Hours Counter for Robert Juliat Topaze

[icewolf08]

So, I own four Robert Juliat Topaze follow spots. They are wonderful fixtures. In any event, they don't have a built in Lamp Hour counter and I was tossing around the idea of building one for them. I was wondering if anyone had any good suggestions on how to go about doing this.

[Footer]

well, you can get hour meters pretty redily, I know MCM electronics sells them, odds are the other industrial suppliers do as well. These counters count as long as power is going to them, usually 120v. Wire that in parralel output of the power switch, as long as it is 120v, and you should be in business. Just make sure that you aren't putting any real load through the meter or you could burn it up.

[ship]

Yep, noted that about them at some point as with other details. Or was it that the counter was mounted on the ballast... so many fixtures, so little time to remember each of them that are momentary veses perminant pain in the rear amongst manufacturers. Didn't end up buying the fixtures. Got some Strong fixtures recently that are un-related in application and also no less a pain than any other follow spot.

Message directly about this lamp hour counter is that it's best not to. You will know when your lamp starts to get dim or perhaps not, but it's in the end still the appearance of the light which is most important. This or estimated hours in just replacing the lamp say every year no matter the hours. Yep, an hour counter would help but also doesn't take into account how many times a lamp's arc was struck in throwing off this expected life hours concept.

My direct advice would be to contact the manufacturer about this oversite and your interest in correcting it. Than also save your response in covering the reply as per warranty. The engineers with them will no doubt tell you how best to set up such a lamp counter and what to use. Follow their advice, none of us are qualified to specify how to or what to use in doing this. Very important on expensive gear especially to go thru the manufacturer and not just by way of someone on the net.

[icewolf08]

I could write to Robert Juliat, probably the best idea, just need to learn French first. Wouldn't that be great, an hour counter that ticked ahead one hour for each lamp strike?

Sure, I can do a rough calculation of lamp hours, but a counter helps greatly. I am generally trying just to avoid spectacular lamp death and the damage that could do. On average, replacing once a year for my theatre would be overkill as generally only 2-3 out of 7 shows use follow spots. Maybe every two years.

It was just an idea I was thinking about, just thought I would get some opinions.

[Footer]

You will get diminished output way before the lamp goes. Pull the lamp out occasionally and see if you get any build up.

[ship]

Originally Posted by Footer4321

You will get diminished output way before the lamp goes. Pull the lamp out occasionally and see if you get any build up.

Something I have not studied sufficiently but do xenon lamps (given it's a xenon lamp) get build up other than very slight blackening?

Just curious about this because that would be a really good solution for any number of things on an arc source HMI type source.

While French - don't get me started in why my Socapex brand plugs are still not here three months later..., but this follow spot company has English reps. that will at least innitially attempt to help and potentially speed you thru language barriers with the engineers in telling you what wire to cut.

Potentially, they could also provide you an upgrade kit if not specific specifications on what to use and how to do it.

I would do such a lamp counter on the fixture not ballast also, ballasts can be swapped out at times. Don't know if that were your intent or if a remote ballast was your conditon, but lamp counters shouldn't be on a ballast.

Contact the rep. that sold you the fixture, go thru the manufacturer on gear that costs as much as a car. Won't hurt and might help.