Overdriving 12V Rifa Softlight at 24V to raise color temperature?

[Brian Broz]

I've worked on a number of RED music videos and commercials and music videos that were lit tungten, and know how much better the image looks when there is any daylight source in the image (mixed color temps look great!)

For smaller projects, I'm wondering if I power 12V lights such as the Rifa 44 (with a GCC100W lamp) at 24 V if the color temp will raise enough to make a difference from 3200K? I realize lamp life will be shortened but not sure how much.

Wondering if anyone has thought about or tried overdriving 12V sources to get a higher color temp than tungsten?

Cheers!

 

[Mitch Gross]

You can use a Variac to overdrive 120v bulbs by about 20% to 140v. This will raise the color temp. from 3200 to about 3400. It will also shorten lamp life about 50%.

If you shove 24v into a 12v bulb it certainly will raise color temp. -- for about 5 seconds. After that you'll blow the bulb.