Storing Lamps

[Dustincoc]

This summer I've got a job fixing,cleaning, ect the schools lighting system. They want me to replace all the EHD's that are left with FLK's. I can't see throwing out about 20 good lamps so I need a way so store.

[Marius]

Wrap the old lamps in the new lamps' foam, and put them in the new lamp's boxes. Use a sharpie to mark VERY CLEARLY what they are, and that they are used. Make sure you redact any FLK on the boxes.

[Les]

I wonder why they want FLK's and not something more efficient?

[Footer]

Whatever you do, make sure to put them somewhere else, or odds are in your "personal" inventory, because if they want to relamp with those, you don't want any chance of them getting back out.

[icewolf08]

Originally Posted by Dustincoc

This summer I've got a job fixing,cleaning, ect the schools lighting system. They want me to replace all the EHD's that are left with FLK's. I can't see throwing out about 20 good lamps so I need a way so store.

Originally Posted by Lester

I wonder why they want FLK's and not something more efficient?

I have to agree with Lester here: Why FLKs? You will get much better output from the more efficient GLA (HX-605) or GLC (HX-604) with the more modern filament design. However, there are a bunch of thread dealing with this issue, and many insightful posts by Ship about the FLK/FEL style lamps vs the newer GLA/GLC and GLE/GLD lamps. You will pay a little more for the newer lamps, but in my opinion you get much better output from them.

As for the actual storage, just use the boxes the new lamps come in, as has been said. It is convenient, and less wasteful! Just go label crazy!

[Dustincoc]

FLK's are what we've been buying for the past couple of years. Before that, it was EHG's and EHD's. All we have as leko-wise are 150ish 360Q's of varying age(mostly older ones, we have a few without the cooling fins), a few 360's that we never use in that space, and a couple of Times Square architectural zooms that also never get used. Cost is more of a consideration than lamp efficiency. If everything is lamped with FLK's the light output of all the units is close to the same. It's also easier know what wattage is being drawn by a unit.

A few yearas ago when we goat a new teacher, he asked why they bought so many 360Q's instead of a more modern fixture. They told him that is because they will do the job while costing less per unit.

I was planning on making them part of my "Personal inventory", as well as the Radial 360Q's(360?) which I've been told they never want to see again

[Les]

That reminds me of something posted by len in the Wrapping vs. Tying cable thread:

A young couple are married. She cooks a ham for the first time. She cuts the ends off. The husband asks why she does it.
"Because that's the way my mom taught me."
So the husband asks mom.
"Because that's the way my mom taught me." was his mother-in-law's reply.
So the husband asks his grandmother-in-law.
"Because the ham was too big for the pan."

I guess I just see no real advantage with the FLK lamps. They may cost less per unit, but maybe they burn gel faster. I'm definitely not qualified to debate the reasons for not using an FLK, but I would think that the filament design of the GLA/C series would make better use of the ellipsoidal reflector design.

If you can get your hands on some old 360 (radial) and 360Q's they could be really useful. You can still buy most of the parts for both.

[derekleffew]

Originally Posted by Dustincoc

...They want me to replace all the EHD's that are left with FLK's. I can't see throwing out about 20 good lamps so I need a way to store.

Why store them at all? Perhaps donate them to a deserving High School or Community Theatre in your area? Consider even freecycle.

[Dustincoc]

Originally Posted by derekleffew

Why store them at all? Perhaps donate them to a deserving High School or Community Theatre in your area? Consider even freecycle.

The lamps all have been in use for at least 2-3 years at 10-12 shows per year. They have very limited life left in them. The tech dept. here at the school doesn't get along with the local HS all that well. Every summer they (used to) borrow our like-new wireless mics and every fall we'd get them back with all kinds of damage. They always told us that they were like that when the got them even though we'd used used them all for the last production of the year and they were still in perfect shape when we put them away after the production.

Originally Posted by Lester

If you can get your hands on some old 360 (radial) and 360Q's they could be really useful. You can still buy most of the parts for both.

I know they can be useful. The 360Q's are our main leko. The 360's are the ones they want to get rid of.


Not using FLK's isn't really an option. I'm just being brought in to provide the labor and knowledge on how to restore lights that haven't been well treated or maintained in at least 10-15 years. We haven't even bench focused more than a handful of lights during that time. Due to the show schedule and a lack for staff, the most time we have between shows during the school year is 2-3 weeks. And getting students to even help with anything they're not required to is like pulling teeth. There has been more than one "there are no magical theatre elves" email sent out this year.

[Marius]

Originally Posted by Dustincoc

There has been more than one "there are no magical theatre elves" email sent out this year.

There aren't? Well no wonder all my lights are messed up.