Several years ago we picked up 6 Strand Lekolite fixtures (6 x 12, 2112) from a local theatre that had them sitting in the basement for our church platform. They are a whole lot nicer than the par38s (GE 100W Spot) we had previously. They were lamped with 1000W FEL lamps. Recently we ran out of replacement lamps and I looked into ordering more. Found ControlBooth and read several threads about FEL and "ship's" strong suggestions to replace them with GLA lamps. (575W 115v)
I found a supplier in Canada (Vancouver) and ordered 4 new GLA. They source them out of China and claim to have had great results.
At the same time our (3-5 yrs new) local high school (where my son and his friend-grade 10) run sound and lights was having bulbs burn out. The administration has no idea about ordering replacements. The fixtures are source 4 knockoffs using Thorn HX601 lamps. When the first lamp burned out about a year ago I suggested strongly that they get in a stock of bulbs because with all the fixtures in service at the same time the rest of the lamps were likely near end of life too. This year the high school has 8 out of a total of 14 fixtures dark and still hasn't ordered lamps(!) From the threads here I figured a GLA is the suggested replacement for the HX601 as well, so I put two of those new lamps into the fixtures at the school for the "Cinderella" play they did this spring. Worked great right out of the box.
Come last Saturday I finally got around to relamping our fixtures at the church (the Strand Lekolites).
Both bulbs blew as soon as power was applied. Fed by dimmers that have run FEL (1000W bulbs) in these fixtures for the last couple of years. Power voltage measures 117-118 @ the dimmer pack output when I went up later the next day to check.
In detail: I installed the first one, went down to the dimmer, slid it
up and poof, the bulb was gone.
Installed the second in another fixture across the room. Plugged it
in and tried it at low power just to be sure it was working (this is
in the socket, not put back in the fixture yet). It glowed dimly at
low power, so I inserted the socket into the fixture (being very
careful not to hit the bulb on anything), slid the
dimmer up and poof it went out as well as it came to full brightness.
2 lamps in 10 minutes is a bit disconcerting...
I know not to touch the lamps - I used the foam packaging the lamp was
packed in to handle and install the bulb, no skin contact. I was
careful not to hit the fixture with the bulb when putting it back in.
The blown lamps are not blackened - don't even look used. It appears
the filament burned off at the side where it connects to the main wire
down through the base. (I've tried to attach a picture. The filament
break is on the upper left corner of both lamps.)
Is there anything obvious that I have done amiss? I was recommending
a purchase of 12 more GLA bulbs at the high school, but I am not
totally confident of making that purchase right now.
The supplier is standing behind them, but concerned about the "higher voltage" of 118 Volts. I'm enough of an electrician to know that 3 volts is insignificant (esp. by the time you add 80-100' of 14/2 between the dimmers and the fixtures) BTW - how much higher would the voltage have to be to blow the lamp right away? 25%?40%?
Thank you
David Meed
Hartland, NB Canada - home of the longest covered bridge in the world
I found a supplier in Canada (Vancouver) and ordered 4 new GLA. They source them out of China and claim to have had great results.
At the same time our (3-5 yrs new) local high school (where my son and his friend-grade 10) run sound and lights was having bulbs burn out. The administration has no idea about ordering replacements. The fixtures are source 4 knockoffs using Thorn HX601 lamps. When the first lamp burned out about a year ago I suggested strongly that they get in a stock of bulbs because with all the fixtures in service at the same time the rest of the lamps were likely near end of life too. This year the high school has 8 out of a total of 14 fixtures dark and still hasn't ordered lamps(!) From the threads here I figured a GLA is the suggested replacement for the HX601 as well, so I put two of those new lamps into the fixtures at the school for the "Cinderella" play they did this spring. Worked great right out of the box.
Come last Saturday I finally got around to relamping our fixtures at the church (the Strand Lekolites).
Both bulbs blew as soon as power was applied. Fed by dimmers that have run FEL (1000W bulbs) in these fixtures for the last couple of years. Power voltage measures 117-118 @ the dimmer pack output when I went up later the next day to check.
In detail: I installed the first one, went down to the dimmer, slid it
up and poof, the bulb was gone.
Installed the second in another fixture across the room. Plugged it
in and tried it at low power just to be sure it was working (this is
in the socket, not put back in the fixture yet). It glowed dimly at
low power, so I inserted the socket into the fixture (being very
careful not to hit the bulb on anything), slid the
dimmer up and poof it went out as well as it came to full brightness.
2 lamps in 10 minutes is a bit disconcerting...
I know not to touch the lamps - I used the foam packaging the lamp was
packed in to handle and install the bulb, no skin contact. I was
careful not to hit the fixture with the bulb when putting it back in.
The blown lamps are not blackened - don't even look used. It appears
the filament burned off at the side where it connects to the main wire
down through the base. (I've tried to attach a picture. The filament
break is on the upper left corner of both lamps.)
Is there anything obvious that I have done amiss? I was recommending
a purchase of 12 more GLA bulbs at the high school, but I am not
totally confident of making that purchase right now.
The supplier is standing behind them, but concerned about the "higher voltage" of 118 Volts. I'm enough of an electrician to know that 3 volts is insignificant (esp. by the time you add 80-100' of 14/2 between the dimmers and the fixtures) BTW - how much higher would the voltage have to be to blow the lamp right away? 25%?40%?
Thank you
David Meed
Hartland, NB Canada - home of the longest covered bridge in the world
