Conventional Fixtures Should I or Shouldn't I? (Fresnel Repair)

[Les]

Ok, so it seems like I'm always in the middle of fixing up a batch of old lights, but I finally got my hands on what I think is the last group for a while. It's a set of 12 65Q Fresnel's by Altman. These are what I believe to be 1st generation 65Q's, predecessor of the 65. They're brown/olive drab (but will be repainted because the paint is burned off the mid sections of the lights) and they have the metal handles.

The situation is, there are 9 of these fixtures that need complete lamp base/reflector assembly replacements. These are the type with the smaller mirror dish in front of the reflective plate. They originally had bad sockets and the mirror dish had all but completely burned up. The other 3 have the same design reflectors/sockets but in good condition. Altman's new design only calls for a single spherical reflector.

Buying the complete kit from Production Advantage (lamp socket,reflector assembly, and whip) would cost $50.00 each. Over the course of 9 instruments, that would still save me almost $400.00 as opposed to buying new.

I'm debating on just doing the 9 that need it, or springing for all 12 as "preventive maintenance". Nine of them will be used exclusively as area downlights, and the other 3 would be used for whatever else, so that would mask any differences in light quality. Should I leave the 3 alone, or just make them all current? I have this preoccupation with making my instruments identical for easy servicing (I try not to mix things like old and new 360Q's for same-purpose lighting) and I would also think of it as stopping a potential problem before it starts. The upgrade would prolong these instruments for another 20+ years I'm guessing.
Decisions, decisions. It would cost me an extra $150. and I would be pretty much guaranteed a like-new fixture after the fact, but the saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" keeps coming to mind. If you had the choice, what would you do?

 

[gafftapegreenia]

If I had the money, I'd do them all at once and get it over with. That's three more fixtures that you can find a use for as specials or whatever.

 

[avkid]

It's better to eat peanut butter sandwiches for a while than to face an embarrassing and reputation destroying spectacular mid show failure.

 

[ship]

Ah' the perspective S-4 matching Fresnel lamp.... TBA to the market I think a few more months or even days before it comes to market. (This I have seen of in prototype and it's cool but still TBA. Controlbooth requested it, It got done.)

Still in question of whats asked, age presented don't match up really for age. Dual reflectrs making a 360Q etc in language.

Make work what works safely and live within the five year plan for the theater as long as what is not in budget is marked well as thought of. It's a Fresnel, if surplus there is no doubt other priorities as opposed to doing an upgrade now. This especially if needed. Not sure if by way of what you say such a package for upgrading the Fresnel is needed. Hard to fix a Fresnel to more efficient. Certainly if needing a new lamp socket that is something to do but a reflector... not much difference you will find overall in output between the upgrade dual if still available and old or new styles of reflector... It's a Fresnel and get over the concept of optically pure. Old or new, the same in my opinion in just buying the lamp socket.

Endless other notes no doubt on my part but it would seem to my point a bit of wasted money overall given the extent of the upgrade or replacement. This so far as presented.

 

[Les]

Yeah Ship, there's 3 that have the dual reflectors and are in good condition (including the socket). The 9 others had dual reflectors also but they are toast as are the bases. I just know that the dual one's aren't available any longer, so when I replace them I would be getting the single reflector assembly. If I leave the other 3 alone, my concern would be a difference in light output and/or the older reflectors failing sooner than the new ones - perhaps after any such replacement has been taken off the market. Would this be likely to happen? Really, I just need to get them all working and reliable. Here's the part I would be ordering for atleast the 9 bad one's:
Socket Assembly, Complete, 65, Altman

I have no choice, as I've already gutted the nine useless fixtures, but it had to be done. I haven't touched the one's that are still useful.