NEED HELP POWERING: 3X 800W Red head Redhead Continuous Dimmer Light Kit!!!!

J

Jamal Jonesy

Active member
How does one power these lights?

http://cgi.ebay.com/3X-800W-Red-hea...quipment_RL&hash=item5d2e5d2023#ht_3396wt_905

I have had these lights for about a year, and ever since I've had them, they've been giving me problems. I don't know anything about electricity, so I just keep plugging them in wherever I need them; some outlets they turn on, some outlets power them for a few seconds then they turn off, and then some outlets don't power them at all.

It is frustrating; I bring these lights with me to a music video shoot, and I look like an idiot because they can't turn on. What is it? What do I have to do for them to work EVERYWHERE I GO!?!? Remember I have no clue about anything electrical, so could it be their fuses? How much juice does a 800w light need in order to power; is it only certain outlets, if so, what kinds and how can you tell if they can power the lights.

The lights' outputs are 110v or 220v (what the f does that mean?)

Please help me: an answer to any/all these questions would be much appreciated!!!
 
People who dont want to look like idiots dont buy £238 three light kits

Of course, people hiring people with £238 light kits and expecting them to work are the true idiots

If arri could make a £238 light kit that worked they would - its called market forces - very few people sell overpriced gear

220v is the mains in some countries 110 in some others

I guess the dimming circuit is the cause of the problems

S
 
Jamal Jonesy said:
How does one power these lights?

http://cgi.ebay.com/3X-800W-Red-hea...quipment_RL&hash=item5d2e5d2023#ht_3396wt_905

I have had these lights for about a year, and ever since I've had them, they've been giving me problems. I don't know anything about electricity, so I just keep plugging them in wherever I need them; some outlets they turn on, some outlets power them for a few seconds then they turn off, and then some outlets don't power them at all.
Click to expand...

If you are trying to power all 3 lights on one circuit, you are drawing, well, attempting to draw 800 W times 3... or 2400 W. Most US circuits are 15 Amp/120 V and deliver a 'nominal' 1800 W, so you are drawing more than the circut would allow.

I think European 220V standard house circuits are 10 Amp, so that's 2000 W... still less than the 3x800 W.

To use these lights it seems you would have to find 3 separate circuits from the breaker box, then use the each circuit for one light. Even though two on a circuit would only draw 1600 W... that for the US is pretty close to the max, and due to variation, age of the wiring, and whatever else may be on the circuit, I'd probably not double up on a circuit with these lights.

If you are not familiar with standard electrical wiring, where to find the power distribution box, how to identify circuits in the house/office... find an electrician in your area to show you how things are wired...

As for 'power output'... the only thing that comes to my mind, is that the device is a 'dimmer' so must supply power to the lamp, and that it would supply a variable output power level for both 120 or 220 volt standards...
 
hi jamal

can you specify what country you are in as different countries have different voltages.

you can divide the wattage by the voltage to get an amperage figure for each light.

eg. 800 watt divided by 120 (USA line voltage) = 6.6 amps.... round it up to 7 amps per light

i am afraid you might have bought a lemon....

i have seen these lights and they unsafe and cheaply made.

i would urgently advise you to get them checked by a licensed electrician for your safety.
the ones i have seen have no earth connected to the housing which is a no no.

i cannot say why they sometimes work and then stop, the only reason would be loose connections or overheating in the dimmer switch or bad plugs ....get them checked.

cheers
 
If you are in Europe, you are in a 220v country.
Usually, and by saying usually I say ALWAYS CHECK THIS BEFORE PLUGGING ANYTHING ANYWHERE!, circtuit breakers for power outlets are 16amps in moder households and offices, which nominally mean that you can plug 3500 worth of power. You usually want to leave an overhead for safety's shake, so I wouldn't recommend connecting more than 2500watts to a 16amp circuit breaker.
What you should try to do is find different plugs in the place you are, this plugs should each go to a different circuit breaker to evenly distribute the power load. If you are in a household try to look for plugs in the kitchen or laundry room where the breakers will usually (remember the previous warning) be 16A or 25A.

1- So, you should always check the circuit breaker before plugging anything, because as others said if the outlets have a 10A breaker you shouldn't be plugging all three lamps together.
2- always fully uncoil any extension cables that you use.
3- always use 2.5mm gouge cable(at least).
4- check the in line dimmers for they voltage rating, are they 120v or 220v?
5- buy the book that mike recommended you, it's great!!!
6- If you know a professional electrician, gaffer... ask him for guidance or information on how to use this lights.

And as a strong recommendation, take the lamps to a licensed electrician and ask him to rewire them. Usually, the cables that come with this knock-off redheads aren't heat insulated, and they literally burn, which can couse both electrocution danger or fire. I have a similar set and the first thin I did was rewire them, since then they work perfectly, the only problem is the focusing mechanism....
 
I just bought a set of these lights myself, thought I'd share my experience and see what you guys think.

I am in the US (New York) and they arrived very quickly from the Hong Kong seller. The lights have a solid metal casing. They're very heavy, and they feel quick sturdy.

The first problem I noticed was when I saw the power cord. The lights came supplied with 2 prong European cords. A closer look in the box and I found a set of three adapters for my US outlet. I plugged one in and the adventure began.

The adapter was very flimsy, and wouldn't actually stay in the socket. This was a real pain in the ass and makes it very difficult to keep these lights plugged in.

The second problem, was that as soon as I struck the light on, I noticed it was running significantly dimmer than the 800w that it was supposed to output. I'm not a total expert when it comes to electricity, so I've done some research.

It appears that the lamp shipped with 240v bulbs. Apparently, because of the higher resistence of these bulbs, it's only outputting about 1/4 of the 800w that it's rated for.

My solution for dealing with this problem is going to be two-fold. I'm going to purchase 110v 800w bulbs for the lamp. I'm also going to have a friend rewire the entire light for US plugs, and add a ground to it for safety.

I'm also considering putting in a lower wattage bulb, 800w is a bit overkill for most situations, and I won't be able to run all three on the same circuit. Maybe keep a couple 500w lamps in the case to switch in for situations when I don't need that much power.

What do you guys think?
 
fleaguit said:
I just bought a set of these lights myself, thought I'd share my experience and see what you guys think.

I am in the US (New York) and they arrived very quickly from the Hong Kong seller. The lights have a solid metal casing. They're very heavy, and they feel quick sturdy.

The first problem I noticed was when I saw the power cord. The lights came supplied with 2 prong European cords. A closer look in the box and I found a set of three adapters for my US outlet. I plugged one in and the adventure began.

The adapter was very flimsy, and wouldn't actually stay in the socket. This was a real pain in the ass and makes it very difficult to keep these lights plugged in.

The second problem, was that as soon as I struck the light on, I noticed it was running significantly dimmer than the 800w that it was supposed to output. I'm not a total expert when it comes to electricity, so I've done some research.

It appears that the lamp shipped with 240v bulbs. Apparently, because of the higher resistence of these bulbs, it's only outputting about 1/4 of the 800w that it's rated for.

My solution for dealing with this problem is going to be two-fold. I'm going to purchase 110v 800w bulbs for the lamp. I'm also going to have a friend rewire the entire light for US plugs, and add a ground to it for safety.

I'm also considering putting in a lower wattage bulb, 800w is a bit overkill for most situations, and I won't be able to run all three on the same circuit. Maybe keep a couple 500w lamps in the case to switch in for situations when I don't need that much power.

What do you guys think?
Click to expand...

Perhaps this should be more appropriate for the DIY section under... 'partially built lamps'...
 
Installing the proper voltage bulbs for your mains voltage and even attaching the local power connector hardly makes this a "DIY" project.
It seems rather strange that the Hong Kong vendor sent power connector adapters for USA, but supplied 240V bulbs.

Mr. Jonsey should learn something about basic electricity before he electrocutes himself or burns his house down. It's not rocket surgery.
 
Coming from Asia and not having a grounded metal case it is probably a fair bet they are not UL listed.
Using non UL listed equipment is illegal is most states (not that the cops are going to come and arrest you for it).
However by using non listed equipment you have opened yourself up to a tremendous liability if anything bad ever happens.

Just saying...
 
I just wanted to update you guys a bit on these knockoff redheads. The problem you are likely experiencing has to do with the bulbs that came with your unit. They are most likely 220v bulbs, which means they run at less than half power on a standard US outlet. In a european 220v style system, you have two 110v hot leads flowing in a circuit. The bulbs have a higher resistance as well to handle this. So your essentially feeding half the power needed to a bulb with twice the resistance, you're most likely only getting 200w of output out of your 800w bulb.

I had trouble finding a replacement bulb for mine, but I finally found a 650w 110v 80mm bulb that works perfectly. I've also rewired all my fixtures so they are properly grounded, upgraded the cabling, and added American style plugs. These lights are actually quite sturdy, and are quickly becoming a workhorse for my kit. I'm still looking for a 1000w 110v 80mm bulb to put in a few of them. But for a $300 light kid, and about an additional $30 in upgrading wires and plugs, it's a very nice deal. I'd buy these over Briteks any day of the week.
 
fleaguit said:
I just wanted to update you guys a bit on these knockoff redheads. The problem you are likely experiencing has to do with the bulbs that came with your unit. They are most likely 220v bulbs, which means they run at less than half power on a standard US outlet. In a european 220v style system, you have two 110v hot leads flowing in a circuit. The bulbs have a higher resistance as well to handle this. So your essentially feeding half the power needed to a bulb with twice the resistance, you're most likely only getting 200w of output out of your 800w bulb.

I had trouble finding a replacement bulb for mine, but I finally found a 650w 110v 80mm bulb that works perfectly. I've also rewired all my fixtures so they are properly grounded, upgraded the cabling, and added American style plugs. These lights are actually quite sturdy, and are quickly becoming a workhorse for my kit. I'm still looking for a 1000w 110v 80mm bulb to put in a few of them. But for a $300 light kid, and about an additional $30 in upgrading wires and plugs, it's a very nice deal. I'd buy these over Briteks any day of the week.
Click to expand...

Where did you find the replacement bulbs and where exactly can I get these lights rewired. I just bought two of these lights by themselves and want to use them with 650watt bulbs.

Thanks
 
From my knowledge, the average household circuit can support 1650 watts, or 110v @ 15 amps per circuit. So unless you spread your lights across two circuits, you will most likely trip your breaker. That's the rule of thumb I have always gone with when it comes to powering lighting gear (unless its a studio or industrial power setup. Their circuits always support more than 1650)

And yes...if the bulbs are expecting 220V power, and they are receiving 110V, then your underpowered.
 
vision_filmz said:
.....and where exactly can I get these lights rewired. I just bought two of these lights by themselves and want to use them with 650watt bulbs.
Click to expand...

Any local electronics repair or fix-it shop can safely and properly fit up a proper plug for you. Better yet, since it is only two-wire, you will want them to rewire it for 3 wire. The third wire adds a ground that should be wired to the metal case to prevent possible electrocution if the wires in the light fray or otherwise accidentally make contact with the case.
 
awbacon said:
From my knowledge, the average household circuit can support 1650 watts, or 110v @ 15 amps per circuit. ...
Click to expand...

Yes, most household circuits are 15 amp capacity. However, per the National Electrical Code, an appliance is only allowed to draw up to 12 amps. 12 amps x 120v = 1440watts maximum draw for a 15 amp fuse or breaker.
 
A couple tips along these lines:

When setting up tungsten fixtures, I calculate at 10% watts vs. amp; it's simple math and gives you some headroom - so to me, a 750 pulls 7.5 amps. If I need to stick two on a circuit, I know I have a hair of headroom. But - filling one outlet to the capacity of a circuit is not a good idea - there are more outlets, lights, god knows what on a given circuit. Breakers age over time and can trip lower than their ratings (especially knockoff breaker brands). And older wiring or poorly wired outlet and switch boxes can introduce more resistance into a circuit.

Buy a bunch of power strips with circuit breakers; they cost a couple bucks more, but if you trip a breaker, it's right there on the floor, not somewhere you have to go hunting for it. This is really important if you're shooting, say, a show in a small club. You don't want to be the guy that shut the PA system down, do you? Any strip with a breaker will show the amps rating on the bottom. Most are 15 Amps in my experience. This can be a real life saver.
 
I saw this thread, read through it and then checked to see if the person who started it responded. He didn't. Maybe the lectures and language made him feel uncomfortable. He has since posted in audio a couple of times.
 
BrianMurphy said:
I saw this thread, read through it and then checked to see if the person who started it responded. He didn't. Maybe the lectures and language made him feel uncomfortable. He has since posted in audio a couple of times.
Click to expand...
Yah, we owe each other mutual respect, at a minimum. Everybody was a noob once. Everybody was broke once. Nobody knows everything and everybody makes mistakes.
 
Nah, I got these lights to work now. I regrounded them, switched everything to work on 120V, changed the plug so I don't need an adapter, and these things work perfectly! Well almost perfectly. Now I want to know how to diffuse the light output from these 800W continuous redhead lights. I heard that getting umbrellas will burn them; that continuous halogen bulbs need something that can take the heat. Does anyone know how I can diffuse the light?A link to a speedy universal softbox or something? LET'S RESURRECT THIS THREAD!
 
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