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Tips | Lighting Equipment Maintenance

 

ANNUAL OVERHAUL

 

ELLIPSOIDALS

 

1) EXAMINE CONNECTOR

 

Is it installed properly?

 

Strain Relief?

 

Proper wiring? (green wired to green = ground, black wired to gold = hot, white wired to silver = neutral. Hot separated from ground and neutral.)

 

2) EXAMINE WIRE LEADS

 

Check for cuts and abrasions. If wire is cut or damaged, replace it. For a quick fix, isolate wires carefully with electrical tape.

 

Does wire have a protective sleeve? Consider adding a nylon sleeve.

 

3) REMOVE LAMP BASE (lamp housing)

 

Remove lamp from socket

 

Don't touch glass with bare hands. Use a clean cloth.

 

Check for:

 

Corrosion in socket? replace socket.

 

Very mild corrosion can be treated with Cramolin.

 

Loose connections to socket? tighten them.

 

Ground attached?

 

Signs of heat/arcing damage? Look for the cause, a loose connection, stray wires, and repair.

 

Is the lamp the correct one for the fixture?

 

Reinsert lamp and set base aside someplace safe and clean.

 

4) REMOVE OR OPEN LENS BARREL

 

Remove lenses and clean with glass cleaner and paper towels.

 

Make sure you have the correct lenses for the fixture.

 

Replace broken or badly chipped lenses.

 

Dust out lens tube.

 

Reassemble lens barrel.

 

Make sure appropriate clips, retaining rings, fieldstops, etc., are in proper places.

 

Tip: If lenses are broken, check that the new lenses are a little loose in the housing, to allow for heat expansion.

 

5) CHECK SHUTTERS

 

Insulating knobs on all shutters? Replace knob or shutter if they are missing.

 

Too tight? Try graphite spray lubricant or 4-Tec DryMoly (no oil lubricants allowed)

 

Too loose? See if there is a way to add tension to the assembly, or tear apart shutter assembly and see if any plates are missing.

 

If you do tear apart shutter assembly, keep track of what order the parts belong in.

 

Too warped? Hammer against a steel plate, or replace.

 

6) VISUALLY INSPECT EXTERIOR

 

Can it use a bit of paint? High heat stove paint works well. Do painting while fixture is disassembled to avoid getting paint on lenses.

 

7) CLEAN REFLECTOR

 

Use a soft cloth and water or very diluted glass cleaner (ammonia).

 

8) CHECK ALL MOUNTING HARDWARE

 

Yoke bolts, handles, etc., all present and working?

 

Anything stripped, worn or not 'holding'. Replace bad hardware.

 

Check main c-clamp bolt: does it move freely by hand, or do you need a wrench? Replace bolt if bent or stripped. Lubricate clamp bolts with WD40.

 

9) REASSEMBLE INSTRUMENT

 

10) ALIGN INSTRUMENT

 

Adjust the relationship between the lamp and the reflector for maximum even light output. Method varies by manufacturer, but all adjust both the lamp's depth and its angle in the reflector.

 

Note: Always compare instruments with others of the same type to tell what parts are needed.

 

FOR FRESNELS

 

Same as above, but skip section 5, and you won't need to remove lens to clean it.

 

On fresnels, check the lens train (spot to flood adjustment) for smooth operation and proper locking (or friction) hold of flood position.

 

TOOL LIST

 

crescent wrench

 

screwdrivers

 

stand for aligning

 

paper towels

 

glass cleaner

 

gloves (to protect hands from heat while aligning)

 

pop riveter (useful for repairing some instruments, and for replacing insulating knobs on shutters)

 

"Rocco Rench" lens ring pliers (or long-nosed pliers) for removing and replacing lens rings

 

Pin Splitter (for maintaining male stage pin connectors)

 

4-Tec Dry Moly or Graphite Spray for shutters

 

Cramolin De-Oxidizer for treating mildly damaged

 

sockets

 

GamCheck