Colour filter for son floodlight

[sosa]

I've recently been asked to put a colour filter over some floodlights to light up a building, i have placed these filters

http://www.stagelighting.co.uk/consumables/colour-gel-stage-lighting-filters

in them but on the darker colour it only seems to last about a day before it burns through the sheet. I've looked into getting stained glass but at over £100 per piece i've been put of it a bit. Does anybody have any ideas?

 

[securespark]

RF's your man.

But why do you want to change the colour?

 

[sosa]

RF's your man.

But why do you want to change the colour?

The floodlights are lighting up a building and the manager there has asked me to.

 

[securespark]

OK. What is his reason for changing the colour?

 

[AdrianUK]

The colour Gels from stage lighting land work by filtering out every wavelength of light other than the one you want to let through (ie. they don't 'colour' the light - they block the colours that you don't want, letting through only the colour that you do). The result of this is that the gels heat up (because the energy from the colours that you have blocked has to be absorbed by the gel) - the darker colours heating up more than the lighter colours.

These gels work reasonably well on white light (since it is composed of all the other wavelengths) but don't work so well on SON light because it is composed only a few parts of the light spectrum & is very peaky.

The way to get what you want is to use coloured metal halide lamps instead. The techniques are know as 'architectural lighting'

edit: re read the OP ... and you didn't say anything about SONs ..... are you using linear T/H lamps? In which case the problem is likely to be that the gel is too close to the lamp ... especially if you notice burn thru in one place on the gel. When used in a theatre lamp the distance between the lamp & gel is controlled, also the gel is never at the focal point of the beam - something that you can guarantee with a cheap & cheerful T/H fitting.

 

[RF Lighting]

If it really really is a SON floodlight, then you're going to really struggle to filter the light, as much of the spectrum is missing which is why the light is orange.

You could try relamping the fittings with venture white lamps for son fittings, but IIRC, these only work in fittings with external ignitors.

Then you could try the gel again, but if it's too close to the lamp it'll still burn through.

Have a look here. the gel which is suffixed with (HT) after the colour code is high temperature gel, and will withstand more heat than standard gel, but I suspect it'll still fail reasonably quickly.

The normal way to do coloured architectural lighting is to use HQI fittings with specific coloured lamps, or with an LED light source.

 

[Spark123]

As others say, sodium lights are only a narrow spectrum hence filtering colours isn't going to have good effect.
I have seen projectors (moving mirror) which have a colour wheel in them, the colours are a lot lighter than what you think they would be to get a decent output, then there are fan assisted cooling and so on.
I think the best idea is to use a coloured lamp as RF suggests, they probably use a mixture of gasses to give the desired colour.

 

[securespark]

Has he run away?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Advice provided for entertainment purposes only. This advice does not reflect the thoughts or opinions of either DIYnot.com, its friends, or its letterhead; don't quote the site on that; don't quote the site on anything. This site may contain nuts. All rights reserved; you may distribute this URL freely but you may not make a profit from it; terms are subject to change without notice; illustrations are slightly enlarged to show detail; any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is unintentional and purely coincidental; do not remove this disclaimer under penalty of law; hand wash only, tumble dry on low heat; do not bend, fold, mutilate, or spindle; your mileage may vary; no substitutions allowed; for a limited time only; this website is void where prohibited, taxed, or otherwise restricted; caveat emptor; website is provided "as is" without any warranties; reader assumes full responsibility; an equal opportunity website; no shoes, no shirt, no service; quantities are limited while supplies last; if any defects are discovered, do not attempt to read them yourself, but return to an authorized service center; read at your own risk; parental discretion advised, text may contain explicit materials some readers may find objectionable; keep away from sunlight; keep away from OJ; keep away from pets and small children; limit one-per-family please; no money down; no purchase necessary; you need not be present to win; some assembly required; batteries not included; instructions are included; action figures sold separately; no preservatives added; slippery when wet; safety goggles may be required during use; sealed for your protection, do not read if safety seal is broken; call before you dig; not liable for damages arising from use or misuse; for external use only; if rash, irritation, redness, or swelling develops, discontinue reading; read only with proper ventilation; avoid extreme temperatures and store in a cool dry place; keep away from open flames; avoid contact with eyes and skin and avoid inhaling fumes; do not puncture, incinerate, or store above 120 degrees Fahrenheit; do not place near a flammable or magnetic source; smoking this website could be hazardous to your health; the best safeguard, second only to abstinence, is the use of a condom; no salt, MSG, artificial colour or flavouring added; if ingested, do not induce vomiting, if symptoms persist, consult a physician; website is ribbed for your pleasure; possible penalties for early withdrawal; offer valid only at participating sites; allow four to six weeks for delivery; must be 18 to read; disclaimer does not cover misuse, accident, lightning, flood, tornado, tsunami, volcanic eruption, earthquake, hurricanes, ball lightning, and other Acts of God, neglect, damage from improper reading, incorrect line voltage, improper or unauthorized reading, broken antenna or marred cabinet, missing or altered serial numbers, electromagnetic radiation from nuclear blasts, sonic boom vibrations, customer adjustments that are not covered in this list, and incidents owing to an airplane crash, ship sinking or taking on water, motor vehicle crashing, dropping the item, falling rocks, leaky roof, broken glass, mud slides, forest fire, or projectile (which can include, but not be limited to, arrows, bullets, shot, BB's, shrapnel, lasers, napalm, torpedoes, or emissions of X-rays, Alpha, Beta and Gamma rays, knives, stones, etc.); other restrictions may apply. This website is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited by law or common sense. Some assembly required. List each check separately by bank number. Batteries not included. Contents may settle during shipment. Use only as directed. No other warranty expressed or implied. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Postage will be paid by addressee. Subject to approval. This is not an offer to sell securities. Apply only to affected area. May be too intense for some viewers. Do not stamp. Use other side for additional listings. For recreational use only. Do not disturb. All models over 18 years of age. If condition persists, consult your physician. No user-serviceable parts inside. Freshest if eaten before date on carton. Subject to change without notice. Times approximate. Simulated picture. Breaking seal constitutes acceptance of agreement. For off-road use only. As seen on TV. One size fits all. Many suitcases look alike. Contains a substantial amount of non-tobacco ingredients. Colours may, in time, fade. Simulated words. We have sent the forms which seem to be right for you. Slippery when wet. For office use only. Not affiliated with the International Red Cross. Drop in any mailbox. Edited for television. Keep cool; process promptly. Post office will not deliver without postage. List was current at time of printing. Return to sender, no forwarding order on file, unable to forward. Not responsible for direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages resulting from any defect, error or failure to perform. At participating locations only. Not the Beatles. Penalty for private use. See label for sequence. Substantial penalty for early withdrawal. Do not write below this line. Falling rock. Lost ticket pays maximum rate. Your cancelled check is your receipt. Add toner. Place stamp here. Avoid contact with skin. Sanitized for your protection. Be sure each item is properly endorsed. Sign here without admitting guilt. Employees and their families are not eligible. Beware of dog. Contestants have been briefed on some questions before the show. Limited time offer, call now to insure prompt delivery. You must be present to win. No passes accepted for this engagement. No purchase necessary. Processed at location stamped in code at top of carton. Shading within a garment may occur. Use only in well-ventilated area. Keep away from fire or flame. Replace with same type. Approved for veterans. Booths for two or more. Check here if tax deductible. Some equipment shown is optional. Price does not include taxes. No American coins. Not recommended for children. Prerecorded for this time zone. Reproduction strictly prohibited. No solicitors. No alcohol, dogs, or horses. No anchovies unless otherwise specified. Restaurant package, not for resale. List at least two alternate dates. First pull up, then pull down. Call toll free before digging. Driver does not carry cash. Some of the trademarks mentioned in this product appear for identification purposes only. Record additional transactions on back of previous stub. Decision of judges is final. Don’t eat yellow snow.

 

[sosa]

Sorry guys not run away, am using a halogen lamp sorry not a SON. Didn't know you could get coloured ones of these???

Also BAN i have had a look at getting some heat resistant paint? Would this work?

Edit: This is a link to the clear lamp that i've put in instead of a SON.
http://www.luckinslive.com/product/391056695/Crompton-Lamps/MHT250WGESHPSEN4K

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Dunno.

 

[sosa]

So why did you post a picture of cans of spray paint?

 

[AdrianUK]

The lamp you have linked to is a metal halide lamp NOT a halogen one.

I hope that you haven't simply swapped the SON lamp for one of these in the same fitting .... if you have then it isn't going to last long ... the control gear is NOT compatible.

Secondly, although the metal halide spectrum is broader than the sodium one (hence the light is 'whiter') it still isn't white light.

My advice remains the same ... and the same as RF's..... use coloured metal halide lamps & use then in a metal halide fitting (or change the control gear to suit).

Adrian

 

[AdrianUK]

Also BAN i have had a look at getting some heat resistant paint? Would this work?

For about a 20 seconds ... yes

Adrian

 

[sosa]

The lamp you have linked to is a metal halide lamp NOT a halogen one.

I hope that you haven't simply swapped the SON lamp for one of these in the same fitting .... if you have then it isn't going to last long ... the control gear is NOT compatible.

Secondly, although the metal halide spectrum is broader than the sodium one (hence the light is 'whiter') it still isn't white light.

My advice remains the same ... and the same as RF's..... use coloured metal halide lamps & use then in a metal halide fitting (or change the control gear to suit).

Adrian

Thanks for the advice but in the retailers who i bought them off's magazine it specifically says replacment for SON lamps