Cyberlights on 110V?

[QUOTE=Ccw_Rnz;53840]Well, I may as well say then. I currently have 10 Roboscan 1220's coming in as we speak, each of those is 1200W, with roughly i'd guess the same features as the Cyber, including CMY, but not as interesting gobos and less effects. Those have a switch for 110V. I also have a poor Stage Scan sitting outside (Poor things neglected a bit because I can't run it, yet) that I got for an irresistable deal of $150 anyways, and supposedly it works, but I dont' have 208 to test it. It also has a decent amount of broken glass inside it so i'm afraid to touch it to get it working, for now at least. That too is 1200W. I am also considering bringing in PAL 1200's for their Framing shutters and CMY mixing, but a measly 4 gobos. Those too are 1200W and have a 110V option. Now there are the PAL 1200FX, which have all the features of the Cybers and more, but I honestly can't even dream of finding any of those, they seem almost nonexistent. And they're not as good looking as the Cybers.
Then we have my Computer which is running off of a fully used 1200W Power supply as we speak, but that is probably different in some way from lights anyhow.

So this leaves me with the question why it is that Cyberlights seem to be the only HES lights that require 208/230? Others have shown that 1200W Lights can indeed run off of 110V. (I am aware that All magnetic ballast lights require 208/220V though, I'm unsure if thats what Cybers use) Could the same principle apply to the Clay Paky 1200's as well, which are also 208/220? Not trying to be rude, but once again, i'm very curious.

(Then there's also the Coemar CF7's which require 208... But they use the exact same lamp as the X-Spots, which require as little as 90... Thats interesting, but I think i'll choose the X-spots over those)

@Tadawson Well, I'll look for that in a lesser university/college heh, it sounds worth a shot. My final goal is to be able to modify the lights themselves safely to run on 110V, as other lights of similar power do. If the lights in question still have warranty though i'll probably refrain from that, at least until the warranty is finished.

I hope i don't sound like too much of an idiot or anything, this is just what i've seen and thought.

-C

I think it was a judgement call by HES, demand vs. cost vs. size/weight. While there really aren't any electrical/mechanical reasons why a 1200 watt magnetic ballast can't be build (other brands doing so have verified this . . . ) the additional windings needed to support 110volts make the ballast larger and heavier. The demand for 120volt on these type of fixtures is also likely very low, since damn near everything out there in rigs that run this type of stuff has proper power and distro. So, I think HES made the call based on size/weight/demand, and that was that . . . Other mfgs. made the call differently.

I know in the Studio Color "M" (magnetic), the lamp ballast is the *only* component that restricts the unit from running 120volts . . . and when they put in the solid state supplies, 120 was an option. Since the "M" was a result of development delays in the SS supply, likely the choice was once again space - the 208/220 50/60Hz ballast that is in the M is a tight squeeze, and I doubt that much more would have fit.

Which also leads to the problem of doing any type of conversion . . . unless you can find a ballast that is the same size (doubtful) and that can run 120volts, you are pretty much stuck with an external conversion, and hence my suggestion to use step-up transformers. The Cyber, unlike the Studio Color, does not run a switching motor/low voltage supply, so the main power transformer would need to be changed as well . . . another item unique to the Cyber, and not likely available except as a custom item.

So, if you want to have some custom ballasts/transformers made, likely at many times the cost of the initial fixture, *and* likely violate any UL/CE certs on the fixture, external is about the only route you can go . . . that, or get the correct power in the places that you need to work. Even if you can't get 208, any of the HES magnetic ballast fixtures *CAN* run on 240, which is a standard US service from homes and up . . . it's simply a matter of getting an appropriate tie-in to the power, which is not terribly complex or expensive, and if the venue is going to be using this stuff on any kind of a regular basis, is a far easier route to go in most cases. Schools, however, who are more concerned about the color of their seats than the quality of their shows, can be problematic, however . . . .

- Tim

[QUOTE=Ccw_Rnz;53840]Well, I may as well say then. I currently have 10 Roboscan 1220's coming in as we speak, each of those is 1200W, with roughly i'd guess the same features as the Cyber, including CMY, but not as interesting gobos and less effects. Those have a switch for 110V. I also have a poor Stage Scan sitting outside (Poor things neglected a bit because I can't run it, yet) that I got for an irresistable deal of $150 anyways, and supposedly it works, but I dont' have 208 to test it. It also has a decent amount of broken glass inside it so i'm afraid to touch it to get it working, for now at least. That too is 1200W. I am also considering bringing in PAL 1200's for their Framing shutters and CMY mixing, but a measly 4 gobos. Those too are 1200W and have a 110V option. Now there are the PAL 1200FX, which have all the features of the Cybers and more, but I honestly can't even dream of finding any of those, they seem almost nonexistent. And they're not as good looking as the Cybers.
Then we have my Computer which is running off of a fully used 1200W Power supply as we speak, but that is probably different in some way from lights anyhow.

So this leaves me with the question why it is that Cyberlights seem to be the only HES lights that require 208/230? Others have shown that 1200W Lights can indeed run off of 110V. (I am aware that All magnetic ballast lights require 208/220V though, I'm unsure if thats what Cybers use) Could the same principle apply to the Clay Paky 1200's as well, which are also 208/220? Not trying to be rude, but once again, i'm very curious.

(Then there's also the Coemar CF7's which require 208... But they use the exact same lamp as the X-Spots, which require as little as 90... Thats interesting, but I think i'll choose the X-spots over those)

@Tadawson Well, I'll look for that in a lesser university/college heh, it sounds worth a shot. My final goal is to be able to modify the lights themselves safely to run on 110V, as other lights of similar power do. If the lights in question still have warranty though i'll probably refrain from that, at least until the warranty is finished.

I hope i don't sound like too much of an idiot or anything, this is just what i've seen and thought.

-C

I think it was a judgement call by HES, demand vs. cost vs. size/weight. While there really aren't any electrical/mechanical reasons why a 1200 watt magnetic ballast can't be build (other brands doing so have verified this . . . ) the additional windings needed to support 110volts make the ballast larger and heavier. The demand for 120volt on these type of fixtures is also likely very low, since damn near everything out there in rigs that run this type of stuff has proper power and distro. So, I think HES made the call based on size/weight/demand, and that was that . . . Other mfgs. made the call differently.

I know in the Studio Color "M" (magnetic), the lamp ballast is the *only* component that restricts the unit from running 120volts . . . and when they put in the solid state supplies, 120 was an option. Since the "M" was a result of development delays in the SS supply, likely the choice was once again space - the 208/220 50/60Hz ballast that is in the M is a tight squeeze, and I doubt that much more would have fit.

Which also leads to the problem of doing any type of conversion . . . unless you can find a ballast that is the same size (doubtful) and that can run 120volts, you are pretty much stuck with an external conversion, and hence my suggestion to use step-up transformers. The Cyber, unlike the Studio Color, does not run a switching motor/low voltage supply, so the main power transformer would need to be changed as well . . . another item unique to the Cyber, and not likely available except as a custom item.

So, if you want to have some custom ballasts/transformers made, likely at many times the cost of the initial fixture, *and* likely violate any UL/CE certs on the fixture, external is about the only route you can go . . . that, or get the correct power in the places that you need to work. Even if you can't get 208, any of the HES magnetic ballast fixtures *CAN* run on 240, which is a standard US service from homes and up . . . it's simply a matter of getting an appropriate tie-in to the power, which is not terribly complex or expensive, and if the venue is going to be using this stuff on any kind of a regular basis, is a far easier route to go in most cases. Schools, however, who are more concerned about the color of their seats than the quality of their shows, can be problematic, however . . . .

- Tim