DJGold

hernan · Joined: February 5th, 2006 Posts: 90

A reply to my query "coolest new lights" brought a response that opened up this subject.

HAs anybody been working with the newest generation of LED's or have you been loading your par cans with the low wattage flouescent lights?

It seems like I could put on quite a light show with less than a
1 amp(ampere) power draw.

I am really interested in the 500 watt flourescent cone shaped (what are those called) screwbase lightbulbs that I saw at home depot. Being that they were on special @ home depot, I didnt brave buying them.

But that would sure be nice to have 2000 watts of color for less than 200 watts draw.

There must be a color shift. I wonder if the gel companies have a gel filter?

dokai · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 2:10 pm Post subject:

There MAY also be a difference in the reaction time on the lamp. Flourescent lamps typically take a little longer to light up once power is applied, although they're a lot faster today than they used to be. I can remember turning on the basement lights at the top of the stairs and getting halfway down the stairs to the basement before the lights came on. Given the hazard of falling down the stairs in the dark, I probably should have used a regular light. :D

As far as the LED fixtures go, there was a REALLY good review of them here:

http://start.djgold.com/talk/viewtopic.php?t=1047

It's a bit long, but goes into a LOT of detail regarding issues encountered, fixes applied, etc. Also includes some great pics of the equipment in action. Highly recommended reading!

BillESC · Posted: Tue Mar 07, 2006 3:31 pm Post subject:

Dokai is correct about the Compact Fluorescent bulbs, they require close to one minute to reach full brightness.

The LED fixtures are the way to go and considering you could load a 20 amp outlet with over 200 of them, power becomes a moot issue.

hernan · Joined: February 5th, 2006 Posts: 90

I have a 100 watt flourescent that needs only 2 seconds to turn fully on.

The 90 watts of the LED fixture is not a lot of power.

A scanner with 250 watt bulb seems small(light output) now adays.

It might be nice to devise a slow dimmer/ switcher that utilized the slow turn on rate.
At any rate I never considered synching the flourescents to the music. If I had I might not have posed the question. I was just thinking cheap low AC drain color splash. But the dig is this. I dont want to haul in more than I have to.

I must admit that I will use LED's eventually. But I do not think we are "there" yet.

I understand that the large touring lighting companys are switching or at least warming towards a switch.

I read in the trade journals that Gels might become a thing of the past.
I guess that is your best indicator, when big time Lighting Designers say such things.