Audience Blinder Bulb

Andy Haefner

Active Member
I'm making diy audience binders out of clamp style work lights. I'm wondering what kind of bulb I should use, my first instinct is a par style bulb but I'm looking for something that will withstand short bursts and possibly strobing while being as bright as possible, something that is standard base size. What's the right way to go? Incandescent? Halogen? Metal halide?
 
If you are going the clip-light route, you probably want to look at photoflood lamps. Most are standard Medium Edison based lamps (regular screw base.) They tend to have very short rated lives (4 to 6 hours) but if you are using them as blinders, the "on" duration is very small. Generally, these lamps give you the highest output per watt and have a very fast rise/fall time when powered on/off. Don't bother with the color correction coating as it just drops output and you don't need it.
https://www.google.com/search?biw=1...0..0.0.0.......1......gws-wiz-img.81bFQCGRC_A
 
If you can get photo flood lamps, that would probably be the best course of action. You can scratch Metal Halide or any similar "discharge" type lamp off your list. Aside from requiring a ballast, the long warm-up and long wait for re-strike makes makes it just about the worse choice for your application - unless you want to build a complicated (and fast) shutter assembly.
 
What is the wattage rating on your clip light? You cannot go above this even if not left on "too long".
Suspecting 150w.

So below would be my punch list collected over the last 20+ years of noting lamp data. Most are discontinued and will be a part number bug hunt to find the best in the lumen range - possibly with the shortest lamp hours. Filament size - the shorter the better in flash often is not given, but high output (provided) can be balanced with lamp life in part of a way to firure filament size. The shorter the lamp life, possibly the smaller the filament size in quicker coming up to flash.

Also, part number and description code could have changed due to packaging differences etc. so info is only a start in what I'm aware of having existed. My notes are a starting reference but not persay up to date.

Also, A higher color temperature might or might not help. If halogen it will possibly be slower in burst time in having a longer filament.

Good lightning effect PhotoFlash lamps start in the 250w range assuming they are also still on the market.

Eiko as a brand might have some not listed below & lingers some in producing useful lamps. Eiko/Wiko http://www.eiko-ltd.com Eye below is EYE Iwasaki Lighting International http://www.eyelighting.com Remember also that Osram listed below might be Sylvania in furthering the bug hunt for a useful lamp. (Note on Philips/GE etc... I only pulled lamps from my list of a maximum output.) Note the Bulbrite in a possible as with Ushio to start with due to Osram/Sylvania confusions.


Type: Brand: Description: Wattage: Bulb: Filament LCL/MOL Base: Notes / CRI Color Temp Output: Life: (in hours)

PH-212 Ushio #1001268 IF, Incd. 150w/115-125v A-21 N/A MOL 176.2mm E-26 Any Burn Pos. 3,050°K 2,800 Lum 100hr (if available etc. below)
150A21 Osram #13141 Stand. IF, Incd. Gas Filled, Alum. Base 150 w A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 2,780 Lum 750hr
150A21/IF/RP Osram #13165 Stand. IF, Incd. Gas Filled Utility Light, Alum. Base 150 w A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 2,780 Lum 750hr
150A/6000/24 Osram #17860 (Export Only) IF, Incd. Gas Filled, Brass Base 150 w A-21 cc-6 MOL 5.5/16" E-26 2,780 Lum 6,000hr
150A21 (130v) Osram #13153 Stand. IF, Incd. Gas Filled, Alum. Base 150w/130v A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 at 120v: 132w, 2,060L, 1,875hr 2,780 Lum 750hr
150A21/W/RP Osram #13101 Soft White, Incd. Gas Filled, Alum. Base 150 w A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 2,780 Lum 750hr
150A21/CL Osram #13136 CL, Incd. Gas Filled, Alum. Base 150 w A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 2,780 Lum 750hr
150A21/CL/RP Osram #13125 CL, Utility Light, Incd. Gas Filled, Alum. Base 150 w A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 2,780 Lum 750hr
150A21CL/N Bulbrite #711122 Full Spectrum Neodymium, CL, Incd. 150 w A-21 MOL 5" E-26 2,100 Lum 2,000hr
15A21/CL (130v) Osram #13148 CL, Incd. Gas Filled, Alum. Base 150w/130v A-21 cc-8 LCL 3.7/8" E-26 at 120v: 132w, 2,060L, 1,875hr 2,780 Lum 750hr
JD150w/E2 EYE #85069 CL, Quartz 150w/130v T-3.1/2 cc-8 LCL 69mm E-26 2,850°K 2,800 Lum 2,000hr
JT120v-150wG Ushio #1001883 Double Envelope CL, Quartz 150 w T-31mm cc-8 LCL 51mm E-26 85mm MOL, Any Burn Pos. 2,800°K 2,800 Lum 2,000hr
JT120v-150wGF Ushio #1001885 Double Envelope IF, Quartz 150 w T-31mm cc-8 LCL 51mm E-26 85mm MOL, Any Burn Pos. 2,800°K 2,800 Lum 2,000hr
 
Photofloods are *ridiculously* delicate, IME; I'd go with PAR36's, myself. Edison base, porcelain sockets on a piece of 1/4 aluminum sheeting.

Don't use *anything* flammable, like a plywood panel.

Par 36 is either screw terminal or "Ferrule" based. Not screw lamp based. PAR 38 tradionally like the Q250PAR38FL is screw based, or the better for the situation Q120PAR38FL more appropriate, but that's a longer burn up time for such a concept. PAR 30 are available in Wide flood which would be useful, but maximum wattage of a PAR 30 is 75w - though there is some Osram HaloPar 230v high output versions used in some pixel mapping self dimming lights, there is no 120v version useful.

Gotta be careful and specific about what you are recommending about 1/4" aluminum sheeting etc. in modifying a piece of UL listed gear for it's function. How applied in detail and liability. I do at times specify stuff, but tried for years in testing in long worded specification.
 
I meant to say PAR38, yes.

And it sounded very much to me like the OP was talking about *constructing blinders from scratch*; did I misread?

We've had other posters talk about building fixtures (usually blinders) in the past, and wood's a fairly common material to mention; was trying to *shortstop* that, in the name of safety. What did you *think* I was trying to do, Ship? :)
 
JA and I misunderstood each other and I hopefully didn't kill the thread in getting more info from AH in asking. I was thinking clip light individual fixtures, JA (correct me if wrong, thinking banks of them), with the clip light reflectors making up audience blinder fixtures. Which ever the case clear safety issues in what you want to do for your theater's liability in doing so. Can be done, yes correctly... will take definition and engineering which ever method you go - this with the single E-26 medium screw or even if you want to use an actual audience blinder lamp pod of them.
 
I in fact missed "clip lights" -- and now I recommend photofloods even *less*; clip lights have a really bad habit of coming unclipped. Ask me how I know this. :)

That said, I'd probably go with these, which were ostensibly approved by someone at some point, and I'd use PAR38's -- 130V if you can get them; they last longer

https://www.etsy.com/listing/173376598/pro-line-4-light-photo-flood-bar-lite

These things are all over the place; etsy was just the first place I looked, but you'll find them on eBay as well, I suspect. "photoflood bar" is the keyword.
 
I've actually had very good luck using the old BEP 300w 4 hour photoflood lamps way back when. Had a bank of 6 as a kick light strip behind a drum set. Over the course of 3 years, I think I replaced two lamps. They are only fragile and aging when they are on. When cold, they don't really care. After all, a drum riser can be a pretty shaky platform. For that application, I wanted an absolute minimum rise time and a quick extinguish. They server well. Regular 130v par 38's would have be very anemic, almost boring. The BEP has been long discontinued, but there was nothing very special about it. Now, if you were going to turn them on for an extended time, they would be totally out of the question, just wouldn't hold up.
 
The piles of glass I've had to sweep up, for hits that shouldn't have broken a lamp, beg to differ with you, John. :)
 

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