Aging fixture questions

[hmhyde]

Most of the fixtures used in our blackbox were purchased either when it was built, or from before it was rebuilt into its current form, that being 17 years ago. As they are true workhorses, they are beginning to show signs of their age, just recently during strike I noticed this

Should I be concerned or take any action? I would in the ideal like to keep the fixtures as long as possible as we have no annual budget to speak of, and all of our fixtures were named by the techs over the years.

[65535]

The only thing I see wrong with that picture is someone wearing sandals while working with lighting instruments.

The fixture is a little dusty, wouldn't hurt to clean it off, pop it open see if it needs any cleaning, maybe wipe down the lense while you're at it.

[hmhyde]

That was someone that was holding the light whilst I took the picture, but you are right, there should be no sandals whilst working with lights, so the paint chipping off is not an issue?

[Les]

Not particularly. Looks like the SHS stencil was done with non-high temp paint, which is heating up and flaking while taking the factory coating with it. It could cause small rust spots, but it isn't something to be overly concerned about. I have seen those 65Q's missing half their paint around their midsection, possibly due to long hours and/or 1,000w lamps (they are only rated for 750w).

Overall, while unattractive, it won't cause any operational or safety issues.

If you would like to correct the issue, you could sand down the stenciled area and hit it with some flat black high temp paint (500 degree or higher). Duplicolor from an auto parts store is a good choice, but just about any paint designed for stoves, grills or engine headers will work. A $5 can will do a nice light coating on multiple instruments (just be sure to remove the lens and put a baggy over the lamp and reflector assembly).

You can re-stencil the school initials using high-temp paint as well, but you will probably have to go to an auto parts store for any color other than black or white.

FWIW, this is an Altman 65Q; still manufactured.

[MNicolai]

That was someone that was holding the light whilst I took the picture, but you are right, there should be no sandals whilst working with lights, so the paint chipping off is not an issue?

The only paint I see chipping off is the spray paint, and even if the fixture's paint was chipping it'd be fine -- wouldn't expect anything else from a fixture of that age.

If the lamp socket is fine, the lens is still in one piece, the wires aren't shorting out, and you can still source lamps for this thing -- it'll continue to be a workhorse for you (regardless of any flaky paint).

While there are better fresnels out there, a lot of theatres still have these kinds of fresnels in daily use. There's so little that can go wrong with them that if the socket and lens are still in working condition, the fixture will pretty much work just as good now as it did when it was new. The only exception is that in its old age the track the Spot/Flood adjustment rides on may be getting a little sticky.

[avkid]

I've got fresnels like that no less than 40 years old.

[zmb]

The only exception is that in its old age the track the Spot/Flood adjustment rides on may be getting a little sticky.

Agreed, they also seem to catch sometime and aim more light to the inside of it instead of the lens.

[gafftapegreenia]

Hey man, that 65Q is black, you can't call them old unless they're brown.

[Clifford]

We've got 24 old brown 75Qs. No major problems to report. You'll be fine with what you've got.

[hmhyde]

Thank you all so much, its nice to know that we're in good shape.

[church]

Thank you all so much, its nice to know that we're in good shape.

a bit of graphite on the slide mechanisim will solve the adjustment stickiness. Lamp holders can also be changed. I have some fresnels made in 1963 that work perfectly - better than many new products.

[josh88]

You can re-stencil the school initials using high-temp paint as well, but you will probably have to go to an auto parts store for any color other than black or white.

Here we are, back on Lowe's paint Les, haha. I could be remembering wrong but I think they have a high temp red that rustoleum makes, I seem to remember it was either the normal high temp, or the engine high temp which is something like 2000 degrees yeah?

[Les]

Here we are, back on Lowe's paint Les, haha. I could be remembering wrong but I think they have a high temp red that rustoleum makes, I seem to remember it was either the normal high temp, or the engine high temp which is something like 2000 degrees yeah?

Hah! Yeah, you could be right! I remember fairly clearly that we carry white (and definitely black), but I wasn't too clear on other colors so I didn't mention it. I'll definitely look next time I have a chance though, because what you say does ring a bell. It'll be next week -- vacation until Sunday! :D

[ship]

Overall, if the paint is going you probably have a few more years in planning for a tear apart and sand blasting of the steel frame, than re-painting in high temp. Just something to plan for in not rusting thru to be of concern.

As above, the overall fixture is probably viable, but for it's wiring in looking for frays in it that expose conductor, being grounded that is simple enough to do - tight in not moving if there, and the lamp socket well written about in the past about how to resurface or replace.

Outer coating, for my museum I tend to get stuff far past in rust just easy to work on. On the other hand at times just minor teating with rust repellent often is sufficient to stop it's spreaed. This even under heat but as a caution to the extent of that heat of time before repainted.

Don't know of if helps, but if as described in minor rust or paint bubbling, can do now or wait a year or three in not ovrall concern about the body. More about the wiring and socket in concern.

Yea, Fresnels have been around since like 1934 - and I have an origional G-30 globe lamp medium screw version. Or could be like 1928 dependant on the source. Still though they do what they do in only the Osram BTH doing something glamorus for them in matching color temperature to that of the Leko fo the past like 40 years since they went halogen. Still, overall since say 38' no changes to the overall design concept of the Fresnel, and until we all go LED, doubt no matter how old these are, there would be any difference in new ones.