Motion Picture Herald (Jan-Feb 1945)

attraction board, in order to obtain the highest efficiency. The best fluorescent lamp to use (where feasible) is the 36-inch, 220-volt type as it employs only one auxiliary and two sockets for the 36-inch length. Extremf care should be taken that only new transformers are installed and that they are genuinely engineered by a reliable manufacturer and are perfectly balanced to carry the load of the tubes. In many cases where trouble developed in the lighting it has been found that the transformers were of makeshift type, or were used or rebuilt, or were heavily overloaded. The transformer should never be made to carry a load as high as its rated capacity, otherwise its useful life will be shortened considerably. It is always best to balance the load of the tubes between two transformers when there is a liklihood of one transformer being constantly overloaded while in operation. Where fluorescent lighting is to be installed in the marquee, only the best grade and type of socket connection should be used at the grids, and the connections to the transformers must be absolutely electrically correct. FLASHER EQUIPMENT Where a flasher system is to be used, extreme care should be taken that the load will be reasonably balanced, especially on a 3-wire service. A flasher on a neon tube sign should have all the wires taken from the primary side of the transformer and each section of the sign that flashes separately should be on a different transformer. When any one brush of the flasher is made to control several transformers, extreme care should be exercised that the total number of amperes of all these transformers be not greater than the capacity of that brush. When the load of the sign will exceed the total wattage of the flasher, additional brushes should be figured for installation in order to avoid future breakdowns. In a good layout, the total wattage capacity of the flasher system should at least equal the total load of the sign. And where a 3-wire system is to be used, additional feeder brushes should be added to the flasher in order to balance properly both sides of the feed line. PICK THE FLASHER FOR THE JOB Types of flashes and their operation are two of the most frequently misunderstood matters in marquee lighting equipment. There are several types of flasher mechanisms in use at the present time and each has its own particular operation to perform. The high-speed flasher is a standard mechanism which is usually assembled in multiples of four brushes, depending on the number of circuits and the load to be carried. It operates running borders around the marquee sign, and also can produce the illusion of flowing water, revolving wheels and even waving flags (in which case the lamps have to be wired in multiples of one to four). It will operate tube signs as well as filament or incandescent lamp signs. This type of flasher can also flash news, using from 750 to 2,500 watts per circuit with the number of circuits 4 to 12. For combination flashers and many of the more complicated special signs, this flasher can be had in almost any capacity. Then there is the so-called "on and off" and speller flasher, switching a whole word, or c letter at a time. This type of flasher has t{ actions, one in which the letters are spel^ one at a time until all are on, then all d with a short out period; and the action which all the letters are spelled out, then ; go off, with this operation repeating itse This flasher uses 3^-inch and 1-inch brusl' with one to five brushes. The ^-inch brij will carry 5 amperes per brush on neon tubj and the 1-inch brush will carry 10 ampe^ per brush. Still another type is the script flasher, whj produces a smooth, steady flow of light f writing letters or words, one lamp at a tin' and can also simulate flying rockets, shooti stars, etc. It uses ten to fifteen brushes f standard operation, with a capacity of abo 110 watts per switch. Another type of flasher that has come in use more recently is the new high-speed mi cury contact flasher which can be used qu: effectively for running borders on the marqut It is practically noiseless in operation and h the advantage over the brush type flasher that there is no direct wear or any maj replacements of working parts. It comes from 4 to 16-circuit types, with about 1,0( watts per circuit capacity. There is also a small compact type flash which is used in small signs and which can easily mounted in the marquee sign itself. Tl flasher can be used on an ordinary 2 or 3-wi electric service system of 110-220 volts, comes in from 1 to 4-circuits with capaciti from 750 to 2,500 watts per circuit. T| speed of this flasher in operation is 15 to ! revolutions per minute. In figuring the flasher system, a point keep in mind is that in all cases the tot i a 24 BETTER THEATRES, FEBRUARY 3. I?V