Rectangle Beam on a PAR 46?

PadawanGeek

Active Member
So, today I was focusing some PAR 46 cans and I got to one, flicked it on and the beam projected on the floor was a rectangle, even though all of the other par 46 cans just like it had round beams! I couldn't figure out what was going on. I looked in front of the can and there were no obstructions. Then I rotated the lamp in the can and turned it back on, and the rectangle had turned. I swapped out the lamps and the next one was also rectangular. the lamps are just regular GE par 46 lamps.

Can anyone explain what is going on here?
 
Do you have two different types of lamps? Some of the cans may have one type of lamp that has a more circular beam, and the other can may have another type of lamp that has a more oval-shaped beam.
 
What type is that? NSP or MFL?
 
Have you tried swapping out bulbs from other fixtures? If so, then your problem doesn't lie in the bulb, but rather the housing itself.
 
gotta think that it's either a distance to focus issue or a different lamp issue. Should be an oval beam for both, this given the spot lamp is more round given a smaller beam angle.

If not, I cannot see a reason. By the way, there might still be a VWFL PAR 46 lamp on the market. Doubtful but the Osram #15174 was 60x65 degrees which would also be for the most part round.

Getting into beam spreads, it cold be that you have different brands that have various angles even if for the most part all bulbs are made by Corning that's owned by GE. 8x12 degree for a spot, and either 13x27 degrees or 15x25degrees is common for MFL lamps dependant upon brand and year made. Very possible that you have some older or other brands of lamp in use that just plain look different.
 

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