more effiecient lamp for strips

[norwintd]

The school district wants me to find a more energy efficient longer lasting lamp for our strips lights. Does anybody have any suggestions or experience with halogens or CFL's.
I have over 500 between 7 buildings, so the less i have to change them the better.
thanks
-t

 

[MNicolai]

Don't use CFL's, the color temp is off-base, and unless you purchase dimmable ones, don't dare dim them or you're asking for a lot of trouble.

Which model striplights do you have? Are they a medium mogul base?

 

[Les]

They make par 38 LED lamps, but they're about $25 each on ebay and I doubt they're very bright. Plus the dimming curve is probably not very smooth. CFL's (even the dimmable kind) would not be bright enough, and you have to consider the 1 minute warm up time.

 

[cdub260]

I'm going to assume you're using R-40 rather than MR-16 strips. If you switch over to halogen you're going to have a couple of minor issues. While they put out more light for less energy, halogens tend not to last as long as incandescents. I've never found a good explanation for why this is, but then again I've never really looked for an explanation either. The other issue you're going to have is that you R-40's and Par-38 floods use different methods of diffusion. Because of this, you're going to have to put diffusion gel in your strip lights to smooth out the beam.

Something that might be worth looking into if your equipment budget will support it, is LED light strips. Unfortunately, I can't make any recommendations here, one way or the other, having never seen a side by side comparison between an R-40 strip and an LED Strip. If someone who knows a bit more about LED lighting than I do could chime in it would be very helpful, I've been considering upgrading to them and would like to know hoe they match up; what the pros and cons are.

We still use a 14 ancient R-40 strips at the Pageant. In the 9 years I've been on staff, I have never bought an R-40 lamp. I simply cannibalize lamps from our 8 retired R-40 strips. Also, while cleaning up several storage closets and a storage shed during my first year as M.E. I came across a whole bunch of Rondels. About a year later, the venue next door to us, The Laguna Playhouse, gave me all of their Rondels when they got rid of their R-40 strips.

 

[SteveB]

, halogens tend not to last as long as incandescents. I've never found a good explanation for why this is,

Oi, as we say in Brooklyn

Halogen lamp - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Incandescent light bulb - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SB

 

[Charc]

So if you're using R40s, have you considered using a, what's the term again, "Proportional Patch" at the board? When not running the lamps at full, you get a whole lot more lamp life, even at 95%, you get a pretty considerable jump in life.

 

[gafftapegreenia]

Again, what kind of strips are you using? Mogul or medium base? R-40 or A-lamp and reflector? If they are R-40 style, you have some options, such as PAR38 replacements. If they are A-lamp style, you might be able to fit a PAR 38/30/20 in there, but I can't say for sure. I think charc has a good idea in limiting their range so that 95% becomes "full".

 

[LekoBoy]

LED striplights cost $1000 per foot.

 

[soundlight]

LED striplights cost $1000 per foot.

Which LED strip lights?

 

[LekoBoy]

For example I was told by a sales person that using the Selador Xtra's to light a 40' wide drop you are going to need to light it top and bottom with strips covering about 60% of the drop. We are talking around $1500 per foot of strip light x 60 feet... That's $90k to light a 40' cyc! While the colors are AMAZING, it'll take you a while to realize the savings in your electrical and lamp replacement bill.

He said it, not me.

 

[ship]

What specific type of strips are you talking about? What specific lamp is currently in them?

 

[Nikgwolf]

Don't use CFL's, the color temp is off-base, and unless you purchase dimmable ones, don't dare dim them or you're asking for a lot of trouble.

There are many types of CFLs out there, but usually, they'll have their color temps listed on the box. I've used CFLs before that are designed to match 2600K and I was happy with the results...as far as the idea of putting them in the striplights, you can always test one or two, or, if you're not that adventurous, you can PM me in a week when I try out the CFL strip idea at my high school. Hehe.