Strand minim23 spts

[andy_s]

Thanks Don, very interesting. I'm glad to learn my memory has not entirely deserted me...

[sunray]

This <a href='http://www.theatrecrafts.com/archive/documents/minim1981datasheet.pdf' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Minim 300W brochure </a>from 1981 states " now from Rank Strand, a powerful lightweight spotlight for display lighting, in a range of colours, offering instant beam adjustment from spot to flood." It also states "Minim is supplied complete with a 300 watt 2000 hour, long life TH lamp.& This <a href='http://www.theatrecrafts.com/archive/documents/minimspotlightsbrochure.pdf' class='bbc_url' title='External link' rel='nofollow external'>Minim Spotlights brochure </a>promotes them as 500/250 Watts makes no mention of display lighting use or range of colours and wattage has been increased to 500 watts, which is a bit more than what they were designed for. Most of the ones I see show sign of overheating.

We have one of the original(?) Minims and 4 PC's, the theatre versions have increased ventilation judging by the increased light escapage.

The 23's I have recently purchased have a mixed heritage but 2 of them were apparently on a dusk to dawn sensor in a church for many years before they went to a school. They have 500W T25's, although I don't know if they always have had, and are in almost pristine condition. Of all of the Minim range we have: 6-23's, 4-PC's with 650W lamps & 1-original, only one (happens to be a 23) has signs of overheating but it is only on one side and big time,the story was it was mounted against something preventing it cooling or another heat source. But also the reflector mount has matching heat damage so I think it was mounted on it's side.

[xllx]

If I remember correctly, the Minim was first in the range, with a fresnel lens. It was rated at 300w and marketed for display lighting. They used to eat any colour darker than the palest of tints.

 

A year or two later Strand introduced the Minim F and Minim PC, presumably due to demand for a small from factor lantern like the Minim. These two were a little longer than the original Minim, maybe 30-40mm. They handled colour a little better.

 

As I remember it, the Minim 23 cane out next, and was generally derided as terrible at the time when compared to the Patt 23 it was supposed to replace.

[sunray]

If I remember correctly, the Minim was first in the range, with a fresnel lens. It was rated at 300w and marketed for display lighting. They used to eat any colour darker than the palest of tints. A year or two later Strand introduced the Minim F and Minim PC,  presumably due to demand for a small from factor lantern like the Minim. These two were a little longer than the original Minim, maybe 30-40mm. They handled colour a little better.As I remember it, the Minim 23 cane out next, and was generally derided as terrible at the time when compared to the Patt 23 it was supposed to replace.

 

This all makes sense, we have an original running a 300W and 4 PC's running 650W, the difference in performance is not as striking as I would have predicted and TBH I hadn't noticed the difference in length. The main reason I had noticed the difference is the amount of extra light leakage of the PC's and hence the additional ventilation.

I am hoping to do a comparison between fittings next week during stripout.