Archway Lighting

Robert F Jarvis

Well-Known Member
We're building a 8 x 16ft arch to frame some singers and plan putting white and colored light bulbs on it. My question is: should I use 120 volt bulbs or would 12 volt ones be bright enough?
 
We're building a 8 x 16ft arch to frame some singers and plan putting white and colored light bulbs on it. My question is: should I use 120 volt bulbs or would 12 volt ones be bright enough?
@Robert F Jarvis Basically the designed operating voltage of incandescent lamps will not determine which is brighter.
I'm not sure I can post this clearly but I won't let that stop me from trying.

Any given incandescent lamp will be designed to produce a given amount of illumination with a number of factors being trade offs:
If designed for 12 volts, 10 volts will be dimmer, redder, run cooler and last appreciably longer, more hours.
If designed for 12 volts, 14 volts will be brighter, whiter, run hotter and last appreciably less, fewer hours.
In general terms, 12 volt lamps will house smaller, more robust, closer to point source filaments; clear globes will appear more sparkly than frosted globes appearing larger and less sparkly.
Again, in general terms, 120 volt lamps will house larger, less robust / more fragile filaments.

The same holds true for lamps designed for 120 volts or any other designed voltage.
I'll employ Control Booth's 'Bat Call' to summon @DELO72 who I'm CERTAIN can answer your query far better than I.

Editing to add a few further thoughts on your arch:
1; Are you considering having the lights chase?
Consider purchasing three or four pre-manufactured strings of parallel wired 120 volt Christmas lights.
Typically the strings may have sockets wired on 15 to 18 inch centres.
Install the 1st lamp of your 1st string where ever your scenery designer prefers.
Install the 1st lamp of your 2nd string the desired distance from the 1st lamp of your 1st string.
Install the 1st lamp of your 3rd string a matching distance apart.
Install the 1st lamp of your 4th string a matching distance apart.
Next, 2nd lamp of 1st string.
Followed by 2nd lamp of 2nd string.
Followed by 2nd lamp of 3rd string.
Followed by 2nd lamp of 4th string.
Repeat as necessary.
Hide all of the excess wire behind / within your arch.
Power the four strings from 4 dimmers and use your lighting console to conjure which ever manner of chase(s) you prefer:
a; No chase, fade or snap in or out as desired.
b; Illuminate string 1 + 2 + 3 + 4, fade or snap out and repeat. OR
c; Illuminate string 4 + 3 + 2 +1 OR
d; Illuminate three of the four strings and chase the unlit string. OR
e; Your console MAY include options for bouncing chases; chases running one direction then reverse, then forward again. OR
f; Random chases.
g; By now, you're conjuring a multitude of ideas.
Toodleoo!
Ron Hebbard
 
Last edited:
There's a measurement for that: Lumens.

It you read the box carefully you should find it's brightness in lumens. 1000 lumens is 10 times more light than 100 lumens, its it's pretty simple. It doesn't matter if you're talking incandescent or LED, and electrical numbers like watts and volts are irrelevant too.
 
Last edited:
My car's headlights run on just a wee bit more than 12 volts; you can easily get too bright whether at 120 or 12. So instead ask, what brightness do you need? If these are decorative, not the key source of illumination, then the effect doesn't need a lot of output and in fact may cause undue eye fatigue if done with the brightest lamp you can find. If people are going to be looking at bare bulbs, 200 lm could be plenty. Are these going to be S11 style like a marquee?
 
OK guys lots of thoughts and thanks. Found a heap of 120v screw down bulb holders in light pit so putting 24 of them on the beams and wiring them in groups of four to get W, R, G & B then W,R,G, & B agian and so on . Will power from regular dimmers and thus be able to use the console's intensity controls, effects, chases whatever.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back