Need quick help with lamps!

[Radman]

Does anyone use anything higher than 500 watts in a strand 2205 lekolite zoom 25-50 degree? Is there a way to use a 750 w lamp?
Thanks!

[propmonkey]

are those the one with the screw type base? i dislike those a great deal.

[Radman]

Yeah, they are. I don't like em either.

I called BMI and they said that base maxes out at 500 w so... nevermind!

[ship]

Philips Lamp/Fixture specification chart says: EVR, EHT, Q400CL/MC.

Assuming that it's a Mini Candelabra Screw (E-11) Based lamp, for that model number you have the opposite problem as most people. Instead of going higher in wattage, you can go down to 250w.

In any case as with most Strand lights, nope, you can't pop a 750w lamp in it. Sorry. There is also not much in the way of high output lamps available for it. Such a lamp is more a architectural type of lamp than theatrical type of one. While you can go to Home Depot to find a lamp that will work, it is not much for intensity.

Might check with Strand in the availability to switch lamp bases from E-11 to G-9.5 and than start using a HPR 575w or GLA lamp in it. That for the same fixture by way of changing lamp base types would advance the output without much increasing the current/heat in the fixture to that of a 750w lamp.

While the EYT lamp is a E-11 type that's 750w and would directly fit in the fixture, your fixture is not rated for this lamp - don't use it. Instead the more theatrical type of G-9.5 base should mount in the fixture without problems and if anything like with an altman, those mounting holels already installed for it. Than you can go higher output/efficiency. The E-11 base type is a dead end of lamps - don't expect any improvements on them such as on the other base type.

[Radman]

Yeah, I expected as much. My new boss wanted to find a higher wattage one, I didn't think it would be a good idea to go above the rating anyways, so I'll look into a retrofit deal. The whole lamp base assemblies in those strand century lekolite dealies are interchangeable, but unfortunately the lamp wouldn't fit into that tiny hole in the reflector. Thanks, Ship! I hoped you would find this fairly soon, and you did. One more quick question, where is the best place to bid large bulk orders of different lamps? The 3 places I've found so far with the lowest prices is Bulb Connection, Stage Technology, and BMI Supply. Is there perhaps a way to get them cheaply direct from the manufacturer? This one seems right up your alley too, Ship.

[bdesmond]

I can't speka to most of your question, but I can to buying from a manufacturer in general.

You need to buy many many pieces a year or at once to be worth the manufacturer's time to not just send you to a reseller. One small theater is never going to generate the number of lamps needed to buy direct. This holds true for any large manufacturer/vertical. Even in ordering millions of dollars in server hardware a year, there is still a third party reseller involved as the money broker. The manufacturer affords us a certain degree of extra support and pricing, but, we're still not hitting their buy direct point.

[propmonkey]

go through a local electrical supply. one day when you need a certian lamp at 6:30pm and a 7:30pm curtian time and theyll save your hindend...

[ship]

Some questions especially this I am not able to ansewer. Nor would the who to advice be of any more value than those with advice given. I buy somewhere over $100K a year in lamps thru electrical suppliers, distributers and direct to the manufacturers thus who I talk to and what suppliers are good for me won't be for you. Sorry, but the leg work I have done in my own close suppliers much less discount factor is in a area that is not of much use in posting. 95% of the time, what I pay won't be retail.

Should you wish, while there is literally hundreds of suppliers, I can E-Mail you a general starting list of suppliers I'm aware of in buying from of just being aware of, but beyond this cannot offer advice nor know what source would in any way be best for you. Nor will I do business with those on line.

I know of at least six manufacturers for the lamps on the table. Contact by way of manufacturer while you probably won't get them to sell direct might be good as an option in sourcing also. They know their local suppliers and most likely will wish to sell to you thru them or the more national suppliers.

Otherwise, at some point while there is no doubt over a hundred suppliers that can get you your lamps, the amount of leg work you put into saving a few bucks per lamp does add up in the amount of time you spend in contacting all of them. Consider the economics of this.

There is other tips in buying lamps, many of them, but for the most part, it is true that you really need a huge budget for lamps before your cost savings starts to pay off in the effort in finding the savings above too much effort in shopping around.

Sorry, but beyond this, there is stuff I cannot get into.

On the other hand, changing to the other lamp base sounds like a good idea all around.

[Radman]

I guess "large" is a very non descript word! Sure, if you could email that list, it'd be greatly appreciated!