Safe to use 1000w lamp in Lowel Tota?

markblasco

markblasco

Well-known member
I purchased a few 1000w lamps online to use in some lowel tota's. When I went to install them, I saw on the back of the light that they should use 750w max lamps.

Are these 1000w lamps unusable now, or is that rating on the light a conservative one?
 
Good question. I'd like to know what others recommend. I too have 750W totas and 1000W bulbs. So far I've used them without incident, but I'm aways a little nervous.

Peter
 
Ratings are always conservative... but your choices should be conservative, as well. It means just what the word implies; 'recommended'.
 
I used to use 1k bulbs in my old totas years ago, but I've noticed the more recent totas recommend 750w max. Maybe the 1k's were pushing the envelope, and lowel decided to ratchet down the wattage? I use 500w bulbs now anyway.
 
You can use 1000 watt lamps, but it my experience it reduces the effective lifetime of the lights. Backdown the wattage and your light will perform better for longer.
 
You may be able to upgrade the lamp mounts and wiring inside the light to handle 1000 watts. The change in light output when going from 750 to 1000 watts in a tota is pretty negligible. For the most part, you will just get a light that needs more time to cool down.

There are many many lights out there that can use those 1000 watt lamps you have. Mole and B&M nook lights are great to have.
 
I have been using Lowel Tota light for over two decades in fact checking on the back of one of my tota lights fitted with a Phillips Halogen 1000 watt FHM bulb , it goes from 120 volts and 300 watts to 120 volts and 1000 watts, the only exception is at 240 volts tops out at 800 watts.
The lights work great. I do still photography and the lights never have failed me. I tried lower wattage lights before, the 1000 are the way to go, and its right on the back of the light.
 
Yeah, I've never even seen these lamped with anything less than the FHM globes. The only problem with using these is noobs think the reflectors are barndoors and they close them down sometimes thereby burning the sh!t out of the thin metal.

.
 
used them since 1985 and since retired many years ago...i always used the 1000w that came with it. you can really hurt yourself with this little fixture. i quit using them since i found them to be a hazard to clients...and myself...lol!

great little compact fixture but im surprised they havent been outlawed because of safety issues.

david
www.davidprobst.com
 
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