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I have been asked to help convert two old theatre lights to Retro accent light fittings and would welcome any ideas.
The light units are tripod-mounted, very old units, with filter holders at the front end and barn-door levers at the rear.
The idea is to convert these to modern-industrial chic, so they can be used as accent lighting units.
Basically, I want to find suitable lamps and holders, LED ones, with a reasonable light output, but far less then the 500W they had before.
I attach a couple of pics of the deceased lamps. Clearly, there won't be any lamp-holders for these that would be convertible to LED, but before I spend hours on the internet I just wondered if some of you might have some ideas to point me in the right direction. I'm happy to adapt and construct what ever may be necessary, and I expect I'll end up just fixing in a modern GU10 or somesuch, but any suggestions would be gratefully received. I'm open to mains or 12V/20V variants.
Thank you.
 

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Am guessing an old Cantata or similar- just rip the guts out and fit a brass ES holder inside
 
I converted a couple of old stage lights with these 500W lamps to LED, I just positioned some integrated LED fittings at the right point to give a reasonable focus. My use was stage props for Mack & Mabel, so they only needed to work for a week, but see no reason why they can't be permanent.
 
If your looking at the 12v option then I would suggest a G4 lampholder with an LED lamp
 
Thanks for all those suggestions, I appreciate your input! I'll need to examine the units more carefully to see what will fit or maybe make up a bracket to accommodate an appropriate holder.
 
Just a small warning. If you intend to modify old (pre 1970's approximately) theatre lanterns a lot of the most common ones had asbestos as part of the base for the lamp housing.

Particularly the Strand Pat 23 which is by far one of the most common for "retro" looking refurbs. Some early Pat 743 also had them (or at least I have been warned of it by some very experienced theatre lampys) and I keep seeing them in new installations having been rewired for use as decorative lighting.

I can't even guess from your description what you might be modifying but do be careful.
 
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Many thanks @Straker for that timely warning. I will investigate this with extremem caution, once I get my hands on the lanterns.
 
That’s something I’d love to do. I’m sure I’ve seen them in furniture sellers brochures as their “trendy” background pieces.

I turned an old parrifin lamp into electric 30 odd years ago for my mum..... about time it was upgraded with a “flickering” LED lamp
 

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pirate

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If you're a qualified, trainee, or retired electrician - Which country is it that your work will be / is / was aimed at?
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Suggestions for converting old theatre lights
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