Arrow 1000/S 1000W Quartz Halogen Movie Light Smoking

[bobskie]

Hi all, I picked this lamp (probably 60's/70's) up at a car boot sale earlier all in its original packaging. It even came with the handy tripod adapter seen in the photos. My photos are always dark so I thought this would help me illuminate the subject matter. When switched on after a while it started to lightly smoke, nothing to worry about just some dust burning off I thought. I switched it off shortly after and decided to try photographing something. I took a number of photos and perhaps left it on a bit too long as it started emanating rather a lot of smoke and making a loud crackling noise. I waited a few seconds to see if it would burst into flames(probably not the best idea on reflection) but then switched off the power. Any ideas on what could be causing this? Just dust like I originally thought or something more sinister? This lamp does get incredibly hot, it starts burning your hand if you hold it and I can't believe the illumination it gives. As you can see there is a burn mark on it, probably some sort of residue. I'm fairly sure this isn't causing the smoke as it's coming from the vents on top. Should i take it apart and give it a clean do you think? I'm a little wary of using it now. The whole house stinks of burning!

Cameron

[McMurdo]

We've got one of these (without the barn doors) sold for indoor 8mm cine. 1000W linear halogen but in a 'short' tube, not the sort you get for outdoor floodlighting. They do get incredibly hot, and in fact as a child I decided to do some filming when mum & dad were out, and I got it too close to the teak fire surround...the heat was enough to turn the veneer to soot. Got into trouble for that!

If they haven't been used for while they do smoke alot but I'd be worried about the crackling, and tempted to open it up to check it electrically.

I assume you're opening the doors before switching it on!

[Refugee]

Is there not a bit of packaging in it that should have been removed before using it for the first time?

[emeritus]

This type of lamp is not rated for continuous use. Don't forget that a roll of 8mm movie film only ran for 2 mins a side (3 1/2 mins for super 8) so the movie lights were only designed to be powered on for a few mins. I inherited a 1000w model and its label warns you not to run it continuously for more than 5 mins, and not to use it again until it has cooled down. It is a "flectolux". I have fitted it with a 300w lamp which is more than adequate for modern digital cameras, and it can be left on with that one with no problems. I had to make a short spacer from a copper rivet as the original lamp was longer than current lamps.

[bobskie]

I'll need to have a check inside to make sure, the crackling is a bit of a worry. It didn't sound like electrical crackling though more like a campfire! Sadly the original instructions were not included, it's possible that there is a bit of packaging inside but that does seem like it would be a bad idea. It did look brand new however. I definitely didn't have it powered on for an overly long period, probably a minute at most. I thought there must be some sort of time limit before it burned up. Is it the case that I should avoid touching the bulb on this? I know on some bright lights that the oil residue can cause the bulb to crack.

Cameron

[Nickthedentist]

If you have to touch the bulb/lamp, don't panic. Just wipe it over with a clean cloth dampened with isopropyl alcohol and let it dry for a minute before applying power again.

[bobskie]

Would methylated spirits be ok? I heard it leaves a bit of a residue but I'm not sure. I really need to get some isopropyl alcohol it seems to be very useful.

Cameron

[barrymagrec]

Quite likely bad connections inside I would have thought, the heat would encourage oxidation of the wires and that switch looks as if it could get a bit sus.

[bobskie]

I tried the lamp again yesterday and it's smoking significantly less, no crackling noise or anything. I think I must have left it on for a longer combined time than I thought making it just get a bit too hot. I'll let you know if it burns the house down but using it yesterday it seemed fairly safe.

Cameron

[emeritus]

I didn't get any instruction leaflet with mine, but here's a scan of the label attached to the back of the lamp housing that probably tells you all you need to know.

[bobskie]

Thanks for that very useful, I suppose I just got a bit carried away with the time as it seems fine now! I'll need to watch in future. Mine doesn't seem to have that label oddly, and the whole thing looked to be in as new condition. Perhaps it was added later because people were leaving them on too long.

Cameron

EDIT - I notice yours is the SE which I assume is later, any idea on the difference?

[emeritus]

Here's some photos of the one I have, inherited from a late uncle. No idea when it was made.

Comparing them, mine is all black, and has a perforated metal spacer between the reflector housing and the barn doors which provides ventilation and presumably allows better convection cooling. The two close-ups show the "modification" I made to get a 300W lamp to fit: a brass eyelet (not a copper rivet as previously stated) that fits snugly over the left-hand contact to accommodate the slightly shorter 300W lamp.

When I was using cine in the 1970's, I couldn't afford a posh movie light so I made my own, using two of the 275W reflector photofloods that were generally used in commercial movie lights for amateurs before halogen bulbs were invented. I got two brass batten ES lampholders, screwed them to a piece of wood along with a double 2-way switch wired so I could run them in series for aiming and parallel for shooting: they could be left on for as long as you liked, but only had a rated life of one hour at full voltage.

[crackle]

It is interesting to note the current at a 220v is more than at 240v, surly the power would be less at 220v.

Mike

[Radio Wrangler]

The filament has a strong variation in resistance with temperature and you get distinctly non-linear behaviour, so be careful with Ohms law on lightbulbs and valve filaments. But the main reason is whether you have fitted a 220V or 240V bulb.

Those fuse ratings look a bit low to handle the inrush current of starting them from cold. May need anti-surge fuses.

I got myself a pair of Bowens big softboxes on tripods. Inside each is an 80W compact fluorescent, looks like a compact spiral bulb, but scaled up. Great light and can run continuously. Compared to flash heads, continuous lights let you see what you're going to get. Smoke free and doesn't cook whatever I'm shooting.

David

[bobskie]

That 300w modification looks like a good idea. I'll stick it out with the 1000w for now and see how I get on, I'll not be using it for long at a time although not having the threat of it bursting into flame would probably be a good thing! I agree that these lights are far better than a flash, I have been wanting to get some decent lighting for a while and this seems to do the job well. My flash always makes everything look horrible. A soft box would be good but I'm no serious photographer, though the subject does interest me.

[dseymo1]

For softer lighting, just bounce the light off a white reflector of some sort (projector screen, painted hardboard etc.) Be careful not to set the reflector on fire though!

[emeritus]

Agreed with the comment on indirect lighting. When I was using traditional film I often used to use my flashgun with an extension lead , and put the flashgun, with its reflector retracted, up high pointing at the ceiling, hanging it from the chandelier if the room had one. It meant I never had to adjust the exposure regardless of how close to the subject I got. It also gave a very pleasing quality of lighting, without the harshness you get with direct flash. Articles on portrait photography generally recommend using harsh direct lighting for male subjects, and soft indirect lighting for female subjects.

[bobskie]

I did a bit more experimentation today, I decided to try pointing the light at the ceiling and allowing the light to reflect down onto the subject. What a huge difference! No shadows and a much nicer picture. Thanks for the tip about indirect lighting. The lamp appears to have stopped smoking completely, I can only assume that some dust was left on the bulb. As for the crackling, I have no idea. Possibly caused by leaving it on too long but it hasn't happened again.

Cameron

[dseymo1]

Perhaps there are one or two crisp spiders inside it now!

[bobskie]

Certainly a possibility!