Battery operated lite--for the KY/TN crowd

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tnframer408

tnframer408

SGF, Supreme Grumble Framer
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Posts
1,506
Loc
Knoxville TN
First, my apologies to Jim Milller on another thread. Yes, I HAVE found a battery operated light that works, thanks to I believe it was Ron Eggers who turned me on to it.

Secondly, I promised those in my CPF recert class in Lexington I'd post this but have been real busy these two days back.

Now here's the poop: Lights are made by Aura, distributed by TC Moulding (800-735-3025) and take 4 D batteries to light a flourescent which the Aura claims is "tested for UV" The beauty of the light is it lasts for about 40 hours.

yes, hard to believe but I've had one--and they will cover a 30" canvas nicely--over a framed Harvey in my foyer and they've lasted at least 40 hours.

It's light comes from a flourescent tube rated at 2000hours, altho I haven't had it up that long.


I've sold two to a customer a few months ago and he hasn't complained and I've contacted him and he's happy.

Now all this said: Hobby Hill supposedly has one out also that lasts as long. I have not tried that, only because I had these lights in stock.

So there you have it:

promised the TN/KY people I'd post this. So deed done.
 
Thanks Michael: We also sell the Hobby Hill line and the Aura will still last longer. This is a great light folks! If you buy one and put it up in the shop and it doesn't last 40 hours then you must be in the battery black hole.
 
Thanks for the update -- I didn't know about the design you found, and may give it a try.

How does the price compare with the plug-in type?
 
Jim: 11.5" Black, Brass or Antique Brass - $49.00
so a little more expensive than corded versions which can range from $31.00 - $42.00 for similar sizes and finishes.
 
Thanks, John. Didn'tr have that info at hand.

the two selling points to these guys are:
1) The batteries really DO last a long time and

2) The bulbs are marketed as being UV safe--even says so on the front of the packaging.

Like McDonald's "would you like fries with that?" We ask most customers at the purchase counter "would you like to add a light with that order?"

And finally, their spread will cover a 36" image which, when you're selling LE canvasesand such, will cover most images out there.

Needless to say, we love 'em ;)
 
When clients want picture lights, please let them
know that light sources, which are that close
to the painting are not to be used with valuable
works. Such a source overlights the nearest
portion of the work and may lead to differential
fading. Track lights, where the distance between
the source and all parts of the work is more
nearly equal, are the best choice.

Hugh
 
Folks who have experience with flourescent lanterns will tell you that running the light with weak batteries tends to really shorten bulb life. And replacements can be 'spensive!
 
Hi Folks,

Just wanted to introduce myself and make a few comments on this particular thread.
As we will be exhibiting at the Atlanta show this year, I had been scanning framing sites on the web and came across your forum and find it to be a quite busy and interesting place. Quite a change from the ones that seem to start off with a bang and fizzle in a few weeks or months.

Anyhow, I am Murari Sharma, owner of Concept Picture Lights and we manufacture, import and distribute our cordless picture lights in a variety of markets, including to Aura Lighting. We also export a decent volume of our cordless lights to Europe (France and UK mostly).

Our background story’s quite simple: some years ago, my wife and I bought a painting that seemed a little dark in the spot we chose for it. I set off to purchase a light, but wanted one without cords and was sure I would easily find a battery operated one. To our surprise, no such item was available and even subsequently, the only models lasted just a few hours.

My idea was to use fluorescent bulbs because of the high efficiency and because they are now available with much better color characteristics than before and I went ahead with the developing, patenting, and production of our lights. The trick was to use a good inverter circuit to run the lights as you can’t use dc voltage for fluorescents. We’ve been marketing them for about 4 years now with really a tremendous amount of success.

I must say that I was pleasantly surprised at some of the comments about our product, thanks to you all, and I’d like to take the opportunity to address a couple of points.

Regarding UV, we tested in house some years ago using calibrated test equipment and then last year we actually got around to testing at an independent laboratory. The UV component is very small- as a rough idea, about a minute of direct sunlight would expose a painting to more uv than about a year’s use of our light if used every evening. The component is also comparable to ambient uv in a shaded room during the day. So bottom line is that we are very confident that the lights are quite safe. As they don’t generate heat, we feel that is a double bonus compared to halogens or incandescents.

Regarding running lights on low batteries,it’s quite true that the bulbs tend to blacken on the end if one starves the circuit. However, our lights tend to last quite a bit more than advertised-usually for 50 to 55 hours. And it is usually well past 40 hours when there is a noticeable lowering of light output that causes the customer to replace the batteries-well before the bulb blackens. Even so, it may end up that the bulbs do wear out but replacements are really not too expensive- about $3-4 ea. at Home Depot, etc.

Lastly, we do have other finishes than those mentioned available-matte black, polished chrome and satin-nickel-same price, same size. We also have a small 3 “C” battery “slimline” model which comes in only the two finishes-polished or antique brass.
Our web address is www.erols.com/koncept, in case you may want any more details about our lights.

Sorry for the length of the post, but nice to say hello to you all and we’d love to have you stop by our booth- #1060 in Atlanta. We’d love even more to have you place an order with us (but only after letting us entice you with our planned show discount).

If you have any other questions on our lights in the meantime, please post them and I’ll answer. Also, I do have lots of preferred guest passes and very few acquaintances in the framing industry, so if you need one, please just ask in your post. Pls. include an address to mail them to.

One other point is that I’ve seen a thread (mostly with very positive remarks) regarding UMS and Peter Ackerman. UMS has been distributing our lights for 2-3 years now and I’d just like to put in my 2 cents worth from the vendor side to say Peter and Gang are a fine outfit with plenty of consideration for their vendors, timely payments and smooth functioning all around. Couldn’t ask for more!
 
As a happy reseller of the Aura light, thanks to the folks in Appleton like John and Ron, I'm one who'll be at the booth.

All I was asking for was (1) a light whose batttery lsted more than 10 hours and (2) one that gave some UV protection. Sounds like you've mastered both, so seeya there. :D
 
Michael,

While I am normally more than willing to take credit for anything that makes a fellow Grumbler happy, I don't know nothin' 'bout no picture lights. We don't use them in Appleton, Wisconsin - home of the midnight sun.

You must have me mixed up with some other Ron Eggers - maybe the one that writes all those photography books.
 
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