L&E's Mini-Strip 6560 lamps arcing

g15

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We have a bunch of the L&E Mini-Strips that we use as cyc lights. Recently we've been having problems with the prongs on their lamps arcing against the sockets and destroying the prongs on the lamps which is: a) ruining the lamps. b) causing the rest of that color to go out on the entire strip.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any solutions/suggestions?

Thanks in advance!
 
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We have a bunch of the L&E Mini-Strips that we use as cyc lights. Recently we've been having problems with the prongs on their lamps arcing against the sockets and destroying the prongs on the lamps which is: a) ruining the lamps. b) causing the rest of that color to go out on the entire strip.

Has anyone else had this problem? Any solutions/suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Yup, see this a once in a while (I have 12 fixtures, a mix of old and new). Hopefully you have the "newer" version whose sockets are mounted with screws/nuts as opposed to the "older" pop rivet design. Thus the sockets are somewhat easier to replace.

One thing that helps is to make certain the lamp is installed parallel to the socket, as in, the flat upper glass part of the lamp wants to be parallel to the fixture, not on an angle. When installed even with a slight angle, the lamp pins do not seat fully into the socket.

Another trick is to press down on the top of the socket after you seat the new lamp.

Steve B.
 
pop rivets are easily removed. You need a drill three times the diameter of the rivet head. Just drill off the rivet head and then punch out the rivet with a parallel punch. Do not try to drill the rivet out just removed the head it only takes seconds.
 
If you have been having arcing issues then there is only one solution. Track down the bases that have been having the problems and replace them. Once you have had some arching and the base starts to deteriorate there is really noway to save it. A new lamp in a bad base will have a much reduced life. The bases for thos fixtures are not very expensive and should be easy to come by.
 
If you have been having arcing issues then there is only one solution. Track down the bases that have been having the problems and replace them. Once you have had some arching and the base starts to deteriorate there is really noway to save it. A new lamp in a bad base will have a much reduced life. The bases for thos fixtures are not very expensive and should be easy to come by.

As follow on, if the strips are L&E, then sockets as provided to the dealers from L&E are more expensive then they need to be. Bulbtronics sells a much less expensive alternative, with longer lead wires. Just tell them what the socket is for and Jacyln or Lennie will get you the correct socket.

As follow on the Old vs. New. L&E changed their design a few years ago. The original strips (the "Old" ones I refer to) had the wiring trough on the top of the fixture housing, where as the newer models have the wiring on the back, which is why the newer models are thicker. The new models suffer from less heat damage to the wiring then the originals. One of the issues we discovered with the older versions, was if the socket was bad, it's best then to inspect carefully the condition of the wiring in the trough to determine if anything is brittle due to heat damage. If you find brown discoloration of the wiring, and/or discoloration of the crimp terminals, then it may not be cost effective to replace sockets, with it's attending labor in drilling out pop riveted sockets, as you will be running into failures at the crimp connections in short order. The effort involved in rehab'ing the fixture may or may not be cost effective depending on how often you use the strips and your local labor costs.

Steve B.
 
Bulbtronics sells a much less expensive alternative, with longer lead wires. Just tell them what the socket is for and Jacyln or Lennie will get you the correct socket.
Steve B.

Not persay correct as exclusive suppliers verses amongst many provided Production Advantage, Bulbtronics or any/many other suppliers to make or distribute something specilized and personalized in supplier for a product unless they are the only suppliers for it. GX-5.3 sockets with and without a reflector or connected in dual base series with each other are not hard to get by any number of suppliers or brands. This cheapness, length of whip, better quality or price being from any number of suppliers for the same or different brand than what's in consideration.

Longer whips on such a socket are not of much use within a cyc light, what's the problem with these sockets and given heat damage as very rare what's causing it? Sockets are cheap in geneal from many suppliers.
 
Longer whips on such a socket are not of much use within a cyc light, what's the problem with these sockets and given heat damage as very rare what's causing it? Sockets are cheap in geneal from many suppliers.

If memory serves, at the time I was needing replacement sockets, ProAdv sourced an L&E socket that had 3" leads. That length was of little use when the crimp point may well be a foot inside the wiring trough. Thus the Bulbtronics version was the better choice as it came with 12" leads, the L&E did not. I actually called L&E to ascertain if they sold or recommended a different socket and got a snippy sales rep on the phone who tried to convince me that the socket they sold was a superior version (despite having short lead wires). As these lamps and sockets are in use in countless architectural fixtures, and I KNOW that I was being given a line of BS, I politely thanked the gentleman and terminated the conversation.

Thus my recommendation for an alternative to an L&E version.

Steve B.
 
If memory serves, at the time I was needing replacement sockets, ProAdv sourced an L&E socket that had 3" leads. That length was of little use when the crimp point may well be a foot inside the wiring trough. Thus the Bulbtronics version was the better choice as it came with 12" leads, the L&E did not. I actually called L&E to ascertain if they sold or recommended a different socket and got a snippy sales rep on the phone who tried to convince me that the socket they sold was a superior version (despite having short lead wires). As these lamps and sockets are in use in countless architectural fixtures, and I KNOW that I was being given a line of BS, I politely thanked the gentleman and terminated the conversation.

Thus my recommendation for an alternative to an L&E version.

Steve B.

Interesting, yet still part A is base type as mostly standardized parts from x veses y brand as often similar brand to brand in shape. Part b is wires feeding it both in length and wire type.

Supply often is a question of personal contacts and many contacts. Sorry L&E didn't work out for you, I have a different helpful person with them that used to be my Altman rep. Still with leg work i'm sure you can find what you need in that brand or alternate brand thru other suppliers be them lamp, theatrical supply or direct.

Also email helps, forward such not helpful comment by sales people to the management of where you were looking for in help and I'm sure you would get assigned a new account manager. Nor normally being my problem in getting forwarded to the top anway given what I request help with but still a concept.
 

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