lighting cleaning

itie

Active Member
hey guys,

so this summer ive made it my mission to go and clean all of our lights in school since they havent in three years, since they were installed. the school thinks there fine as long as they stay hanging in the air and turning on. ive never had to do this before and was wonder some good things to do. we have all colortrans fixtures some ers, freshnel, strip, and cyc strips. i read something saying to use windex but i dont think thats good for the lens. ive aslo herd alcohol wipes work good too.

any tips would be great.
thanks
 
Windex is very bad. It discolors the glass under heat, basically anything that contains ammonia is bad. Alcohol wipes are a good thing to use. I use some shop rags (wash them before use to get rid of any lint) and just rubbing alcohol. In light fixtures that have metal reflectors i use softscrub to clean the reflector. I use very little on a rag, just enough to polish out the reflector.
 
freshnel, strip, and cyc strips. i read something saying to use windex but i dont think thats good for the lens. ive aslo herd alcohol wipes work good too.
As was said before, windex is great on windows, but leaves residue, then when it gets hot, you can put toxic fumes out. And unless the show is really bad, people don't want that.

Nick

BTW, I don't want to be a spelling Nazi, but it is spelt Fresnel, :)
 
Windex is very bad. It discolors the glass under heat, basically anything that contains ammonia is bad. Alcohol wipes are a good thing to use. I use some shop rags (wash them before use to get rid of any lint) and just rubbing alcohol. In light fixtures that have metal reflectors i use softscrub to clean the reflector. I use very little on a rag, just enough to polish out the reflector.

Good to know. I'm getting ready to clean/repair all 20 of my Strand 10x23's next week and also upgrading to GLD lamps.
 
I really am driven to state that Windex or similar ammonia/distilled water sprays are perfectly fine, after 30 years of cleaning lights I have never seen this mythical build up of colour changing residue.It is used for cleaning photocopiers for example because it is about the most benign cleaning agent there is.
Live dangerously and get out the Windex, [it's cheaper in 20 litres]
 
Funny story.

Almost 20 years ago, I got a contract to clean, repair and bench focus the New Jersey Ballet's leko inventory. There were 96 if memory serves me.

My shop at the time was a 2400 sq. ft. building next to my house. I took all of the fixtures apart and had milk creates of lenses. I brought these into the house and loaded the dish washer with lenses. As I was about to hit the start button, my new wife (3rd) said, "Won't the heat make the lenses break?"

It was a while before I could stop laughing and explain how hot the fixtures get.
 
...Live dangerously and get out the Windex...
Thanks, but I prefer to follow manufacturer's instructions, as stated in the SourceFour User Manual:

WARNING: Do not use ammonia-based or other harsh commercial cleaners. Clean lens and reflector only as directed.
Commercially available glass cleaning agents should be avoided as they
may contain ammonia, other harsh chemical detergents or abrasive agents.
These cleaners may damage the glass surface and the Anti-Reflective
coatings. Do not immerse or soak the glass in any cleaning solution.

Step 2: Remove dust with a blast of oil-free air or wipe with a clean, lint-free cloth. Isopropyl alcohol, distilled water or a 50%-50% mixture of each can be used to clean the glass surface.

Oh bother! We've already had this discussion: http://www.controlbooth.com/forums/lighting/7635-cleaning-lenses.html.
 
"Commercially available glass cleaning agents should be avoided as they
may contain ammonia, other harsh chemical detergents or abrasive agents.
These cleaners may damage the glass surface"
Is this a serious comment or is someone crazy, is every window in the world in danger of being damaged?
give us a break|
Just because someone at ETC says something, it ain't necessarilly so.
I would of course be willing to see some scientific evidence about all the damage being wreaked by distilled water with a small amount of ammonia.
Until that time I'll carry on with my windex, or generic equivalent.
 
Remember what reflectors and lenses were mentioned wished to be cleaned. Colortran went out of business as a name brand long before the use of dichroic glass reflectors came into fashion.

ETC, ETC, ETC... anyone check the recommended maintinence from other companies say similar to what type of fixture is inended to be cleaned? Windex - sure... residue, try cleaning after the soap with denatured alcohol so as to clean off any residue from the soap left behind once it it clean?

Here is what I recommend as able to do the best and least labor intensive job of cleaning both lens and reflector if not dichroic coated. Throw them in the dishwasher. Ensure the Jet Dry adder is full and or better yet put them into the school's kitchen dish washer for a better job yet. Simple and done.

Denatured alcohol, or Isyopropyl alcohol work with a lint free rag to remove only what can be lifted off the surface by them as a vehicle, otherwise it like water also a vehicle just smears about and removes some but more makes mud until it drys and does little or at best some if not making it worse. They are vehicles only and not soap which lifts dirt from a surface allowing them to be whiped away. First the soap, than the vehicle to wipe away any soap residue. Vineager also works with time to lift off and clean lenses but is less needed often to be used.

MAAS metal polish also does wonders for aluminum reflectors but so too might something like "Dip It" - if it polishes and doesn't have Pumice in it to scratch as it cleans, it will probably shine it up some. Heck, with the proper buffing compounds and wheels could probably buff both lenses and reflectors. Lots of way to polish aluminum as if cleaning silver. Lots of ways to clean glass when un-coated these probably are not. Use Windex at work, I prefer purple Sparkle at home and always remove the residue with alcohol.

Anyway, while doing your lens/reflector cleaning, make sure you inspect lamp sockets to be shiny and not blackened pitted or arched/welded, wiring, bolts, paint etc. as this project might grow a bit in noting stuff in need of repair or replacement. Euro PATT (think it's called) a good thing. Also do a proper bench focus of the equipment once re-assembled. Proper bench focus of the fixtures would probably equal the output you get to the clean lenses.
 
... In light fixtures that have metal reflectors i use softscrub to clean the reflector...

Really? You are not worried about the abrasive scratching the reflector? I could understand a metal polish but softscrub? I like Ship's idea of Dip-it or similar product.

Anyone else have a suggested method to polish metal (non-dichroic) reflectors?

I have a stack of them that are in bad need of polish.
 
"Commercially available glass cleaning agents should be avoided as they
may contain ammonia, other harsh chemical detergents or abrasive agents.
These cleaners may damage the glass surface"
Is this a serious comment or is someone crazy, is every window in the world in danger of being damaged?
give us a break|
QUOTE]

The injunction against commercial cleaners is because of the non-reflective coating on the glass. Windex and similar harsh products are designed to clean household dirt, including grease and oils off surfaces. If you're getting such things collecting on your lenses, then you definitely need something that strong. But regular cleaning with plain water and/or alcohol should be sufficient for the dust that builds up in theatres.

Honestly, I've found a blast of air administered regularly is the easiest way to keep fixtures clean.
 
My first job is as a research scientist using a lot of specialized optics and filters. Windex, or other ammonia containing solutions are not always bad but are usually not recommended. Reps from all the microscope suppliers recommend a product called - Sparkle. It can be purchased from most Ace Hardwares and or Target or Menards. It is purple in color and can be sold as concentrate or pre-diluted. It works miracles on most of our optic needs - in terms of never having had any damage to specialized delicate filters and optics. Hope this helps.
 
I use a special polish for magnesium alloy car wheels for non-dichroic reflectors. Works beautifully with a yellow soft duster and does not damage the reflector. Hey it is intended for people who spend $100s per wheel for their car and want to ensure there is no damage. Costs about $20 for a small can - and I mean small.
 
Can you PM me the product and your method?
 

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