Britek 1000 watt light problem.

Kevin Briggs

Kevin Briggs

Well-known member
I have a problem with my 1k briteck. The light would stay on for a maximum of 15 minutes then just turn off. The fuse was fine and intact, and the light bulb was ok. In fact after about 5 minutes I could turn the light back on and the same thing would happen 15 minutes later. I thought that my sources of power were bad since the two places I shot had either old wiring or multiple lights running on one circuit. I took the light home and opened it up. I took the bulb out and inspected it to find that one end had some damage from what looked like corrosion. I looked inside the housing at the metal knob where the light touches on either side where the bulb gets power and on one side the same thing. The metal knob had a bit of what looked like corrosion. I unscrewed the white porcelain type material that connects to the metal knob and as I got the screw out a piece of the porcelain dropped to the floor. It was a piece right around the screw I just took out. Because of the broken piece of porcelain it makes me think that the pressure from the broken porcelain side was not the same as the other side which made the connection weak resulting in electricity arcing and corroding the knob and the bulb end. I've since tightened the piece back down and it seems to be working fine for now. I'm going to turn the light on and I'll repost if it's still on in 15 minutes.

-Kevin

UPDATE:

The light turned off after about 15 minutes again. I took a screw driver and touched the glass part of the bulb and walah the light turns back on. I know now what the problem is and how to solve it. When the light heats up it slowly turns the metal straps and posts at either end of the bulb a bit less rigid and the connection after about 15 minutes is so lose that the light it slips out of it's housing at one end or the other. It turns off because the connection is lost! Briteck needs to make the metal strap and posts that the wires connect to at either end thicker so when they get so hot they don't warp and lose the connection. The way I fixed this is after 15 minutes when the light turns off I adjust the bulb to the center so both sides are still touching and I just make sure the light doesn't get bumped. I'll most likely try to install some high tension springs behind the straps to solve this problem more permenantly in the future. The corrosion was cased by arcing electricity by the way. I monitored the light the last 10-15 minutes right before it shut off and I heard a buzzing/crackling sound coming from the corroded side. I put on 5 pairs of sunglasses I had from a recent shoot to look directly at the light to see what was going on and after about 1 minute I saw a spark of electricity and the light went off. The elcetricity was jumping a small gap and I think that is what was making the sound.

Hope this helps somebody else out.

-Kevin
 
Has anyone else had this problem? Im' just wondering becuase i was going to order 2 of these lights....
 
According to the main Britek folks, there was a bad batch of bulbs (mostly for the focussing 650's) a few months back. My 650's would die after about 5 minutes on until I shut them off to cool down. Turned them on again for 5 minutes...same thing.
They replaced the bulbs and I haven't had a problem since.
Hope this helps.
Ken
the Screen Skins guy
 
kplo said:
According to the main Britek folks, there was a bad batch of bulbs (mostly for the focussing 650's) a few months back. My 650's would die after about 5 minutes on until I shut them off to cool down. Turned them on again for 5 minutes...same thing.
They replaced the bulbs and I haven't had a problem since.
Hope this helps.
Ken
the Screen Skins guy
Click to expand...


Ah ha! Mystery solved! That explains a lot. i was having similar problems. I thought it was something I was doing. Thanks!
 
REsurecting this thread...

I"m having this problem now.... guess I'm going to have to rip it apart....tsss
 
Call Tom up. He'll do the right thing, whatever that is. I have a 250 and a 300/600. Haven't had a problem yet.
 
me three

me three

I'm having the same issue as well with my 1k. All the rest of my lights are great, I have 7 total. 6 out of 7 isn't bad but that 1k is a go to piece for me.
 
Kevin Briggs said:
When the light heats up it slowly turns the metal straps and posts at either end of the bulb a bit less rigid and the connection after about 15 minutes is so lose that the light it slips out of it's housing at one end or the other. It turns off because the connection is lost!
Click to expand...

The metal straps turned out to be just fine. The problem came from the metal strap losing connection not from heat warping it, but from the porcelain that holds the strap cracking. When the porcelain cracked; the stap was only being held in place by 1 of the 2 screws meant to hold it tight against the bulb for a good connection. The only thing I can't understand is why it always worked for the first 15 minutes and shut off then after it cooled down it would work for another 10-15 minutes. Does porcelain get affected by heat?

Kevin Briggs said:
The corrosion was caused by arcing electricity by the way. I monitored the light the last 10-15 minutes right before it shut off and I heard a buzzing/crackling sound coming from the corroded side. I put on 5 pairs of sunglasses I had from a recent shoot to look directly at the light to see what was going on and after about 1 minute I saw a spark of electricity and the light went off. The elcetricity was jumping a small gap and I think that is what was making the sound.
Click to expand...

This still holds true, but part of the crackling was coming from the bolt imbedded in the cracked porcelain that the metal rod holding the bulb is connected to. The noise seemed to be a combination of the electricity arching and the bolt constantly shifting ever so slightly in the pocelain. The bolt finally came completely free of the porcelain housing last week, and now my 1k is down for the count. The part I need to replace is small and inexpensive, and it's been defective since day one so I'll give the Britek folks a call and see what their customer support is like. I'll keep you guys posted and let you know the outcome. I'll also post some pictures so you know what to look for if yours has the same problem.

-Kevin
 
Hey speaking of briteks, I need to get another 650w bulb. My lights have been working great and i finally blew a bulb after about 1 year and a half of use I guessing, maybe less. Where can I get the part numbers online?
 
Kevin Briggs said:
The part I need to replace is small and inexpensive, and it's been defective since day one so I'll give the Britek folks a call and see what their customer support is like. I'll keep you guys posted and let you know the outcome. I'll also post some pictures so you know what to look for if yours has the same problem.

-Kevin
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update man. I'm having that same problem you are still. And I will take a look at mine as well, and give them a call.
 
Ok folks I still have to call about the replacement part, but here are some pictures showing the bad part...Sorry for the out of focus pics..in a hurry.

This picture is showing the noncunductive porcelain arms w/o the bulb in place. The porcelain is screwed into the support arm with one screw and bolt. The nipple that touches the bulb is screwed into the porcelain using another screw and bolt.
15222504559.jpg


This picture is showing the unbroken porcelain after unscrewing the one screw "A" holding it to the support arm. In order to get this peice out you still have to unscrew the metal nipple and strap which is soldered to the electric wire.
15223032991.jpg


This picture is showing the broken peice up close next to the unbroken other side. The dark area is the crater left by the chipped peice of missing porcelain. It is dark because I tried to repair it using JB Weld.

Note:!!!!! JB Weld can not withstand the amount of heat the 1K light puts out. The repair lasted about 2 days on set and for the first 5-10 minutes the light would stink like mad, then the smell would go away and we were in business. I think the intense heat finally got to the JB Weld and it gave loose. I can't think of anything else as rigid as JB weld that would stick to porcelain and have a super high heat resistance can you?

15222551075.jpg


IKNOW I MISSPELLED PORCELAIN IN THE PICTURES. GIVE ME A BREAK PHOTOSHOP DOESN"T HAVE SPELL CHECKER...LOL
 
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Im testing my lights as we speak... i have 2 1000w and one of mine shuts off after a few minutes....

Then I will investigate to see whats happening too.
 
Hey reflex,

I've been soo busy with other more important matters that I have not contacted them for the replacment part. I suggest you listen to the light after it's been on for 5-10 minutes. If you hear a crackling/buzzing/electrical sound most likely you have the very same issue.

good luck

-Kev
 
I'm going to do it soon.. I never hear any buzzing or crackling noise.. mine just turns off... and if I leave the switch on... after a few minutes it comes back on. So maybe it is teh same problem.

UPDATE* Well I took mine apart and all the parts look basically flawless. Nothing is cracks or looks suspicious. hmmm


UPDATE 2****

I put both lights up on tripods. Then I took the bulb from the lamp that was turning off and switched it with the other bulb and vice versa. This should narrow any problems with bulbs. The lamp that was turning off before is still doing it with the other bulb and the lamp that was staying on, seems to be staying on. So that has to be something with the lamp itself....
 
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I just sent a message to tom is it? from rostronics through ebay to ask him what to do, since nothing on the unit seems out of place or broken/cracked.
 
Ok. Here's my update if anyone cares...

I emailed Tom at rostronics through ebay, and he said I should call the next day to make arrangements to return the light and I could get a replacement. Well I was asked for an invoice number and before I could go and look it up I decided to give it another look at and try to fix it.

Basically, the problem was that the metal straps that have the nipples would become weak under the heat, and would eventually lose contact with the edge od the bulb. So I took that apart, bent the metal parts a little more in, then reassembled...now works perfectly.
 
I have this problem with my 650watts. I turned it off and sort of push the bulb in a little. Stayed on for a long time after that. Thanks Reflex for the solution. I will be purchasing the 1000watt this week.
 
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