Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage  (Read 1690 times)

BobShaw

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2218
    • Aspiration Images
Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« on: January 09, 2020, 10:38:33 pm »

Hi,
I am looking at buying a Broncolor Pulso F2 head from the US. I am in Australia.
I have bought Primo heads from the US before but they were marked both 110 and 240V. All that I had to do was change the modelling light.

The Pulso F2 head is only marked 110V. Are these not suitable for 240V powered pack?
I will be using a Pulso A4 pack, at least initially.

bob
Logged
Website - http://AspirationImages.com
Studio and Commercial Photography

BobShaw

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2218
    • Aspiration Images
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #1 on: January 09, 2020, 11:54:23 pm »

Iy seems i have found the answer to my question on a forum.

... Pulso F heads, the major difference between the older and the newer G models is that the older one are dedicated voltage. I have been told that they can not go from 120 volts to 220 volts, because of the fan.

So unfortunately the 110V units are useless to me unless someone knows something else.
Logged
Website - http://AspirationImages.com
Studio and Commercial Photography

UlfKrentz

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 530
    • http://www.shoots.de
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #2 on: January 10, 2020, 04:43:59 am »

Bob,

two ways to solve this, you may either change a capacitor and may be a resistor on the internal board (I´d have to look this up) or change the entire board and fan, which be basically change this head into an G version. Did you check the base for the modelling light? I bought US Pulso8 heads which I converted into twin heads and they had a different (screw in) base. HTH

Cheers, Ulf

BobShaw

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2218
    • Aspiration Images
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #3 on: January 10, 2020, 06:17:10 am »

Thanks Ulf.
I am aware of the different base for the modelling lights.
The 240V ones have a pin base and the 110V ones have an E11 base.
E11 240V globes are difficult to get in Australia but they are on ebay, albeit slightly expensive.
Changing the board and fan is probably the go. I don't know what this costs.
By the time I buy the head, and pay the Global Shipping cost and GST plus the conversion it may not be worth it.
The Primo head I bought previously was dual voltage so that was not too bad.
Logged
Website - http://AspirationImages.com
Studio and Commercial Photography

UlfKrentz

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 530
    • http://www.shoots.de
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #4 on: January 10, 2020, 10:08:23 am »

Bob, while the change of the capacitor is easy and cheap to do you still have the wrong modelling light base and in case the fan fails it is not longer available as spare, so you might need to convert to the recent design later. I´m afraid you're right, F2 is 1600J also, there are plenty of pre owned 230V / 3200Ws units available, probably better to get one of those. Cheers, Ulf

BobShaw

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2218
    • Aspiration Images
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #5 on: January 17, 2020, 10:17:00 pm »

Changing the board and fan is probably the go. I don't know what this costs.
By the time I buy the head, and pay the Global Shipping cost and GST plus the conversion it may not be worth it.
The Primo head I bought previously was dual voltage so that was not too bad.
Epilogue
I received a response back from Broncolor and changing the board and fan was $550AU (maybe $350US)
So buying a wrong voltage Pulso F2 in the hope of converting it is not really viable unless it was ultra cheap.
Logged
Website - http://AspirationImages.com
Studio and Commercial Photography

SimonB

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #6 on: January 22, 2020, 12:42:23 pm »

Epilogue
I received a response back from Broncolor and changing the board and fan was $550AU (maybe $350US)
So buying a wrong voltage Pulso F2 in the hope of converting it is not really viable unless it was ultra cheap.

They're actually upgrading the guts to G spec to support the modern fan. So yes from the perspective of just replacing the fan it's expensive but otherwise I think it's actually pretty good value given you're effectively getting a new G spec head internally.

However I don't think you actually need to replace the fan, Broncolor used a weird 80V fan which is why you can't find replacements now but I've had heads marked 110V only that also use the same fan. I couldn't say about other differences internally but I don't think it's the fan.
Logged

UlfKrentz

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 530
    • http://www.shoots.de
Re: Broncolor Pulso F2 Voltage
« Reply #7 on: January 22, 2020, 02:18:49 pm »

No, like I wrote before its just a capacitor and maybe a little resistor. The fan is the same. If you can do it yourself its about 5 minutes of work and less than 10 bucks. That price Bob mentioned is probably including labour at bron, I paid about half the amount for just the parts (original bron spares).
Pages: [1]   Go Up