Letting lights cool off

[unpopular]

It's been a LONG time since I've taken a studio class, but I recall being told it is a good idea when finished to leave monos on with the modeling light off and the fan still running to cool off a little while.

My instructor also said to point it up ... or maybe down ... so that it cools more efficiently. I'm thinking upward is what he said, since heat rises and the modeling light is the hottest element, but I seem to recall him saying to point them downward? Can anyone clue me in on what the best practice here is?

Also, I tend to leave monolights on when I shoot. Is this a bad habit? What do you do?

 

[tirediron]

To be honest, I've never really thought about it. Once I set up for a session, my lights stay on 'til I'm done (unless there's a long pause in the action), but once I have my lighting configuration, I tend to turn the modelling lights off. As for letting it run with the fan for a while? There's no harm in doing that, but as to whether it's necessary? I would think only if you'd really been shooting fast and furious for an extended time. Once I'm done a shoot, my lights are the first things turned off and the last things packed, so they do get an opportunity to cool.

 

[fjrabon]

It's been a LONG time since I've taken a studio class, but I recall being told it is a good idea when finished to leave monos on with the modeling light off and the fan still running to cool off a little while.

My instructor also said to point it up ... or maybe down ... so that it cools more efficiently. I'm thinking upward is what he said, since heat rises and the modeling light is the hottest element, but I seem to recall him saying to point them downward? Can anyone clue me in on what the best practice here is?

Also, I tend to leave monolights on when I shoot. Is this a bad habit? What do you do?

With the units I use, it's only a big deal if you leave your modeling lights on the whole time.

 

[Overread]

Heat rises so if you tilt the light down the heat from the bulb will rise up - warm all the interior and then be cooled by the fan before its pushed out of the unit. So by that logic it will take longer to cool because you're preserving more heat inside the unit itself.

So tilt them up so that the hottest part is raised up, and thus more heat radiates away from the unit itself.

 

[Derrel]

What KILLS quartz modeling lamps is moving the lights when the filament is just starting to cool off. Immediately after switching a modeling lamp off, I try to never,ever move the light. When the filaments are lighted and the juice is running thru them, they seem pretty resilient...but when the current is switched off and the filament is just begining to cool down, it seems like moving the flash head around can cause the bulbs to die.

 

[Big Mike]

Use common sense. If it seems like your units are 'running hot' then let them cool. If they have a good design that dissipates heat well, then then may not get too hot in the first place. If you're rapidly firing it, it will be hotter than if you shoot slower. If you have it inside an umbrella or softbox etc., that will hoard the head. Many softboxes have flaps that you can open...either to get access and/or to let out heat. Plenty of factors so like I said, use your common sense.