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Archive 2014 · Hi : ) !!! - Acute 2 gen. - How long should I 'warm up' if ...

  
 
igmolinav
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Hi : ) !!! - Acute 2 gen. - How long should I 'warm up' if ...


Hi,

I have an Acute 2 generator and heads that have been (almost) without
use for the past two and half years. Yesterday, with the lowest output (or
lowest power), I flashed the lights twelve times during a period of twelve
minutes. Everything ran well. Then I proceeded to turn the heads off. I
did this because I had heard that after a long time without use, 'one should
gradually fire the flash heads in a rested manner'. So that one should slowly
increase the output and flash no more than twenty times the lights. After-
wards one should turn the equipment off. Half hour or an hour later, one
can go on and keep on flashing the equipment. I haven't flashed them
again, but I plan on doing it until the equipment is 'in shape' again.

Do you agree with the time this 'warm up' phase takes? It is ok for me if
takes a few days to be done. I just want to know I am on the right track.
It may take a week or two until I flash the heads at full power for only a
few times, so that I hopefully don't damage them.

Thank you in advance, kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Jan 04, 2014 at 10:46 AM
Roland W
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Hi : ) !!! - Acute 2 gen. - How long should I 'warm up' if ...


Where did you hear that you even need any graduated "warm up" of studio strobes? I have a lot of Profoto gear, and have never done any such process. I also never have heard any recommendation like that. If you know of an authoritative source that mentions a warm up, please post the information.

If the theory of such a warm up is related to the main energy capacitors, and "reforming" them, it would only take seconds for any energy application to be effective. And using lower power settings and working up will only have some of the capacitors hooked in and energized at the low powers, and then bring on other capacitors as you get to higher power, so the process may not make sense any way. The classic way to keep capacitors "formed" is to not let them go un powered for very long periods, so testing or using your strobes every year or two might be better than letting them stay idle for 4 years, but for modern capacitor design and construction, even that theory may be obsolete.



Jan 04, 2014 at 11:32 AM
igmolinav
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Hi : ) !!! - Acute 2 gen. - How long should I 'warm up' if ...


Hello,

Thank you for your message : ) !!!

My gear was not used for that long
time and that piece of advice was
given so that I wouldn't go 'all out'
on the 'sleepy' equipment, so that
it would carefully be 'woken up'.

However, that is why I posted. To
get more feedback.

Kind regards,

igmolinav : ) !!!



Jan 04, 2014 at 11:45 AM
igmolinav
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Hi : ) !!! - Acute 2 gen. - How long should I 'warm up' if ...


P.S. I am very happy it has been working flawlessly : ) !!!
I am flashing the equipment gradually at different outputs,
so I don't damage the generator or the heads.



Jan 04, 2014 at 08:29 PM
RJKphoto
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Hi : ) !!! - Acute 2 gen. - How long should I 'warm up' if ...


Actually, part of what you are saying is correct. According to Holly Enterprises, power packs that have sat dormant for a bit should be warmed up gradually, beginning at the lowest power setting, then gradually increased until full power, pausing for a minimum of 15 minutes for each stop. They said the longer and slower the better. This allows the capacitors to gradually warm up and "form". The pack doesn't need to be fired (and actually shouldn't be fired) during the process. I learned this the hard way.
I have a Norman 4000ws pack that now get's that treatment every couple months. I also had one that sat for a year, I turned it on, popped it at full power and BOOM, blew up a couple capacitors.



Jan 09, 2014 at 08:46 AM





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