Couldn’t resist the classic Spinal Tap line! Got me thinking about lighting and dimming setups though…
That’s a total Spinal Tap setup! Bet it was made by Marshall!
Corey said:
That’s a total Spinal Tap setup! Bet it was made by Marshall!
Haha, same here, that’s exactly what popped into my mind!
Not directly related, but I’d RFI just to confirm the color temps since they’re all over the place.
Haru said:
Not directly related, but I’d RFI just to confirm the color temps since they’re all over the place.
Totally! I can’t count the times I specified 3000K only for contractors to sub in 2700K or 5000K, sometimes mixing both. Way too common.
@Pax
And I bet they passed all those ‘savings’ to the client. Really wish the design community would push back more on this kind of thing.
Ira said:
@Pax
And I bet they passed all those ‘savings’ to the client. Really wish the design community would push back more on this kind of thing.
Yep, they ‘try’ it all the time. My contracts are clear on no substitutions without written approval, but they still give it a shot. Redlining those submittals and writing punch lists feels so satisfying when they do.
@Pax
Can’t believe they’d even try that! If my submittal doesn’t match, I send it back right away or ask why it’s different from the spec.
@Qi
Totally agree. They only get away with it because we let them. If we all pushed back and made specs clearer, I think things would improve over time.
Ira said:
@Qi
Totally agree. They only get away with it because we let them. If we all pushed back and made specs clearer, I think things would improve over time.
This is fascinating! As an electrical contractor in commercial spaces, I spend so much time fighting to get the exact specified lighting.
I only suggest alternatives if:
a) The original lights don’t meet the timeline
b) The specified fixture doesn’t work in the intended way
c) The design team asks us for value engineering.
Trying to cut corners on lighting packages is not a solid business plan. Reps won’t refund you fully, and it’s even worse if you switch to a non-supported manufacturer.
Do they pull this after approved submittals? That would be a clear AIA 401 violation.
Pretty sure that column’s a typo and refers to dimming type… 0-10V maybe? Let me know if you want help clarifying.
Laken said:
Pretty sure that column’s a typo and refers to dimming type… 0-10V maybe? Let me know if you want help clarifying.
Back in the day, we had standalone rheostats that could go up to 110%, but they definitely shortened lamp life.
@Olen
How did that work? Rheostats don’t usually output more voltage than they receive.
Paxton said:
@Olen
How did that work? Rheostats don’t usually output more voltage than they receive.
It was actually more of an amplifying coil than a true rheostat, letting us push a bit more out of a 575.
@Olen
Wait, what exactly is an amplifying coil? And what kind of lights were you using that needed 600V?
Paxton said:
@Olen
Wait, what exactly is an amplifying coil? And what kind of lights were you using that needed 600V?
I think you’re talking about a ‘Variac’. It’s a transformer with an adjustable output that can go a bit above the incoming voltage.
@Jaden
Ah, got it, thanks!
Paxton said:
@Olen
Wait, what exactly is an amplifying coil? And what kind of lights were you using that needed 600V?
Nah, it was just 120V. We used it with Lekos, pars, and other common lights.
@Olen
Ah, when I see 575, I think of 600V systems. What’s a 575 to you?
Paxton said:
@Olen
Ah, when I see 575, I think of 600V systems. What’s a 575 to you?
575-watt lamp in ellipsoidal reflectors. There’s also a 375-watt version for small theaters, but the 750-watt is more common.