easy tech tip of the week: if you cant duck it, F it :)

cadillacman

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easy tech tip of the week: if you cant duck it, F it :)

Sitting in the cade tonight, i decided that the half of the gameroom with the projector in it is way too bright, because of all the marquees glowing away in all thier glory.

While thinking of a way to dim them down, it dawned on me. I had a red green moment and broke out my duct tape.

It works perfect. Apply it directly to the bulb. One strip is plenty, leave the gap at the rear of the bulb so some light still comes out the back and reflects out. some light will also still show through just one layer of tape.

too dim? cut the strip down vertically so just the very fromt of the bumb is covered..

still too bright? add another strip, or half a strip int he center, etc.


easy, simple, and if you want to go back to standard just replace the bulb( or clean the tape off if you really have that much free time).


and thats my redneck tech tip of the week. works like a damn charm.

ill try to keep tabs on this post, im interested to see if this affects lamp life or not. Im guessing not, or not by much. These flourescents dont get that hot anyways.
 
I do this too only with black electrical tape - I know that won't catch fire. But you're right, they don't get that hot anyway. Had several this way for over a year with no lights burning out.

I've done this mod to several of my brighter marquees and it works great. I hate having the marquee blind me if I happen to look up for a second while playing a game.

Tom
 
Some tubes can produce heat. Probably not enough to catch fire, but still. I'd at least buy the clear bulb sleeves, most hardware stores have them, and tape over those instead.
 
You can also cut out white paper - in the size of the marquee - and just put that right behind the marquee... Several sheets, if need be.
 
Wrong forum for political stuff, fellas... :rolleyes:
 
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I used to work for an op that would put a very thin coat of black spray paint on light bulbs to dim them down a bit. Worked pretty good.
 
Scrap the florescent, put in regular bulbs and a dimmer switch...unfornutately I don't think you can use a dimmer with most florescent bulbs that have a ballast
 
There are dimmable CFL's out there, but they are big and expensive. Really, if you eliminate your "tube", a rope light is the next best thing.
 
Scrap the florescent, put in regular bulbs and a dimmer switch...unfornutately I don't think you can use a dimmer with most florescent bulbs that have a ballast

um, this mod cost me $.50 worth of tape. How much does your mod cost?

also when i want to unmod, its as simple as changing the bulb. Been in the cade every night this week for a hour+ at a time, so far working just fine
 
The black spraypaint works like a charm, ive been doing it for years. just hold the bulb about 18 inches away, and give it a quick pass or 2.
 
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