C. Widner

Member
I have a group of Selecon Rama 150 6 inch fresnels that are not *really* working. Some of them seem to have wiring problems, and the lamps blow at alarming rates. We even had an issue when a lamp blew right after being replaced, and almost put a student in danger. Has anyone else experienced this problem, or does anyone have an easy (ish) and (hopefully) cheap fix? I will take anything I can get!!!!

Thank you!
 
It's been a few years since I worked with them but I had a problem with the sockets failing all at once. They kept losing the ability to hold the lamp tight enough in the socket which causes an arc inside the fixture and leads to premature failure. Remove the bulb on one that you recently changed the lamp on. Look into the socket. Do you see nice pretty shiny brass or do you see grey/black char/welding slag residue? Look at a failed lamp, do you see evidence of burning on the bottom tip? I had to replace a bunch of sockets in them. Call your local dealer. Strand overprices their parts, but I believe we found an Altman socket that worked for about $30 each. If you have a problem finding the right part send me a private message and I'll hook you up with my local sales guy who got me the cheaper parts.
 
This is an example of a lamp that failed because of arcing.
IMG_20190228_140424.jpg
 
This is an example of a lamp that failed because of arcing.
I am having also having a problem like the one described here. Is there anything I can do to fix the lamp socket besides replacing the contacts?
 
I am having also having a problem like the one described here. Is there anything I can do to fix the lamp socket besides replacing the contacts?
Nope. Replacing the socket is the only solution. Once the socket starts arcing like that, it spreads destruction like a fast moving virus. Also throw away any bulbs that were in a bad socket working or not. As @FMEng said, you can damage a new socket by putting a char damaged, but working, lamp in it. New socket and lamp!
 
Also note the other dead giveaway that this is your problem, the rest of the dead lamp is likely to appear new. Often, only the contacts look bad.
 
It's been a few years since I worked with them but I had a problem with the sockets failing all at once. They kept losing the ability to hold the lamp tight enough in the socket which causes an arc inside the fixture and leads to premature failure. Remove the bulb on one that you recently changed the lamp on. Look into the socket. Do you see nice pretty shiny brass or do you see grey/black char/welding slag residue? Look at a failed lamp, do you see evidence of burning on the bottom tip? I had to replace a bunch of sockets in them. Call your local dealer. Strand overprices their parts, but I believe we found an Altman socket that worked for about $30 each. If you have a problem finding the right part send me a private message and I'll hook you up with my local sales guy who got me the cheaper parts.
Thank you so much! I believe that is the problem. I will check out our sockets and see what we can do with them - I may be in touch!!
 
I have a group of Selecon Rama 150 6 inch fresnels that are not *really* working. Some of them seem to have wiring problems, and the lamps blow at alarming rates. We even had an issue when a lamp blew right after being replaced, and almost put a student in danger. Has anyone else experienced this problem, or does anyone have an easy (ish) and (hopefully) cheap fix? I will take anything I can get!!!!

Thank you!

Yep I have a rig full of them, it's getting really costly. Having to replace lamps, order new lamp holders and then only to discover that another load have gone. I've even got a pre heat on the dimmers jsut so that when they are used , they aren't initially going from cold to hot staright away. The fixtures are the bane of my working life. That and you can't focus with them on!
 
A P-28s lamp Fresnel socket is normally fully able to be resurfaced to be perfectly fine again, as with many of the lamps. Takes a certain amount of repair tools and parts. Search the website in extensive writing on this repair concept. Otherwise replacement as noted is best practice - just remember also to look for heat damaged wire to the lamp socket and how what was terminated. You cannot just simply put stranded wire into a termninal screw. Look at how it was done, recognize the heat damage in failure might have also caused damage to some of the cable feeding that lamp base, and it will need at least a cut back and replacement. Got in some Altman 360 series raidal fixtures last week, (they have a siliar lamp socket to the Fresnel one above.) All lamp sockets are toast now but should resurface = fine. One of the fixtures had a SJT cord terminated into the lamp base w/o any proper termination under the screw terminal or cord grip. Don't want you or your program to other than fully know how to, or understand what is happening. Research, understand and than fair enough if you want to re-surface and re-wire, but also recognize if wanting new lamp sockets - sometimes they don't fit properly and you need to modify to fit. Wiring wise though you do need to learn in if wiring of what you have is burnt up, this will require workings on your part or an authorized service center do change out the lamp socket. Not just bad lamps can cause bad sockets, etc. Bad wiring can also cause the problem.
 

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