Gels fading Quickly

I recently purchased GAM color gels, and after just one week they seem to be very faded. This was expected but not so soon, as we have only used them for maybe 12 hours in one week. Has anyone else noticed this or am I imagining things?

 

12 hours shouldn't fade a gel.... I don't know the GAM gels, are they bad gels, but even so, just 12 hours???

thats weird....

 

Yeah agreed, I use rosco E Colour or Supergel and it lasts a fair while without fading, of known Lee to fade a bit faster than the Rosco stuff, depending on your fixtures.

What kind of lights were you using, what wattage?

I did a show with some 1kw patt 743's once and it was a two week season and the gels burnt through after 1 week, crappy lee! completely blew the budget

 

IMO, that is odd. Gam gels have always been, in my use and experience, just as durable as Rosco or some of the Lee's...the blues being the problem with all of those brands but that is because the blue holds in a lot more of the heat then others. Apollo gel however, a new brand on the market, has been known to fade and burn quickly by comparison to gam, rosco or lee. Occasionally you can get a color from any manufacturer that fades or burns thru quicker--just happens to be the batch that slipped thru quality control. What instruments, colors anf focus??


wolf

 

Just curious as to the colours and light(s) used.

I was taught that the darker the colour of the gel the quicker it will fade.

The focal length of the light will also influence this (I may not be wording this incorrectly, but essentially, the closer the gel is to the lamp the quicker it will fade). As will the duration of use.

To my understanding this means that because of the nature of darker colours, you have to pump more light through them, which deteriorated the gel. By using them in applications where they are close to the lamp or being used for extended durations, you will speed up this progress.

I have seen 181 gel have to be replaced after a single show because it was used in a 'stubby' Par64 and used as a wash.

I probably haven't addressed this all that well but I am sure that someone will pick up on my efforts and expand on them or describe them in a better manner than I have (please).

Mayhem

 

Nah, your spot on the money

 

I have found in my experience that Parcans fade gels really fast.

RJ
Rock Springs Wy.

 

Stubbie par cans are the worst!

ive also had a fair bit of trouble with some PC's when tightly focussed....

 

Yes - this relates to some earlier posts about the proximity of the gel to the lamp. (which I think you and I may have also posted on) Obviously, on the stubbies, the two are very close. On Par64 stubbies you can almost watch the colour drain out of a cut of 181 gel!

As such, I tend only to use these for open white or with lighter colours, which don't burn out as quickly. If you do have to use darker colours, try and limit the intensity and duration. I.e., using them in a chase or sound-to-light at <100% will give you extra life than using them to wash a stage (or tree etc).

Cheers,

 

Yeah agree... Its strange though because I hardly ever... well actually i Never used stubbie par cans... used em maybe once or twice due to a low ceiling (long story) and never used them again, i prefer long nosed =)

 

The best way to get the answers to your question is to go to thelightnetwork.com forum. I know that the big wigs from Gam and Apollo are frequent posters there. they can answer your questions best. Or just call up Gam. You will find that the are very easy to talk to. ie. been there, done that. last time I used gam, I had to use apollo heat gel to save it. we do 8 shows a week for 10 to 14 weeks, rosco gels, other than the 48,49,83 and 85 will last the longest.