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Lighting Abroad
I’m going to be shooting in Bosnia this fall. My lighting needs will be relatively limited (mainly interviews). Aside from the plug adapter, can my regular tungsten lights work there (Lowel Rifa, tota, and Arri 150’s)? Will the 50Hz electricity give me any grief?
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4 Replies
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Thoughtsauce,
The electricity in Bosnia is 220-230 volts at 50Hz. Just replace your 120v globes with those rated for the native voltage and you’re good to go. The only impact of the 50Hz will be in scenes where local flourescents and/or neon lights are included; set your shutter for a multiple of 50 to eliminate the flicker, such as 1/100th. Most HMI’s can be set by swtich or automaticly sense the different voltage.
Another thing I often do for 220 countroes is make a pigtail in series so that I can plug two 120v devices together, essentailly making them one 220v device; this saves the necessity of a transformer. I do this for devices that are not voltage agnostic or for globes that do not have 220v equivilents (such as the older FAY types).
Bon Voyage!
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[john sharaf] “make a pigtail in series”
John, how does this work exactly? Do you have to have all the units turned on before powering up the line? Is there any danger, if you don’t have one of the 110 units turned on, of blowing out the bulb on the first one you turn on?
— Bob C
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No danger! Both units (whatever they are) turn on only when both are plugged in and turned on – essentailly when the circuit is completed. It a very low cost, elegent solution to the 220 power problem.
JS
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[john sharaf] “Both units (whatever they are) turn on only when both are plugged in”
Thanks. I should have figured that out from your description of wiring in SERIES. I guess you could even wire it up as a little receptacle box, leaving the input wire trailing out of it for the local plug.
— Bob
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