Conventional Fixtures Lamp marking on instrument
- Thread starterNorthland Techie
- Start date
Les
Well-Known Member
What type of instrument are you talking about?
I've never had a personal need when it comes to conventionals. It's generally pretty obvious, and lamp types are usually labeled on the yoke from the factory. If technicians are having trouble determining whether to bring a GLA vs BTN, they should probably have some additional training*.
*unless you mix types such as Long Life and High Output depending on fixture location. Then, I could see a justification for labelling.
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I've never had a personal need when it comes to conventionals. It's generally pretty obvious, and lamp types are usually labeled on the yoke from the factory. If technicians are having trouble determining whether to bring a GLA vs BTN, they should probably have some additional training*.
*unless you mix types such as Long Life and High Output depending on fixture location. Then, I could see a justification for labelling.
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techieman33
Well-Known Member
1- You just know what lamp goes in which style of fixture
2- you keep a list of what fixture gets what lamp posted next to wherever you store your new lamps.
3- You have to pull old lamp anyway just replace it, so take a look to see what was in it.
4- If you can figure any of the above out, well then you probably shouldn't be replacing a lamp.
2- you keep a list of what fixture gets what lamp posted next to wherever you store your new lamps.
3- You have to pull old lamp anyway just replace it, so take a look to see what was in it.
4- If you can figure any of the above out, well then you probably shouldn't be replacing a lamp.
Pretty much what @techieman33 said.
Assuming you're talking about wattage, rather than BTL vs EGE, and that the venue uses various wattages in the same fixture type. Also depends on the type of fixture. For ERS, never on the fixture, only on lamp cap or male connector. It's too easy to swap lamp caps and screw up the entire system. For Fresnels, a yoke label is okay. For PARcan s, yoke label with wattage may be okay, but lenses may change constantly.
See also the threads
http://www.controlbooth.com/threads/labeling-instruments.5392/
http://www.controlbooth.com/threads/best-place-to-label.14816/
and especially
http://www.controlbooth.com/threads/test-what-lamp-installed-without-removing-cap.29789/ .
Northland Techie
Member
I agree with you that the preference is to have trained individuals; it's not a reality yet. The crew consists of students and community volunteers who are here for one day or just a few hours so it is ever changing. We are attached and somewhat a part of a college which does not have a tech theatre program. Instruction is provided to the person or group. While the type of lamp is marked on the lamp itself, volunteers sometimes get confused. (I make note of who and have those individuals work on something else). There is a long road to build up a group of volunteers/students who want to participate in technical theatre.
Also, this will be the first time the instruments will have had ANY maintenance performed on them in over 8+ years. Some of the instruments have had their yoke sticker intentionally removed by the previous TD (I've been told).
Thanks for the threads---->these are very helpful.
Also, this will be the first time the instruments will have had ANY maintenance performed on them in over 8+ years. Some of the instruments have had their yoke sticker intentionally removed by the previous TD (I've been told).
Thanks for the threads---->these are very helpful.
Amiers
Renting to Corporate One Fixture at a Time.
Running a volunteer crew is hard. I would rely on a few people that are trained to come in when you want to change lamps and try to keep the amount of people touching the fixtures to a minimum. If people are confused about what lamp for what fixture label the shelf that they sit on with the fixture type and lamp type. The other way to do it is have them take out the dead lamp first then match it to a new one, visual references go a long way verses saying go grab me 2 HPLs 750 and 3 FLKs one at 500 and two at 300w.
de27192
Active Member
Personally in professional theatre we don't really need it... you get to know what lamps you have in your theatre. If you have Source 4s you just get to know that the S4s take HPL750s.
If you are working with less experienced people, I find a good thing to do is to have a poster up in the lamp storage room, pictures of all the lamp types; and their names; and all the lanterns they're used in. Then people have all 3... they can take a lamp out, reference it to the poster, and take it from the drawer. They can go in with the name already. Or they can see "this source 4 750 needs a new lamp" and find Source 4 750w on the poster. Simples.
Personally the only marking I do on lanterns is the beam angle. If you are focussing from the back it can be hard to tell what they are, a lot of manufacturers lanterns all look much the same especially in the dark.
If you are working with less experienced people, I find a good thing to do is to have a poster up in the lamp storage room, pictures of all the lamp types; and their names; and all the lanterns they're used in. Then people have all 3... they can take a lamp out, reference it to the poster, and take it from the drawer. They can go in with the name already. Or they can see "this source 4 750 needs a new lamp" and find Source 4 750w on the poster. Simples.
Personally the only marking I do on lanterns is the beam angle. If you are focussing from the back it can be hard to tell what they are, a lot of manufacturers lanterns all look much the same especially in the dark.
DELO72
Well-Known Member
One thing you may want to do is put service tags on the fixture. That way you can say what lamps goes inside, and when the lamp was changed. It let's the person changing it know how old the lamp might be that is currently in it as well. But I agree with the above posters that a great solution is to have a spreadsheet posted where you store your lamps, and list the lamp that goes in each fixture. You could also list alternates (long life versions), and reasons why those might be used instead if you choose.
