P4000 Norman Power Packs

[neil_poulsen1]

I received some excellent input on lighting for architectural photography in an earlier post.

 

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That said, can someone tell me about Norman P4000 power packs? This is "P4000", not P4000D, or some other designation. I'm pretty sure these are 4000 watt-second packs, but they're lighter and about the same size when compared to current P2000D packs, and this seems quizzical. Why would this be? They have options of 2000, 1600, 1200, 800, 400, and 200 watt-seconds, and combinations thereof. Have standards changed, and have power packs have gotten heavier? Given their size, weight, and power, they look like excellent packs for architectural purposes.

[ellis_vener_photography]

Well they probably are fine packs -- if you don't mind that the

Norman system is half as efficient at turning potential energy

(watt seconds) into light as Speedotron, Balcar, Elinchrom,

Profoto and Comet, just to name the brands I've tested.

[scott walton]

If I reall correctly, the pack is a 2000w/s pack. Heavy, yes...

efficient, not really as Ellis states. I didn't care much for Norman

heads either. Norman as well as Speedotron Blacks are a bit large and

heavy and are good in the studio but if you have to transport alot, I

would think twice... that or hire an assistant. I have Dynalites and

love them! I have Dynalites and love them! My 1000w/s packs have NEVER

let me down and have always been enough power whether it is in the

studio or location. Neil, if you like the Norman line, by all means

get them. Look into what you have to do with the sundries like

softboxes and all that you will need for your shooting.

[dk_thompson]

Neil, the only Normans I've used were 200Bs, so maybe the others could

answer this better. But we use speedotron blacklines here, they are

heavy but man, they're rugged & built to last. The thing I've noticed

about Normans has been that alot of their packs seem to draw less amps

than say a similar sized speedotron. They call it "soft start" or

something like that, and all the packs pull just 15 amps. That's alot

less than any speedos, and even a 2000 watt Dynalight pack pulls more

than that. So, that may be a nice feature for location work....

[ellis_vener_photography]

My statement about the inefficiency of Norman heads is based

on a series of test i ran in late 1999. A Norman P2000x pack with

a standard Norman head and a new flash tube, set to full output

produced half as much light as the same pack with a very

slightly rewired (just the modeling light circuit ) Speedotron 102A

head in a variety of configurations; Softbox (Plume Wafer 140)

Umbrella (50" Photek Goodlighter); and with standard umbrella

(5" forthe Norman, 7" for the Speedo) and 10" reflectors with the

meter on axis to the flash tube and with the heads pointed at the

ceiling. Using a Speedotron 2405 pack at full power the output

onthe Speedo head was slightly higher, which I attribute to the

Speedo pack being a 2400 w/s pack. My results comparing the

other brands were very similar to the readings I got from the

Norman pack/Speedotron head combo and the all Speedotron

combination. I used a Minolta Flash Meter IV for the

measurements.

[neil_poulsen1]

Thanks again for the helpful comments. These Normans are not for me.

 

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I found out that they're actually 4000 W-S packs. But, one has to do

things just "so" to avoid arcing, either at the plug or internally.

While looking at the pack with a head attached, I turned off the pack

at the main power switch, depressed the discharge switch several times

to make sure it wasn't holding a charge, and then threw a switch from

1600 to 800. With the unit off, my idea was to reconfigure it with a

different power source to the head. KER-WHACK!!! The damn thing

arced internally. Apparently, you can't throw a swith with the unit

off, and you can't pull a plug with the unit on. Good Lord, talk

about confusing. I can just see myself glowing in the dark after

making some fateful error. No thank you!

 

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So, I continue to look, probably for something a little more recent

with a little less power. Perhaps I'm showing my ignorance, but

better ignorant than dead.

[ellis_vener_photography]

There is definitely something wrong with those packs as what

you did is a standard operating proceedure for Normans. You

can switch power settings with the pack on of course, but you

absolutely have to turn the pack off and bleed it befoire plugging

in a head orr disconnecting one.

[david_goldfarb]

I think Ellis is right that something's wrong with your pack. I have

a P800D, and I turn it off and discharge it before plugging anything

in or out, but I switch the settings while it's on, and I've never had

any arcing.

[neil_poulsen1]

Actually, it arced when I switched the power setting from 1600 to 800

with the pack OFF after pressing the discharge switch several times.

[timber_borcherding]

The best people to call is Holly Enterprises in Los Angeles, near Sepulveda.

 

It would seem to me that if the unit is turned off, the discharge circuit would not work, or work well. Perhaps only one bank of capacitors is being discharged when the power is off. If you change power level, you are grounding the second bank of capacitors and they will of course, arc as they discharge. Just a thought. But I am no expert. Basically, you need to have power to have the electronic intelligence to discharge all of the banks at once. If the power is off, you are on manual.

 

Somebody should put in a circuit which is a resistor or a light which is a "main discharge" to discharge all of the capacitors at once no matter what. Just an idea. The people at Holly Enterprises, Brent Hollister has all the answers.

 

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