Questions about studio lighting

[Mike Buckley]

I like the idea of trying long tongs to move the barn doors. I keep a good pair in the kitchen.

Thick Leather Gloves and common sense will be enough.

I see that Home Depot has the leather welding gloves Richard mentioned but where do I buy the common sense?

[William W]

haha! - that made me smile, you're on a roll: you must have moved the first case of wine . . .

BTW C.S. is short supply down here, too.

*

I adapted (inexpensive) long b.b.q tongs: I bent the 'tong' ends at about 90 degrees, about 1" from the ends, to be able to hook into the edge of the door, so I can be standing slightly behind and to the side of the light when adjusting the doors.

Using the tongs we need to have the light really secure: sandbags on the lighting stand, or the stand bolted/clamped or the light secured to a scaffold, etc. but that's just common sense . . .

[Mike Buckley]

I like the idea of bent tongs and probably would never have thought of it. Thanks!

[Mike Buckley]

I've got the welding gloves. Now if only the lighting equipment would arrive.

All of my studio lights are plugged into an outlet that is on a 120 volt/15 amp circuit. Is it likely that I can use this new light using the 600 watt bulb at the same time that I use 8 compact fluorescent bulbs rated 32 watts? If I can't use all of the compact fluorescent bulbs, about how many could I use along with the 600 watt bulb? I've never had to use all eight at the same time but it would be nice to know that I could if I had the need.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Mike,

8 x 32W = 256W for all CFL on + the 600W = 856W

I (Amps) = Power/Volts = 856/120 = 7.13 Amps, so you'll only be half loading that 15A circuit by my calculations.

If anyone thinks I got my sums wrong (I may be rusty), please shout now - before Mike burns his house down!

Of course, being serious, the CB would drop first (or should).

Also, don't be tempted to double everything, as switch-on surges could drop the CB before you get to 15A worth of load, especially if you switch the whole lot off/on together, instead of sequencing the start by switching each lamp bank individually.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Dave!

Though only if you're right.

[William W]

Dave's right.

[Manfred M]

The real question is what else is wired into that circuit?

If it's just those lamps, no issue, but if it's also on a circuit where heavy duty small appliances are plugged in as well (iron, hair dryer, washing machine), there could be the occasional issue.

[Mike Buckley]

The real question is what else is wired into that circuit?

Nothing else is on the circuit. Sorry that I forgot to explain that detail.

[Manfred M]

Nothing else is on the circuit. Sorry that I forgot to explain that detail.

That definitely helps; based on the power draw you have given, you are well within the power level that your circuit can deliver.

I remember trying to explain to my wife that having her ironing while watching TV, while my daughter was running a hair dryer was the cause of the circuit breaker tripping. She seemed to think that each room ran on a different circuit.

[Mike Buckley]

Manfred: Your story about your wife reminds me and perhaps others to keep in mind that the information written on the door of the circuit breaker panel could be wrong. Even though it explains that nothing other than this one outlet is on the circuit, I tested the accuracy of that information as well as I could when doing so by myself (lacking anyone at the time to check other parts of the house when I turned the pertinent circuit breaker on and off). Even so, understanding the history of why circuits were added to the house over its 70-year life, it does make sense in this particular case that this one outlet I use for my studio lighting would have a dedicated circuit.

[Rob Ekins]

Mike,
You could test the whole house on your own in under five minutes.

Turn off every breaker except the one for your studio, grab a small desk lamp and plug it into every outlet in the house, any outlet that is on that circuit will light up the lamp. Make sure you do all of them...you will have to reset a few clocks etc but you will have peace of mind.

[Mike Buckley]

Good idea I hadn't thought of, Robbie!

[Mike Buckley]

The light unit arrived unexpectedly today, as I wasn't expecting it until next week. Oddly, it came with a used bulb that blew the second time I turned the unit on even though I seem to remember that the product was advertised as not including the bulb. More oddly, the unit didn't come with the safety glass. It will only cost about $15 including shipping to buy the safety glass but the product wasn't advertised as not including it, at least not to my memory. So, I'll contact the provider to ask their thoughts about that.

Manfred mentioned that the unit has no handle. He might have been thinking as I was that the thingy displayed in the photo on the back of the unit is the focusing device. Now that I have the unit, I realize the thingy displayed in the photo is a very small handle (perhaps so small that it is not particularly helpful and perhaps will get hot) and the focusing mechanism is not displayed in the photo.

[Manfred M]

Mike - you should definitely consider getting the shield. It will do two things; (a) help contain any residue from a bulb that shatters and (b) blocking ultraviolet (UV) emitted by the halogen bulb. Glass blocks UV, but the quartz used in halogen bulbs does not.

A handle that is built the way you describe it sounds rather useless. Good thing you have those gloves.

[Rob Ekins]

I would not be overly concerned with using the fixture without the glass on a safety level Mike. 25 years of lighting things and I have never seen or heard of this kind of lamp exploding.
My concern is that the glass looks to be frosted, it is hard to tell from the photos on the SV website. If it is frosted it will affect the softness of light coming from the unit not having it in line.

[Mike Buckley]

The safety glass is "clear glass," which I assume indicates that it is not frosted. Frosted glass would be translucent rather than transparent (clear).

I have to wonder about the need for safety glass. That's because Smith-Victor makes a similar model that is less expensive than my model would be if bought new. The less expensive model does not ship with the safety glass though the glass and frame that holds it can be bought separately. If it's really unsafe to omit the safety glass, I have to believe the company wouldn't ship the unit without it.

As for the UV issue, I don't do documentary photography. So, the precise color that is being rendered is unimportant to me; only the mood is important.

[Manfred M]

As for the UV issue, I don't do documentary photography. So, the precise color that is being rendered is unimportant to me; only the mood is important.

I wasn't thinking photography, I was thinking eye protection from UV radiation.

[Mike Buckley]

Would a CTB gel prevent harm from UV radiation?

[Rob Ekins]

Mike,
Go make some images and enjoy learning to use your new tool...

Manfred....Seriously!!!