Strategy for upgrading theater lighting

I'd have to search but the most definitive study was I think at Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the energy used for stage lighting was like a couple of percent of the energy used for the building. It did not make any sense on any basis to focus on converting the theatre lighting to LED for energy savings - would never pay back.

It was the Seattle Rep study by Katie Oman. I am attaching the link here from the Fall 2013 edition of ESTA Protocol.

http://edition.pagesuite-profession...me=&edid=444f8e2e-96bb-41de-8eb7-ca450656911e

It should be required reading for all.

ST
 
Hmmm... I guess you mean the building formerly known as the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center?

ST

Pissed me off to no end to recall that State Theater and The Joyce, as well as City Center got State of NY Power Authority grants to go S4. When we applied, explaining that our power is actually provided by the SNYPA thru Con-Ed they told us we didnt qualify. We got ‘me in the end by doing City Arts Council grants.
 
Hmmm... I guess you mean the building formerly known as the New York State Theatre at Lincoln Center?
I don't remember, which is why I left it up to you. My takeaway was that the energy savings was no where near that anticipated, and that was going from 1000W to 575W, versus going 575W to 100 (or so)W.
 
I can see an economic saving for LED conversion at an outdoor theatre. (No house lights except for 20 min. after a show; no work lights. Yeah, a few lights at the bar & dressing rooms. Oh, yeah, a power saw or two to build sets.) We had 245 kW in stage lights back in the day. Granted, that was with everything at "10". but that was a rare occurrence. Now, do we have a good LED leko that'll deliver 100 fC @ a 150' throw???
 
... Now, do we have a good LED leko that'll deliver 100 fC @ a 150' throw???
Do we have ANY 1000W, 2000W, or 3000W conventional Leko that will do that?

A SourceFour 5° 750W HPL gives about 60 F.C. at 150'.
A Strand-Century #2123, 1000W FEL, 10x23 Single Lens gives (peak distribution) 39 FC at 150'.
A Strand-Century #2669, 2000W BVA, 12x12 Stepped Lens gives 50 FC at about 115'.

Appears the answer is no.
 
"Say, these LED fixtures use a third the power while being brighter..."
"It seems a shame to only use a couple amps on a 20A circuit"
"Alright, let's use three times as many fixtures"


A Strand-Century #2123, 1000W FEL, 10x23 Single Lens gives (peak distribution) 39 FC at 150'.
Appears the answer is no.

Can we leave those in the 80s?
Please?
I'm trapped in a college theatre that's running these and Colortran lekos with 1000W FELs.

I just watched the handle melt off a shutter and land next to me.
I also just pulled several bulbs to scrape the crud from arcing off of the contacts.
 
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"Say, these LED fixtures use a third the power while being brighter..."

I'm trapped in a college theatre that's running these and Colortran lekos with 1000W FELs.

Trapped? Why are they still using FELs? Have the M.E. switch to the GLD or GLC lamp. MUCH more efficient, better filament design (for capturing the lumens inside the reflector), at less wattage. One of the first tings I did when I was a Master Elec. was swap out all FELs to GLDs (750W) & GLCs (575W). Saved energy, reduced the # of fixtures that melted from heat, and gave out just as much (or more) light from the fixture.
 
I'm being a Touch dramatic when I say trapped, our program runs two productions at once. One part runs a production at the college, while the rest of us go down to the theatre. The program doesn't own enough Source Fours to go around, so they get used for the main campus production.

Thus leaving us with the scraps :p

Can't comment on the bulbs, the TD here does a few things that strike me as... Different...
 
I'll just point out here that if you don't save any money on the power bill, net net, because you triple the number of fixtures, then that's not a fair test, and let it drop; it still seems wildly counterintuitive to me that the fair test doesn't save money.
 
I'll just point out here that if you don't save any money on the power bill, net net, because you triple the number of fixtures, then that's not a fair test, and let it drop; it still seems wildly counterintuitive to me that the fair test doesn't save money.

I don’t think many facilities can triple the number of fixtures moving to LED’s they’re too bloody expensive. One third the number seems more like it.
 
Electricity savings really depends on the venue, it's hours of operation, and the billing rules of the electricity provider. My venue saved about $7000 per year or 30-40% on the electricity bill primarily because we were able to reduce peak demand below a critical threshold. For venues that are larger, or part of a bigger complex, or have a different operating model, the savings would be lost in the noise.
 
Your photos show all the instruments on the on-stage electrics focused as downlight. Great for reading sheet music, but usually awful for lighting actors, dancers, etc. is that your normal rep plot?
 
My venue saved about $7000 per year or 30-40% on the electricity bill primarily because we were able to reduce peak demand below a critical threshold.

This is the most viable argument I've run across. Unfortunately, it either doesn't apply to most venues, or they don't have enough information to make a good decision. It is a great question to ask facilities.
 
I recently wrestled with the process of upgrading the lighting at Eastern Wyoming College. Essentially, I have no budget so have to take advantage of the flush years of state funding; years I will not see again in the near future. I was able to secure a state grant with some matching funds by the college, its foundation, and the local community theatre group who live on our stage. I devised six phases for replacement, representing a minimum purchase to make an entire segment of lighting design usable – smaller purchases would put the inventory into such disarray as to not be effective - each thought to be about $7k. There is no way I can afford $1k+ LED ERS at this time.

Replacement Phases
  1. Primary stage areas (Source4 tung) - front light for front half of stage
  2. Secondary stage areas (Source4 tung) - front light for back half of stage
  3. Cyclorama (LED)
  4. Specials and Wash (Source4, PARnels tung)
  5. Wash and Flood (PARnels tung, LED back/top)
  6. Moving
Based on research of LED Cyc lights at the time and the amount of grant/matching funds, I decided to move Cycs down and specials up. I was able to fund three phases with about $24k.

That leaves me with:
  • Cyclorama (LED) - considering the ETC ColorSource Cyc - getting demo unit next couple of weeks
  • Wash & FLood - needs additional research to integrate LEDs - getting some demo units next couple of weeks
  • Moving - needs additional research
  • Audio upgrade to digital board and distributed i/o - expecting only $3k in cost for 32 channels, likely an emergency replacement. Got any coffee to spill on my analog? :twisted:
...and no budget in the foreseeable future.

Systems in place:
  • 192 circuits, Strand D20 (yes, need to replace some dimmers with switched for LED use)
  • ETC Element (emergency replacement, 2012)
  • Altman Satellite I spots (emergency replacements, they made the last one for me to make a matched pair)
 
Electricity savings really depends on the venue, it's hours of operation, and the billing rules of the electricity provider. My venue saved about $7000 per year or 30-40% on the electricity bill primarily because we were able to reduce peak demand below a critical threshold. For venues that are larger, or part of a bigger complex, or have a different operating model, the savings would be lost in the noise.
What changes in equipment or operation did you make to reduce the peak demand?
 
@STEVETERRY has told the story of an energy usage study by Consolidated Edison when a large NYC company changed from 1000W Lekos to 575W SourceFours in the 1990s. I'll leave it to him to provide the punchline.
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I think reading the Seattle paper is really helpful in terms of perspective of why to use LED’s- boiled down it’s not energy savings ( except on a cyc ) it’s for color .
You have a good base in the strand rack - because it has relay modules available for you to start distributing power for LED’s.
Choose a few circuits at ends and in middle of your plug strips, replace the existing dimmer modules with relays - change out the plugs on the strips to Edison so it’s clear they are supplied from the relays.
You have DMX already at the rack - but first upgrade your controller - it’s a waste of effort to buy led fixtures if you can’t manage them and the 200 isn’t really LED or mover friendly.
When you select a console buy big ! Element 40/500 is a good way to go.
Use one output port for existing dimmers racks and new relay circuits , throw a show baby to transmit DMX wirelessly on the second port, that’s the first step.
Beyond that start buying a show baby per electric, and add LED’s as you go.

I usually recommend start with the cyc LED’s - as conventional cyc fixtures are a maintainence black hole-
Then establish a good down wash over the stage - at least one fixture for every 8 square feet of stage performance area.
Then add FOH profiles and Torms and electric side LED’s as you can afford.

My humble opinion

Carmel
 

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