# Difficulty with the home made lightbox



## Nicolas Alary (Nov 2, 2007)

Hello guys ! 

I'm having some troubles building this home made lightbox ! The thing is that I'm living in France and it's really hard to find the good stuff ! 

http://www.studiolighting.net/homemade-light-box-for-product-photography/

Joseph Holst says that he paind 4.99 bucks for his foam board and I paid 20 for mine ! It's the same for everything !! Bloody expensive ! But I don't mind paying a little extra when I find the stuff but I can't find this : (cercled in red)







The only one I found are in plastic, are expensive, and are limited to 40 Watt ! I looked on the *Lowe's* and *The Home Depot* website but I can't find them, same thing on e-bay ! 

Do you know where I can find some ? How would you call them ?

Thank you for your help 

Nicolas


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## Big Mike (Nov 2, 2007)

I would call that a 'clamp lamp' or something like that.

I have a few of them in my garage somewhere...and I would think that Home Depot would carry them...but they are a pretty generic product so they might not be on the web site...which doens't help you very much.

If you haven't seen it before, have a look at this site for other ideas about home made photo accesories.  http://www.diyphotography.net/


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## Nicolas Alary (Nov 2, 2007)

Big Mike, you are the man !! Thank you for the useful link (added to fav) and for your help about the clamp lamp


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## user3977 (Nov 2, 2007)

here in the USA we have the devil (walmart) they have them for about 4 or 5 dollars usd. not sure on shipping to you but hey if you want i can find them. oh yea, not sure how they would work on the power conversion in your part of the world


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## Nicolas Alary (Nov 2, 2007)

Thank you so much user3977 !! That's a really nice of you to offer me your help ! They should put a wallmart right in the middle of paris ! Let me get a little bit more info about american power in France and I'll keep you in touch ! 

Thanks again ! 

Nico


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## Flash Harry (Nov 4, 2007)

Power shouldn't matter, change the plug and the bulb to French types and all will be fine. H


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## Nicolas Alary (Nov 4, 2007)

You right ! That could do it ! Thanks ! I sent a mail to a friend of mine who is pretty good about all those stuff, I think I'm getting closer ! Thanks again !


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## John_05 (Nov 10, 2007)

another tip on the clamp lights...

they are usually rated for a regular incandescent bulb.  they rate them for the heat the bulb puts out,  and not the actual wattage the light uses IIRC.  if you have one thats limited to 40 watts,  you could get those spiral shaped compact fluorescent that are rated for 40 watts,  but puts out about 200+ equivalent watts of light.  ive used 250 watt fluorescents in the clamp light i have,  and never had a problem with it.


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## Joxby (Nov 10, 2007)

*Do not* buy American clamp lights and change the plug.
American stuff is 110v, they're non too bothered about earthing their metal cased equipment since voltage to earth is 50v = kinda girly and non-lethal.
French mains voltage is 220v, any fault to the metal case will mess your day up, unless its protected by an rcd, in which case you'd probably live but have a bubble perm for a few weeks.
Buy French or British


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## Nicolas Alary (Nov 14, 2007)

Hey guys !! I eventually managed to find those clamp lights in a french store ! 20 bucks each, 100 Watt. I just received my 2.8 SIGMA 50mm Lens and it's just great ! I'm having GREAT fun testing all the stuffs I can do with those new equipements ! 
*
Here is my lightbox :






Here are some tests :











*Thanks for your help through this whole thing !


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## JamesD (Nov 16, 2007)

Joxby said:


> *Do not* buy American clamp lights and change the plug.
> American stuff is 110v, they're non too bothered about earthing their metal cased equipment since voltage to earth is 50v = kinda girly and non-lethal.
> French mains voltage is 220v, any fault to the metal case will mess your day up, unless its protected by an rcd, in which case you'd probably live but have a bubble perm for a few weeks.
> Buy French or British



This is not quite correct.  Standard voltage in the US is nominally 240 VAC.  Three wires come into the panel.  At the peak of a cycle, one wire is +120V, one is -120V, and the third is 0V (the neutral, connected to ground).  The total voltage between the two "hot" leads is 240 VAC, while the voltage between either "hot" lead and the neutral lead is 120 VAC.  House circuits are produced by using one "hot" lead and the neutral lead.  As a result, the voltage to earth is 120 VAC, not 60.  And even 50V can ruin your day (I've had it happen more than once).

In any case, these sorts of clamp-lamps that I've looked at do not have a chassis connection to the circuit.  The lamp socket is isolated from the metal reflector and clamp.  I don't especially like this (the chassis should be grounded to an earth ground, the third pin on a three-pin plug) because, although you should be alright if the chassis should come into contact with the neutral line, ruination of your day will occur if the hot lead comes into contact.

Incidentally, voltage overseas tends to follow the same pattern:  440 VAC comes into the distribution panel, and 220 VAC circuits are formed from two halves (including the neutral lead) of the 440 VAC circuit.

Also, be sure to check your lamp's ratings to ensure that it will not be overloaded by running it under 220V (this includes both socket and cord).  Usually, this isn't an issue, but with cheap parts, it could be.  Current capacity shouldn't be an issue at all, as the current draw will be less under 220V than 120V, but it can't hurt to check this as well.


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## Nicolas Alary (Nov 16, 2007)

Thank you for the very detailed info ! I solved this problem for the moment but it still can be handy for later !

I uploaded a quick web page to post my test : http://nicolasalary.free.fr/lightbox.html

Thanks again !

Nico !


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## nossie (Nov 16, 2007)

user3977 said:


> here in the USA we have the devil (walmart)


 True True!



Nicolas Alary said:


> They should put a wallmart right in the middle of paris !


Nico be careful of what you wish for. Go look at the movie "Walmart - The high cost of low prices"



JamesD said:


> > Originally Posted by *Joxby*
> >
> >
> > _*Do not* buy American clamp lights and change the plug._
> ...


 

James is that last post a joke? I can't tell. It's so far wrong that I think it's a deliberate windup. If it is a joke then I'm sorry for the following:

James be very careful around electricity and get a professional to do it for you because "a little knowledge is a bad thing". You have a little knowledge of "Voltage difference" and electricity in general and now you're misguiding people as to what it is and how it works. No offense James and I don't mean to trash your efforts but electricity is a serious subject and if you don't know what you're on about then ssshhhh. You're outright wrong in much of what you've stated above and I can't help myself from putting it bluntly "*You haven't a fcuking clue!*" For your own sake stay away from it and for the sake of others stop giving advice on the matter.

Joxby your statements are incorrect too. Will 100,000Volts kill you? I assume yes since 50v is "kinda girly" and it won't - then why do police use tazer as a non-lethal weapon? Maybe tazer makes those little sparks from the 9 volt battery inside? You like James have not got a clue about electricity either.

Sorry for the harsh tone lads but it's just too dangerous to put your silly notions possibly into Nico's mind.

Nico since you've been mislead and are probably confused about who to trust now I suggest that you buy something local with the TUV safety and quality mark on it or equivellent.


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## Nicolas Alary (Nov 16, 2007)

No harm done Noosie don't worry but thanks for the safety correction ! Actually the problem is now solved since I bought 100 watt clamp lamp from a French store so it's all safe ! 

Anyway it's good to have people like you guys to give a hand to people like me since my electricity skills are close from 0 ! I appriciate you took the time to write such long posts even if few mistakes sneaked in them ! 

Thanks again ! 

Nico


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## Helen B (Nov 16, 2007)

Not all line-line is 240 V (ie one phase, split, so the two 'phases' are in exact antiphase) in the USA - some is 208 V (ie line-line from two phases that are not in exact antiphase), but for both systems line-neutral is indeed 120 V (RMS volts, not peak volts), not 60 V or 50 V.

As nossie says, check with a local electrician when in any doubt, not with someone on the web.

Best,
Helen


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## JamesD (Nov 16, 2007)

nossie said:


> True True!
> 
> 
> Nico be careful of what you wish for. Go look at the movie "Walmart - The high cost of low prices"
> ...



I've been an electronics technician for eight years.  I've installed, maintained, repaired, and certified air traffic control systems and equipment, including radars, communication systems, and navigational aids, used in both the US National Airspace and overseas.  I've been permanantly stationed overseas in Germany and South Korea, and temporarily in other locations.  I've set up systems using tactical generators producing power at 120, 240, and 360 VAC, at both 60 Hz and 400 Hz.  I've also set up power converters for producing these voltages from a 60Hz mains voltage (not many mains in the world run at 400Hz... more an old Navy thing).

This is a _portion_ of my qualifications, because I don't have all day.

Current capacity:  The maximum amount of current a conductor can carry, determined by gage of wire used.

Current draw:  The amount of current drawn by an electric circuit.  I = E / Z

Both of these will also be defined in any (very basic) book on electrical theory and practice.  And most home improvement books.

If you trace the neutral lead it's source, you will find that it is (or should be) grounded at several locations, specifically including the distribution panel, which is accessable for inspection if you'd like to.  In consumer installations, this is usually a chassis ground (and the chassis is simultaneously grounded directly to earth via the stanard 8-ft copper-clad rod). If your intent was to suggest being unable to develop the required voltage from a grounded lead, I'll point out that an earth ground is a low resistance path for vagrant electrons, so that they go to IT rather than through you.

Check your NEC before you start telling me what sort of clues I lack.




Helen B said:


> Not all line-line is 240 V (ie one phase, split, so the two 'phases' are in exact antiphase) in the USA - some is 208 V (ie line-line from two phases that are not in exact antiphase), but for both systems line-neutral is indeed 120 V (RMS volts, not peak volts), not 60 V or 50 V.
> 
> As nossie says, check with a local electrician when in any doubt, not with someone on the web.
> 
> ...



You're right (figures that I _would_ forget that these are RMS, not peak values...).  And the most important part is the last sentence, both for safety and because the law (at least everywhere I've been) requires it.


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