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Running a 1.2k HMI off a 240v 15amp socket?

Mark K.

Mark K.

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Hi guys,

I'm looking into picking up a 1.2k HMI (since I seem to always need at least one source with that much kick these days). And I've stumbled onto a couple of possibilities. In particular the older Profoto 1.2k HMIs, which are just like a Joker Bug and can be paired with their new PAR Reflector or any other Profoto modifiers. Or the other alternative is a Broncolor 1.2k HMI PAR.

I need to be portable with these lights, so what I'm trying to determine, is whether I'll be able to start properly and run off a 240v 15amp socket? (namely, one attached to a 3000w gennie like this: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/160822544529?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649).

I know that 1.2k HMIs can be iffy on 120v 15amp sockets (due to the higher amperage they draw whilst starting up), but I don't know whether a 240v supply nullifies that issue?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Also if anyone is familiar with the 1.2k Profoto or Broncolor HMIs I'd love to hear your thoughts, namely on build quality and noise levels.

Cheers,

Mark
 
Arri Sun Plus...not cheap. But if that is going to be your big source...have the big eye. The smaller heads too specular to be the biggest source in the room.
 
Thanks for the suggestion Mike, but the Sun Plus is out of my price range unfortunately. Also, I practically never aim a PAR at anything directly, they get bounced or diffused one way or another, so the need for a larger source isn't quite as necessary (although it would of course be preferable in ideal circumstances).
 
Mark,

On a 120v 15a circuit, it will produce a max of 1.8 kilowatts. However, conventionally you want to size a draw to a nominal load of 60% of that, which would be 1.08kW. The strike of the light spikes that load nearing the threshold of the circuit.

With that said, when you double the voltage (and the Ohms load) whilst maintaining the same amperage, you effectively double the wattage capabilities . Thus:
a 240v 15a circuit has the max potential to produce 3.6kW. Again using the 60% nominal load, you would be safe with up to 2.16 kW rated load.

However, if you are talking about using this genny on ebay, the power supplied by it claims to be 3.5kW (4.4 @ 80% efficiency). Therefore if you trust their claims you could run a 2.1kW load. So theoretically, you could run up to a single 2k with it. The BIG caveat here is that you need to be certain the ballast will accept an input of 240v at 50Hz.
 
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I'm fairly certain that out of the box the 1.2s are only house friendly, meaning they are wired for 120, not 240, they will work just fine on a 120v, 15 amp circuit as long as the run isn't crazy long. The main advantage of these and the M18s is that they run on house power.

On another note: At first glance I would avoid that generator, looks like it would last a day and a half at the most... Note that they use the term "VA" which means watts approximate, not actual watts as a reputable company would.
 
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I use 1.2k HMI's nearly every day on a standard 240v Australian power point with no problem.
 
Hi Mark, all these older ballast are not power factor corrected and are a difficult load for a genny. I´d suggest to buy into a good quality inverter. We own the Honda inverters which work flawlessly.
Regarding the lights, though invested in broncolor I´d stay away from the 1.2KW bron units. They have been discontinued a long time ago, only accept their own PAR Reflektor (not compatible with any other broncolor lamp accessory) there has been an adaptor for a broncolor branded softbox but you don´t get anything new, so if you can get it dirt cheap OK but otherwise better buy into the newer system like the 800W. The 1.2K is noisy, there is a fan build into the lamp base and into the ballast which also adds noise. Switching frequency is around 70Hz flickerfree which also is not free of interference with higher frame rates. Don´t know the old Profotos but probably not far away, these lights were designed for the use with scan backs in still photography.

Cheers, Ulf
 
Those cheep chinese generators are not all bad. Put a good spark plug in it ass soon as you get it and take it apart and disconnect the oil sensor, and it should be good to go. The oil sensors they use are crap and they will shut of if you have a thimble too much, or too little oil. Then change the oil frequently and check the level manually everytime you use it. I recently did a show where instead of one big genny, we had a lot of small ones. Need a 1200 way out in the field? Run a little generator out to it. Worked pretty well.

Nick
 
Nick Gardner said:
Those cheep chinese generators are not all bad. Put a good spark plug in it ass soon as you get it and take it apart and disconnect the oil sensor, and it should be good to go. The oil sensors they use are crap and they will shut of if you have a thimble too much, or too little oil. Then change the oil frequently and check the level manually everytime you use it. I recently did a show where instead of one big genny, we had a lot of small ones. Need a 1200 way out in the field? Run a little generator out to it. Worked pretty well.

Nick
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If you're gonna have a few of them in case one goes down that doesn't sound like a bad option. If I was only going to have one and had to count on it, it would be a Honda, hands down.
 
I have a Chinese ARRI clone ( Steven Studio ) 1.2K HMI light with an electronic ballast of the heavier fanless type. It has been fine thus far on Western Australian domestic power which is 250vAC @ 50Hz. I have found it prudent with the clone lights to check the lamphouse casework fasteners for loosening due to heat/cool cycles. The heavy fanless type electronic ballast is claimed to be power-factor corrected.
 
I used to own an Arrisun 1.2 plus and ran it off a 2kw non invertor Honda genie.
It is a very capable and portable package and highly recommended for indies if doing broad exterior night scenes as a couple of these can light a massive area, without running cables from a gennie truck, as nick said.

Also had a 800w joker and it worked fine as well.
In Europe the Arrisun 1.2 works ok off a domestic socket.
When I shot in the USA with checked baggage shooting kit I took the same Arrisun and ran it off domestic sockets, I made up a very heavy extension cable to cope with double the amps due to 120 voltage.

Mike Brennan
 
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