Alien bees 120V 220V issues

[shay_ohayon]

Hi,

 

Since most people around here have praised the alien bee strobes, I am

considering to buying my first studio kit there.

One problem, though - they have stopped selling the 220V version (and exporting

it outside the US, but that is only a minor problem...)

 

My question -

Have anyone operated a 120V strobe using 220V with some kind of step down

regulator? what type of step down (how many watts?)

Did anyone encountered any problem using this approach?

 

And, finally - it is quite surprising the most stobes(monolight, actually) out

there opearte only on 120V. Any recommendation on a cheap, but reliable, starter

kit (400W/s) strobes that operate on 220?

 

Many thanks,

 

Shay

[savagesax]

I think you can buy a converter from electronic stores which will allow you to use these strobes overseas. Check with Radio Shack, Fry's Electronics, places like that.

[beno_t_marchal]

<p>Not a direct answer to your question but I assume you live outside of the US and are

considering AB.

<p>I was in the same situation and I too was disappointed to hear they stopped selling

international.... and then I found the Elinchrom D-Lite. In a similar price range as the AB

but available worldwide.<br />

I have acquired a kit and I think they rock: the light is very constant and predictable (when

I dial down 1 stop on the electronic panel, my flashmeter measures one stop difference),

for amateur use it's a good set. Plus being Elinchrom they are compatible with their entire

range of modifiers and many third parties manufactures modifiers.

<p>I have no relationship with them apart from being a happy customer. If you speak

French, I discussed them in my podcast at <a href="http://www.declencheur.com/clic/

archives/2006/05/histogramme">http://www.declencheur.com/clic/archives/2006/05/

histogramme</a>

<p>Hope it helps

<p>--ben

[frank_skomial]

I believe Adorama sells 220 Volts version of their Monolights (2 models), as well as 110 volts versions ( 3 models).

 

These cannot work on both voltages at the same time, and cannot be adjusted from one to onother voltage.

[bob_gentile]

I used to use the voltage converters when I was doing international travel -- they always worked fine for me. But I never used them for flash photography. QUESTION: will the voltage change cause a shift in color temperature?

[frank_skomial]

"QUESTION: will the voltage change cause a shift in color temperature?" - NO.

 

Flash capacitors always operate at design nominal voltage. If you use a different model with different voltage power supply, or a voltage converter, this does not change how the flash output operates in modern commercially available flashes.

 

If you power a flash with a 130 Volts, and again at 110 Volts, proper circuit design should compensate to provide optimal voltage for the flash capacitor, and should tolerate this voltage difference, or not ? Possibly in a cheaper model, you could have a bit of difference ? or flash for 110 Volts could be blown up by the 130 volts.

 

If you plug a 110 volt flash into a 220 volts without any voltage transformer, you will most likely blow fuses in the flash unit and your house, and/or damage completely the electronics in the flash.

[rayt]

Fuses only protect against current, not voltage. If you plug a 110v appliance into 220v you will most likely fry components. These components short and that blows the fuse. When the fuse goes it is already too late.

 

Current is a function of power and voltage. If you draw the same power with a voltage that is doubled you will draw half the current. A fuse fro 110v is actually twice the size that is needed for 220v operation.

 

So how much power will a unit that has fried draw? All of it.

[shiver_me_timbrrrre]

Thank you, Raymond. You said it far better than I could.

 

Does this not show that you are ignorant again, Frank?

[frank_skomial]

Shiver,

Raymong just confirmed what I stated earler, and explained a bit better.

 

I think you are ignorant if you do not understant that.

[frank_skomial]

In some older post Mr. TimBRRRR recomended a 60 Amp fuse, while only 15 Apms was needed, and the equipment vendor only recomended 20 Amps to be on the safe side.

 

Also Mr. TIMBRRR provded 2 sets of equations for relation between energy and power, that are only application to static circuits of current flow. Mr. TIMBRRR could not show of any use or applicability of his equations that would contribute anything to the answer.

 

For dynamic short instance of flash loading one needs set of differential equations. - but that is beyond the point.

 

Unfortunately, I pointed out with the corect answers, but in return Mr. TimBRRR started calling me names, using my children etc..

 

When you read his last name you will hear the "RRRRRRR" - the sound that could remind you of something ?

 

Why don't just people focus on providing answers?

[bob_gentile]

<em>"... Why don't just people focus on providing answers...?"</em></p>

 

<p>Good questionI was wondering the same thing myself. </p>

 

<p>If, as you said, Mr. Thompson had already provided the answers... what is the purpose

of <em>your</em> post? It appears that both you and Mr. TimBRRRR have some issues that go

far beyond "providing answers." Speaking for myself, I find them neither

informative nor amusing.

[beno_t_marchal]

<p><i>Speaking for myself, I find them neither informative nor amusing.</i>

<p>Seconded.

<p>--ben

[shay_ohayon]

Guys?

 

Can you leave the ego aside and give me a simple answer ?

Has anyone around ever used AlienBees with some kind of a step-down regulator, is so - what was it's specification?

 

Thanks,

 

Shay

[rick_m.]

I don't know if this is a possibility for you but.... Alien Bees have an excellent portable power pack called the Vagabond 150. It costs about $350.00 and will power two AB 400's for about 800 full power exposures. What is cool is that it comes with a universal charger that can operate on 90-270 volts and 12 volt DC. Not only will your AB's be powered anywhere in the world, they will become truly portable location lights.

 

As the battery of the Vagabond system will recharge in about 5 hours and an extra battery from AB's is only about $40.00 US it would seem to me that for about $400.00 US plus shipping you would get enough power to use your ABs for about 1600 full power shots. That is a heck of a day. I did some research. Check this out.

 

3 AlienBees B800 Flash Units

3 CB1 Single Light Carrying Bags

1 V300 Vagabond Portable Power System

2 LS3900 13-foot Heavy Duty Light Stands

1 LS1100 Backlight Stand

1 HG20 20ﾺ Honeycomb Grid

1 U48TWB 48-inch Translucent White ﾓShoot-Thruﾔ Umbrella

1 U32SW 32-inch Silver/White Reversible Bounce Umbrella

1 LSB48 48-inch Light Stand Carrying Bag

 

That system is about $1550.00 US and is really comprehensive.

 

or

 

To save a few more bucks you could buy this for $600.00 US:

2 AlienBees B400 Flash Units

2 CB1 Single Light Carrying Bags

2 LS3050 10-foot General Purpose Light Stands

1 U48TWB 48-inch Translucent White ﾓShoot-Thruﾔ Umbrella

1 U48SW 48-inch Silver/White Reversible Bounce Umbrella

 

Add the power pack and a spare battery for about $400.00 and you have a nice and less expensive outfit for just under $1000.00.

 

Don't underestimate the importance of a truly portable system. It opens up a wealth of possibilities. You will eventually want to be shoot on location. That is a virtual certainty.

 

No offense to our two feuding technocrats but your answer to the transformer/invertor questions are here:

 

http://www.alienbees.com/travel.html

 

Strait from the horses mouth as we say which is the most trustworthy end.

[frank_skomial]

"cheap, but reliable, starter kit (400W/s)" -

 

$218 for 300 Wattseconds for 220 Volts:

 

http://www.adorama.com/FP620220.html?searchinfo=flashpoint%20220&item_no=6

 

600 Wattseconds at $319 and 220 Volts AC

 

http://www.adorama.com/FP1220220.html?searchinfo=flashpoint%20220&item_no=2

 

 

900 Wattseconds at $369 for 220 Volts AC:

 

http://www.adorama.com/FP1820220.html?searchinfo=flashpoint%20220&item_no=3

 

"Have anyone operated a 120V strobe using 220V with some kind of step down regulator?" - Yes I use 1800 WattSeconds monster with only 500 Watts step-down/Step up transformer, and that includes 150 Watts modelling lamp that is turned on continuosly. (and do not listen if someone will recomend that you need a 60 Apms rated fuse and voltage converter.)

[bambang indrayoto]

I am one of the lucky person who can still have them shipped internationally.

 

The 120V - 220V issue still can be worked out with a step up/down transformer I believe.

 

However the modelling light is a household bulb. So I am afraid that you will have a problem if the one that goes with the original goes dead. You might have difficulty trying to find the 120V buld in your 220V neighborhood. I bought the 1600 (2 of them) and one of them dead.

 

Unless you can live without the modelling light, if you cannot find one in your market....

 

salam,

[martin_mraz]

I'm living in the Czech Republic and am running a 120V set of Elinchrome 500 standalone

heads. I have no problem using a step-down 220/120V transformer with them. Recently one

of my modelling lamps burned out, and I have two 120V lamps on order from a local flash

equipment supplier. Their technicians have told me that in the meantime I can use 220V

bulbs, they will just run at half brightness. So if I put in a 100W 220V bulb, it will run at half

output, or 50W. A 150W bulb will output 75W, and so on.

 

In any case, DO NOT plug 120V rated flash units into 220V. If you are lucky, you will just

blow the fuses in the heads, in the worse case you will damage the heads.