Britek Blows !

R

Robert Double

Active member
Hi,

I am getting frustrated w/ my Briteks now. I bought three Britek's from Rostronics :

1 *GY-650
1 * GY-300
1 * 800W Flood (Can't remember the model no. right now)

Anyway they all arrive a few weeks back. Put my 240V globes in and all seemed to work fine apart from the 650 which kept blowing globes after about 10-15 minutes. After going through 6 globes and various tests in trying to find the problem I sent the light back to Tom as I believed it's a faulty light. Currently waiting for it to come back - but should arrive today or tomorrow.

Yesterday I was on a 1 day shoot with the 300 and 800W. Both lights blew globes during the day shoot. The globes were had less than 2hrs life in them. During the shoot they werent knocked or abused - they just blew!

I am a little frustrated now - and not sure why I keep having such high casualities on the globes, and they are good globes, OSRAM. The only the thing I can think of is it's something to do with 240V and the units getting considerably hotter which causes a blow? I left the glass cover of after the first blow just in case it was a heat thing - and luckily they lasted for another 4 hours!

I am tempted now to go and buy some other lights (which I could of bought with the amount of bulbs blown!).

Is anyone else using these succesfully in the 240V land at all?

Robert
 
I actually hate Oshram globes, they tend to blow too much for me as well. I don't own Britecks though.

I recently had a studio one day shoot in which we blew no fewer that 6 mole tweenies. That was a record for me.

It's weird. one shoot you'll blow a lot, then you go through a 1/2 dozen shoots or more without losing a single globe.

Just for the record, and I'm sure you already know this, but you NEVER touch the globe. If you do they'll blow very quickly. If you accidentally touch it then you need to wipe it off with an alcohol wipe and let it dry before using it.
 
I'm using some Briteks. I have used the 650w on about 8 shoots and I've only replaced the bulbs once. I bought the M&Y bulbs that Rosetronics sells, 120v.

Maybe try those? Why 240v?
 
Thanks for the words... yeah I never touch the globes with my fingers, and always very careful putting them in.

It's just frustrating the number of globes I am going through. I think I will try and find a different manufacturer to see if I can get a higher success rate.......

>> Maybe try those? Why 240v?
I live in Australia and that's the supply voltage here :)
 
I couldn't find the specs on the Rostronics site but the voltage may be your problem. Are you sure these are not designed for 120v?????
 
those 650w briteks kick ass.. probally the best made lights in the whole britek stable. Sounds like you got something else going on there.. maybe some bad wiring.
 
Since those Briteks are NA units, did you modify them for 240v, or did Rostronics.

Sounds like a bad wiring job. They just don't blow out like that.
 
>>Since those Briteks are NA units, did you modify them for 240v, or did Rostronics

Not sure what you mean by NA units?? Anyhow the units are rated for between 110-240V. I asked Tom before I bought them, and also this is what is printed the lights themselves. The only thing I done to them was put an Australian plug onto the lights.

I have used Redheads and they take the same globes as my Britek 800W. Never had to replace a redhead globe yet! Already on the second globe with the Britek.

I think it would be highly unlikely to be bad wiring on all three lights. That makes you think it might be dodgy mains wiring. But yesterday I took them onto a new set, so completely new mains outlets.

I am really stumped with this !
 
NA-North America-120v

Yes strange if they blew at a different location, eliminates bad wiring in the mains.
And if it's all 3, it's got to be something at your end, you aren't likely going to get 3bad units.

I'll ask the obvious as they're 120-240v, are the switches set to 240?
Just before they blow do they flare up, or just go out?
 
>>I'll ask the obvious as they're 120-240v, are the switches set to 240?
There aren't any switches on my lights to go between 110 and 240. They connect directly to the mains with an inline fuse in the light housing. Pretty simple design.

>>Just before they blow do they flare up, or just go out?
>>and do they pop?

The 650 - well they pop, and on the last occasion the globe exploded! Also the fuse blows on this as well.
The 300, and 800 - slightly different, in that they just give a small pop. no fuse is blown tho.

What does the popping normall indicate?
 
I started to ask about fuses - but I realized it goes the other way. You only need a 3 amp fuse to run 650w @ 240V.

Do the instruments tend to run hot? My experience with Briteks are that they are pretty efficient at convection and tend to run cooler than similar metallic instruments.

How are they positioned? If they are pointing straight down, they'll have a harder time dissipating heat away from the globe than if they were level, although I've used them completely vertical many times.

If you're having problems with Osram globes, you might try Ushio - although I usually have better life out of the Osrams.

I have a bunch of Briteks and, unlike Jarred's experience, the only troubles I've had were with my 650s. I have two different units too - one takes the DYS and one uses DYH globes. I forget which is the current manufacture, but one of them is terminal right now.

Hope you get them sorted,
Joe
 
Raytracer said:
I started to ask about fuses - but I realized it goes the other way. You only need a 3 amp fuse to run 650w @ 240V.

Do the instruments tend to run hot? My experience with Briteks are that they are pretty efficient at convection and tend to run cooler than similar metallic instruments.

How are they positioned? If they are pointing straight down, they'll have a harder time dissipating heat away from the globe than if they were level, although I've used them completely vertical many times.

If you're having problems with Osram globes, you might try Ushio - although I usually have better life out of the Osrams.

I have a bunch of Briteks and, unlike Jarred's experience, the only troubles I've had were with my 650s. I have two different units too - one takes the DYS and one uses DYH globes. I forget which is the current manufacture, but one of them is terminal right now.

Hope you get them sorted,
Joe
Click to expand...

I hope I get it sorted too :)

The lights run hot - and that made me think whether the globes don't like the heat. The casing is only getting warm, but the glass is obviously getting pretty toasty.

Well I think I will try a different brand other than Osram, which is more problematic than you think.. haha. It seems every globe supplier stocks only Osram's! I haven't found one that does another brand. So with that in mind can anyone recommend any good online globe suppliers that ship internationally and supply Ushio's or some other brand than Osram??
 
Robert - Have you called Tom or someone at Rostronics to discuss this problem? I'm positive they will correct it for you immediately if you let them know. I realize you are down under and shipping may be expensive and timely but it sure beats going through bulbs like toilet paper. If it turns out they are defective I'd bet that Rostronics would pick up the shipping cost.

My money is still on the voltage. Most gear I've seen that is 120/240 compatible has a switch as Pookie mentioned.
 
Sirius_Doggy said:
Robert - Have you called Tom or someone at Rostronics to discuss this problem? I'm positive they will correct it for you immediately if you let them know. I realize you are down under and shipping may be expensive and timely but it sure beats going through bulbs like toilet paper. If it turns out they are defective I'd bet that Rostronics would pick up the shipping cost.

My money is still on the voltage. Most gear I've seen that is 120/240 compatible has a switch as Pookie mentioned.
Click to expand...
Hey Sirius,

Yes I have been in regular contact w/ Tom regarding the 650. I actually just received a new 650 yesterday and gave it a whirl the Osram. And it stayed on for at 4hrs no probelm - then I had to turn it of because it was time for bed. But it's looking good on the 650 front.

Btw Tom has been great in helping me out with bulb blowing - not a bad word to say against Rostronics...
 
Robert Double said:
Hey Sirius,

Yes I have been in regular contact w/ Tom regarding the 650. I actually just received a new 650 yesterday and gave it a whirl the Osram. And it stayed on for at 4hrs no probelm - then I had to turn it of because it was time for bed. But it's looking good on the 650 front.

Btw Tom has been great in helping me out with bulb blowing - not a bad word to say against Rostronics...
Click to expand...

How the unit working Robert.
I'm have the same problems you were having. I'm looking for the solution.

Thanks
 
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