Allen]

I hope they have made a mistake with the 48 hours warranty.

 

You should be able to get a brighter outdoor no fan led par than this, as it is only RGB and 50W or maybe 72W.

[timsabre]

I would really recommend these, they do have fans but you cannot hear them even close up. They are impressively bright, have a useful beam angle of about 40 degrees (despite what the website says) and you can get a convincing white out of them.

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/stairville_led_par_64_cx3_rgbw_18x8w_b.htm

 

They have some in Beverley Memorial Hall, if you are over that way I could probably arrange a play/demo.

[ekul1978]

Thanks Tim that sounds good coming to have a look at them, price wise they look ok too. The only draw back for me is the lack of power in/out but will have to come up with some other options to get past this. We have the old RGB 5 channel Stairville pars and they are ok but not the best at all colours.

 

 

 

 

Forgot to ask too - are there any other options for adding a power through plug similar to the 16 Amp T-Connect IP44 PCE ones so daisy chaining the power is easier than running multiple 4 ways etc

 

http://www.10outof10.co.uk/acatalog/16A-CONNECTORS.html

 

 

[musht]

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-power/hp8210/splitter-iec-c14-to-2x-c13/dp/PL15013

 

moulded on plug IECs are much easier and avilable in all sorts of lengths.

 

Dunno if search for a C13/14 T-Line got anywhere?

[timsabre]

http://cpc.farnell.c...-c13/dp/PL15013

 

moulded on plug IECs are much easier and avilable in all sorts of lengths.

 

Dunno if search for a C13/14 T-Line got anywhere?

 

They do a Y cable which I find more convenient when rigging, but I cannot find it using their rubbish web search.

I don't think an IEC T-line is available unless you are happy to buy thousands from China.

[dmxlights]

I have a some of these and they are very handy. Its the T shaped ones I have

 

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/iec-c14-male-to-iec-c13-two-socket-female-splitter-black-l62az

[Don Allen]

If you are technically competent, you could get a 5 metre extension lead, cut it in half, put another cable gland into the back of the par and wire your two pieces of extension lead as a pass through. It will void your warranty though.

[ekul1978]

Thanks for the suggestion Don, I am competent but wouldn't want to really put another gland on the pars mainly for the warranty but also I don't think the school would like me doing it to their new lights ** laughs out loud **. Think I may investigate the IEC adaptors, they look usable ( we have lots of IEC leads and extensions at school)

[ekul1978]

Well not to resurrect an old thread but thought I would update my search for an LED par. Work decided to purchase two of these CX-3's to see what they are like.

 

https://www.thomann.de/gb/stairville_led_par_64_cx3_rgbw_18x8w_b.htm

 

Will add some pictures etc. of colours and beam angle when I get a chance but as a quick review they look very impressive. Took a while to come from Thomann as they were out of stock and to be honest we are dubious if they sent B stock as the boxes were in a bad way when they arrived but school is looking into that as they charged us for new. I can confirm the internal fan is very, very quiet and does produce some nice looking colours. Only draw backs are the cables are not that long and obviously come with a euro plug, but can change the plug and live with the length for now I suppose. When I have rigged them I will take some photos and post them so people can see what they are like.