Thread: Favorite lights for lightning effects?

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Originally Posted by Scott N.

I have a question about the photofloods for those that have used them, are they all on then all off or do they act like regular incandescent bulbs and "warm up" to full bright then 'warm down" to off?

are these what people use?
Amazon.com: Westcott #550 500 watt Photoflood Light: Camera & Photo

They're pretty much either full-on or full-off. There's no noticeable warm-up, and only a very slight warm-down, much less than a standard floodlight. I use two each white and blue photofloods, approx. 1000W; I'm very pleased with the effect. I run them with two Lightning FX boxes.

I must have gotten lucky with my power. On a two socket portable outdoor fixture powered from a porch light adapter, I ran-

3- 100W spots
1- plugin witch globe ball
1- 400w fogger
1- motorized lawn prop [one single motor]
1- string of 35 purple xmas type string of lights
1- compact cd player with powered pc speakers attached

It all held up fine for the night, thank goodness!

Dan

I got those photofloods too. 250 watt and they're bright as hell.....but these gave the best lightning flashes I ever saw..
Chauvet Lighting ST-2000S Techno Strobe(tm) 2000S 75 watts Strobe - ST-2000S - Buy.com
with this unit....
Amazon.com: Chauvet Basic Strobe Controller - Sound Activated with cable: Musical Instruments

somebody out there has these. I cant remember who? they have a video of it too.......

Here's that unit only cheaper
Chauvet CH751 Basic Strobe Controller*-* Strobe Light Controllers*-* Lighting Control*-* Lighting*-* PSSL.com

whoops misread.

I made small spot lights from some 12 volt high brightness led arrays I got for free. They run great from a 9 volt battery. Use PVC 45 degree elbow. You can get led flashlight fairly cheap these days. I would imagine you could use ethernet cable runs to control them. I think Led's are the wave of the future in Haunt lighting. You can get various colors including ultraviolet. They are small and consume very little energy, so you could power literally hundreds with one 12 or even 24 volt supply if the array's are circuited correctly.

maybe I'll order a blue and frosted 500w photo floods......

My main power cords (ones directly into the outlets) are ugly orange -- look okay in the dark, though -- but are extra thick (AND dang HEAVY!!) from Lowe's, Not cheap, but they should last for years.

This year I used two 250watt photofloods the blue ones and it lit up my whole backyard. I put them in the 10.5" light holders with the ceramic sockets. I use a single channel color organ that will handle 500watts. I made this before the lightning fx units were out. My back yard is fairly large and it was covered by the photoflood bulbs.

Don't forget this tutorial. It worked well for me. I bought studio can lights and pin spots a couple of years ago and luv 'em.



See, one on ground here which I mounted onto wood base:



I made four flicker circuits (simple outlets with fluorescent light starters) also to give a creepy random flash to the lantern I hang about the cemetery.