Automated Fixtures Mac 250 Beam Problems

[PadawanGeek]

Hey Guys,

We just bought 16 mac 250 washes with beam kits. I have a few questions:

1. Is there a way to get all the color filters out? When replacing the colors with gobos on the wheel during the beam conversion, we couldnt get some of the colors out to replace because there was lots of silicon holding them in. Is there any good way to get them out easily?

2. The lamps won't douse via DMX, but if i remember correctly, they will strike from dmx. We have to go to each fixture, turn it to manual mode, and then douse the lamps manually from there. It doesn't work from the console. We had the same problem with some mac 250 kryptons at another church and some other mac 250s a while ago. Any ideas?

3. The beam projected and the gobos look terrible. The colors are split apart and the shape is distorted. Do we just have to adjust the lamps?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Pie4Weebl]

1.If the colors are held in with silicone someone did that on their own, post factory, so good luck with that!

2.Easiest way to do it, flip the breaker off and on. It will cut power to the lamp, then only run the fans.

3. Lamp adjustment might help, but keep in mind the light is made for beamage, not the projection of gobos on a surface.

 

[lukejoyner]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but gobos in a mac250 wash won't work, with or without the beam kit.

It would be similar to putting a gobo in a fresnel.


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[Pie4Weebl]

Correct me if i'm wrong, but gobos in a mac250 wash won't work, with or without the beam kit.

It would be similar to putting a gobo in a fresnel.


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You're incorrect. You can get nice beams out of the lights by putting a gobo in them. The Martin beam kit even includes gobos to put into one of the color wheels!

 

[PadawanGeek]

Good point about the lamp adjustment. As for the silicone, i have no idea why/when that would have been done, it didn't look post factory. Fliping the breaker isnt an option because we have our lights set up to strike when they receive dmx, and the breaker for them is on the stage. Any other ideas? I think the lamp issue is somewhat common.

 

[derekleffew]

On the fixture's setup menu, is "dLOF" set to On or off? From the manual:

2If DMX Lamp Off is disabled in the
menu, a lamp off command can only be
executed if the CTC filter is selected,
the prism is on (not rotating) and the
open gobo is selected.

Also,

...Fliping the breaker isnt an option because we have our lights set up to strike when they receive dmx, and the breaker for them is on the stage. Any other ideas? ...

IIRC, the MAC 250 and 300 have no fans. No harm in turning off the breaker with the lamp lit, and leaving it off until the next day.

BTW, I dislike having the fixtures strike whenever they receive DMX. I want to decide when the lamps are on or off, and may want/need to use the console without the moving lights lit.

 

[lukejoyner]

You're incorrect. You can get nice beams out of the lights by putting a gobo in them. The Martin beam kit even includes gobos to put into one of the color wheels!

There we go... I've learnt something new today. Thankyou.


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[len]

On the fixture's setup menu, is "dLOF" set to On or off? From the manual:

You beat me to it.

Although I'm wondering why no one has yet brought up the whole "re-striking the lamps causes more wear than leaving them running for a few hours" debate. How long would they be un-struck?

 

[PadawanGeek]

dLOF is probably the problem, I'll check it out when I go in today.

Although I'm wondering why no one has yet brought up the whole "re-striking the lamps causes more wear than leaving them running for a few hours" debate. How long would they be un-struck?

We usually douse them after the saturday night services at our church and restrike them in the morning, about 12 hours later. I don't think leaving the lamps on for that long is a good idea.

 

[iLightTheStage]

1.If the colors are held in with silicone someone did that on their own, post factory, so good luck with that!

2.Easiest way to do it, flip the breaker off and on. It will cut power to the lamp, then only run the fans.

3. Lamp adjustment might help, but keep in mind the light is made for beamage, not the projection of gobos on a surface.

I would never recommend that method for lamping off moving lights. The filaments are most vulnerable when hot, and some moving heads are not well balanced. Therefore, killing the breaker can cause the head to slam into it's extreme stop (depending on balance, orientation, unit type, etc) and blow the lamp... a rather expensive method.

I would always suggest for people to read the manual to find the proper method of using their equipment. In this case, setting dLoF to "ON", to enable lamping off via DMX (a setting I really wish would come standard).

 

[soundlight]

I would never recommend that method for lamping off moving lights. The filaments are most vulnerable when hot, and some moving heads are not well balanced. Therefore, killing the breaker can cause the head to slam into it's extreme stop (depending on balance, orientation, unit type, etc) and blow the lamp... a rather expensive method.

I would always suggest for people to read the manual to find the proper method of using their equipment. In this case, setting dLoF to "ON", to enable lamping off via DMX (a setting I really wish would come standard).

That is a valid point in certain situations, but the MAC250s (as with most moving lights) are arc source fixtures, so there is no filament involved. Just two thick electrodes Also, every single moving head that I have used is fairly well balanced, because if they are not fairly well balanced, much stronger motors are required. Many fixtures actuallly cannot move if something like the front lens assembly is removed because that's all it takes for those motors to not function well. Thusly, they usually come to a relatively slow stop when powered off.

Not saying that it's a preferred method, I much prefer enabling lamp off via DMX, but in certain situations it's what you have to do.

 

[iLightTheStage]

That is a valid point in certain situations, but the MAC250s (as with most moving lights) are arc source fixtures, so there is no filament involved. Just two thick electrodes Also, every single moving head that I have used is fairly well balanced, because if they are not fairly well balanced, much stronger motors are required. Many fixtures actuallly cannot move if something like the front lens assembly is removed because that's all it takes for those motors to not function well. Thusly, they usually come to a relatively slow stop when powered off.

Not saying that it's a preferred method, I much prefer enabling lamp off via DMX, but in certain situations it's what you have to do.

Whoops, yes, arc lamps, not filament. But yes, most are balanced, but there are a few out there that are very out of weight... I want to say Mac2k Performances are, but I'm not sure if I'm thinking of the right light.

 

[derekleffew]

... but I'm not sure if I'm thinking of the right light.

Profiles and Performances are pretty balanced. I suspect you're thinking of the MAC 2000 Wash, which, if hung, always wants to go "lens up" when un-powered.

 

[PadawanGeek]

We have a bunch of Mac 550's that go completely parallel to the ground when powered off. Probably the crappiest balance i've seen.