Depends on your skill
level. Did you (in your exception of course), study the
manual of the spot you are operating (Most don't). From that, are you trained in changing the lamp (Many are not.) Is the
manual for this model and or it's
current upgrade readily on
hand? Is your skill
level up to the ability to follow the troubleshooting advice in the
manual in safely doing various tests? I mean it could be something like a dirty or weak fan which needs a sail added to it's
micro switch, or such a sail having fallen off, failed
micro switch or swith on a
cover etc. A lot about a arc source follow spot if it's not running to look at in troubleshooting including
house power. Gone out on many service calls... from bad
strike wire to sitting in a dark room at the front of the Chicago Theater for many hours outside the spot booth during a show. I was by Union rules locked out of the spot booth, but had to stay in the area because while I was not qualified to run the spots for the show... I was the only one qualified on site to change it's lamp.
Beyond that.... this
ballast was just tested last week, we just serviced the lights... why is it now
tripping the
breaker and causing a buzz at the
breaker panel? Why are both of the spots doing it? Answer, a quick inspection of the bottom housing assembly shows that one each of the removed for cleaning fans were plugged in backward at the
Molex plug.
Been on a
site survey where the
house switch operated follow spots were no longer working as part of the potential job to fix. Flipped the
switch for local/remote and suddenly the spots turned on...
I have studied the
manual for the Strong
Super Trouper in various upgrades, read at least one
manual for the Gladiator, read multiple times the
Lycian 1290, and at least a few times the the
manual on 1271 and 1272 but never the M2 or 1295 manuals. As with not having read the Lancelot or I think another
fixture manual. I mostly advise on the other spots for repair or buy the parts.
So all that above...
LED's are at least as dependable as arc source lights. If they currently are bright enough for the needs, and provide a good beam of light... not going
LED because when they go bad one cannot fix.. I think discounted arguement dependant on skill
level. Mostly in general, when a
followspot goes bad in it's beyond the skill
level of the operator I think to fix in most cases. Often this might be a
safety thing in even trying to fix - seen many "Roadie" repairs and bypasses to spots also....