I didnt' read thru half second page of posts, am not an expert on movers other than on the lamp part. Back to the ori ginal post in reply if of help.
Used say Mac 500/600, 2K, various High End lights of the period of design have been upgraded, or are able to upgrade in a very large way so they are dependable sustainable and lower cost movers. VL3K fixtures of the a little later generation, have upgrade and are a little more dependable, as long as you don't leave them burning while the audience is seating itself - no half burn mode for the lamp while douser engauged.
All and all used lights bought should have ballast/ignigor warranties for at least six months - and the spent lamps can diagnose a bad ignitor clearly on inspection. Most fixtures of that age I see have bad ignitors - this resale but too late for me to stop it.
Once that bad ignitor, or perhaps lamp base in something like every three or four lamps at their lamp hour rating, the lamp socket is supposed to be replaced... you might also have bad lamp sockets which might not be detected on resale. See the tattoo of a burned in Osram lamp socket, or a arched and welded end socket of a Bender&Wurth lamp socket on a lamp.... also means the lamp socket is bad if you see such damage, or in general heUsat damage to a lamp. Heat damage to a lamp but no tattoo of the lamp socket on it, or arch welding of it on the lamp, perhaps a bad fixture fan in overheating. Just stuff to check out, especially if buying a used fixture... or in general if you are a "pro" in changing a lamp and doing one's job in figuring out why the lamp failed - because perhaps the fixture is the problem and not the perfectly good lamp installed into it... for now while it works, and see you in say a hundred hours in re/re replacing that lamp.
Used lighting fixtures from a quality reale place will be fully serviced in cleaning them, inspectinging them etc. for a source to get movers. What the general tech person won't understand or at some point be able to inspect for is bad ballast/ignighter or often even if trained for a bad lamp socket. This no matter how well trained or of their intent which most won't have in resale. (It would for each resale fixture in example of the best case, take contactaing me the lamp person and repair department for each of the fixtures in resale in turning up a history of them and what might be a problem so as to sell a used fixture suspect or perfect..) A lot of work and both departments are busy - this beyond the people prepping the lights.
Sorry, older lights in theory are the best lights to get. Say get a 6 month warranty for anything you get, but I believe the last generation of lights are overall now the best lights to be buying, and the most reliable. Mac 2K I think one of the best fixtures out there, and why given current lights out there do you need more wattage on stage more even so than the Mac 600/500 or a Mac 700 also refined to dependable.
Used say Mac 500/600, 2K, various High End lights of the period of design have been upgraded, or are able to upgrade in a very large way so they are dependable sustainable and lower cost movers. VL3K fixtures of the a little later generation, have upgrade and are a little more dependable, as long as you don't leave them burning while the audience is seating itself - no half burn mode for the lamp while douser engauged.
All and all used lights bought should have ballast/ignigor warranties for at least six months - and the spent lamps can diagnose a bad ignitor clearly on inspection. Most fixtures of that age I see have bad ignitors - this resale but too late for me to stop it.
Once that bad ignitor, or perhaps lamp base in something like every three or four lamps at their lamp hour rating, the lamp socket is supposed to be replaced... you might also have bad lamp sockets which might not be detected on resale. See the tattoo of a burned in Osram lamp socket, or a arched and welded end socket of a Bender&Wurth lamp socket on a lamp.... also means the lamp socket is bad if you see such damage, or in general heUsat damage to a lamp. Heat damage to a lamp but no tattoo of the lamp socket on it, or arch welding of it on the lamp, perhaps a bad fixture fan in overheating. Just stuff to check out, especially if buying a used fixture... or in general if you are a "pro" in changing a lamp and doing one's job in figuring out why the lamp failed - because perhaps the fixture is the problem and not the perfectly good lamp installed into it... for now while it works, and see you in say a hundred hours in re/re replacing that lamp.
Used lighting fixtures from a quality reale place will be fully serviced in cleaning them, inspectinging them etc. for a source to get movers. What the general tech person won't understand or at some point be able to inspect for is bad ballast/ignighter or often even if trained for a bad lamp socket. This no matter how well trained or of their intent which most won't have in resale. (It would for each resale fixture in example of the best case, take contactaing me the lamp person and repair department for each of the fixtures in resale in turning up a history of them and what might be a problem so as to sell a used fixture suspect or perfect..) A lot of work and both departments are busy - this beyond the people prepping the lights.
Sorry, older lights in theory are the best lights to get. Say get a 6 month warranty for anything you get, but I believe the last generation of lights are overall now the best lights to be buying, and the most reliable. Mac 2K I think one of the best fixtures out there, and why given current lights out there do you need more wattage on stage more even so than the Mac 600/500 or a Mac 700 also refined to dependable.
