The Arri Ballasts
By Alexander Luganskiy

For the power of the luminariers the Arri company produced several types of ballasts: electric, usual and with accumulator batteries. These ballasts provide the qualified stable power of lightning equipment practically in all conditions. The field of application of facilities is very wide. Where there are no strict requirements to lightning and simplicity and low price are important the Arri Company recommends applying common ballasts. When it is required to get the light of high quality and to get rid of the twinkling effect (filming and photography) it is recommended to apply electron ballasts. And if the main requirement is the compact and small weight of the facility then the ballast on the base of the accumulator battery is required.

Main characteristics of Arri ballasts:

• absence of twinkling effect (for the electron ballasts);
• wide range of models;
• regulation in 50% limits from the maximum power;
• power range of 125...1200 W for the battery ballasts;
• remote control DMX (can be set additionally).

Before describing the electron ballasts it is necessary to name the peculiarities of the common Arri ballasts. They have different power: form some hundreds watt up to 12 kW. The most powerful and so heavy facilities are equipped with wheels and handles.

Arri electronic ballast.

The electron ballasts of 575 W and more power have the build-in active linear filter. In the power diapason 125 W...6 kW all of the facilities can be connected to the network of 110...240 V. The models the are not equipped with the chains of removing of twinkling effect have the module of decreasing of that unneeded factor and it also helps to decrease the noises when filming with 24/25 and 30 shots/sec frequency. It is obvious that all of the facilities have the protection against the high voltage and scheme of "smooth" start, which prolongs the service live of the luminariers' lamps.

The output of the Arri ballasts is situated in the 87...95% limits. These facilities can normally operate at the temperature of environment of up to 50°C what is important as the film studios have the high air temperature due to the big amount of lightning equipment.

For the comfort of use practically all of the ballasts are equipped with relatively long power cable (up to 15...20 m), which is coiled on the spring-loaded barrel, that is hidden inside of facility. This barrel automatically pulls in the excessive cable when moving the ballast.

So the Arri ballasts allow not only providing the quality power of luminariers equipment (of Arri production as well as of the analogous of other companies) but also they are reliable, durable and comfortable while operating.

The "Synchro" Company.

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