Budget House Lighting

[eRaCer001]

Hi guys,

New to this forum. Need some advice. Our church meets in a middle school auditorium. Fairly large size auditorium. Could probably hold about 450 people. Today we went in and found that the school district had replaced the incandescent house lights with LED lights that are extremely bright and extremely harsh in color. They're not dimmable at all--just on and off.

So I now I need to figure out a portable solution for house lights for a large auditorium with very high ceilings. Nothing too fancy or expensive, as this wasn't a budgeted expense. Right now, I'm thinking about buying several flood lights to aim at the wall for some reflective lighting. Any other budget friendly ideas? Thanks in advance!

Here's a picture so you have an idea of what it looks like:

http://imgur.com/a/NPqnU

 

[JohnD]

One thing that comes to mind is to deploy China Balls around the room, either suspended by what looks like a lower overhang in the room photo, or perhaps tripod stands with t-bars around the room.
http://www.filmandvideolighting.com/chinaballs.html

 

[Lburners]

Im betting 4 src 4 pars wide lenses pointed at the ceiling and some dimmers on stands would be enough. I am in a 500 or so seat auditorium occasionally with the same issue. No dimmable house lights. We have 2 src 4 pars mounted and washing the ceiling and it illuminates the room well.

 

[Pie4Weebl]

I like these:
http://www.airstar-light.com/?lang=en

 

[Jay Ashworth]

If you have a contract, I would point out to them that they've materially changed the rentable space, and negotiate for a reduction in the rate.

Whether you want to aim for punitive results in the amount is up to you.

 

[Robert]

Can you breaker off some of the lights to a more acceptable level?

 

[ship]

Totally agree with the cheap LED's replaced with given the contract. (Was it stated in the contract though that you would need to dim might be a loosing point.) Better for them and you in starting with the problem and now making further changes that will better purpose both of you. Dependant on the amount of lighting loading of now even going dimmable LED lamps, they might not work with the current system. What they bought was crap but otherwise even if they went dimmable probably will have not worked also.

LED dimmable lamps often do not work with stage lighting type dimmers well. Instead you might have to recommend a Luctron dummy load to be installed in parallel with their current lighting system. I have not tried this yet with stage lighting dimmers but its sound in concept for working.

Perhaps an offer of like $150.00 for the dummy load in paying for it will co-pay help the theater in solving the problem in having to buy new dimmable LED lamps that would in theory work with it no matter what's dimming the house lights. If not dimmer pack doing the house lights, probably a different purchase of like $30.00 dimmer designed to work with LED lights and you would not need the dummy load assuming maximum wattage not exceeded. In other words, if the dimming is house for the house by the way of normal architectural dimming for the house, you possibly just need to do like $30.00 for a LED dimmer for them. If house lights are controlled by way of the stage dimmers, it might be like $150.00 to get a dummy load on them which "should" work in dimming with stage dimmers.

If given this dispute, an attempt to help and given a few bucks towards the proper upgrade, instead of a legal battle perhaps you both might win. I suspect a maximum of like $150.00 and possibly more like $30.00 would be a good starting discussion point in mutually solving the problem that they also have. They drop the energy bill, means rental of the space might stay the same perhaps next year in solving for both of your benefit - without adding truss, lights etc.

 

[coldnorth57]

Im betting 4 src 4 pars wide lenses pointed at the ceiling and some dimmers on stands would be enough. I am in a 500 or so seat auditorium occasionally with the same issue. No dimmable house lights. We have 2 src 4 pars mounted and washing the ceiling and it illuminates the room well.

I have done this a few times it is a good way to get soft light fast a cheap.

 

[eRaCer001]

Thanks so much for the responses! I'm not interested in raising a conflict with the school district, and don't think dimmable lighting is specified in our contract.

Really interested 4 src 4 pars wide lenses. This is probably a stupid question, but I'm a newbie about lighting. Can someone please provide links to what I would purchase to make this happen? Thank you!

 

[BillConnerFASTC]

Thanks so much for the responses! I'm not interested in raising a conflict with the school district, and don't think dimmable lighting is specified in our contract.

Really interested 4 src 4 pars wide lenses. This is probably a stupid question, but I'm a newbie about lighting. Can someone please provide links to what I would purchase to make this happen? Thank you!

I think the suggestion is for 4 - Source 4 PARS from ETC with the wide (or extra wide?) lens. Low to mid $200s. I did see some used ones at usedlighting.com for $55 each. YOu will need lamps and dimmers (or a dimmer) and they need to be mounted - so some additional expense.

The old standby for this was scoops - ERFs more properly - because they were usually in a junk pile and unused. Some 300-500 watt floods - like the ones from home depot for $35 or so - would also work OK.