Quartz flashes for manuals

[inkbrigade]

We used a quartz flash on our manual for a few months before we got out auto. It was awesome.
Reason is, it turns on and off automatically. So it doesnt burn your pallets if you forget and leave the pallets under the flash, plus it keeps the shop cooler because it's not constantly on.

[Gilligan]

I've got an auto base and I must say not having to remember to move it if you need a little extra time is AWESOME.

Only thing better would be quartz and I'd love to have one for said reasons (on/off).

[abchung]

Those guys may not be exaggerating much if you consider some of the cheapo deals out there though.  Just a thought.

Agree with you... I have some rubbish Quartz flash unit.....
If my platens are not warmed up, I need to flash it for 18 to 20 secs...

  I think I better get a proper quartz flash unit next year.

[Screened Gear]

I have to agree with you on that one!  I personally flash my whites for 5 seconds between strokes and then 10 seconds prior to hitting the next color.  I am using a workhorse 18 x 20 forced air primus flash.  I was considering putting 2 flashes on the press, one at station 2 and one at 5 or 6.  I am running an 8 color press.

Let me guess you have a 110 primas flash with a thick cord on it for the power (about half inch thick or more). I had a older 110 primas flash (thin cord) and I sold it because I was getting a new one. I got the new one in and it took a long time to flash. I was used to my old one that I had about 2.5 inches off the shirt and would flash faster than I could print. (2 to 3 seconds when the boards were hot.) the new flash was slow and about 100 degrees cooler than my old one. Called Workhorse and they said the old one had higher amperage and the new ones were lowered so people didn't have to use them on a dedicated 20 amp plug. The 110 volt flashes are really only for use in garages and people not doing alot of printing. I didn't want to get the 220 one so they built me a special on with higher amperage. It was great just as fast as the old one. It burned out after about 2 years. I then upgraded to the 220 flash head. I just bought a new head from Workhorse for I think $400 or maybe even less. If they still sell it. Last time I went to their website they have all new flash units. The 220 one is fast and heats up in about half the time.

My advice to you is call Workhorse and get a 220 head. They are great.

[mooseman]

We have a vastex 18 x 24 with a temp control but run it full tilt all the time it is on.
the flash time is as fast as I can print and spin the next color. Some inks flash slower so I have to dwell after the next print / before spin.

the biggest issue is the ink is still hot when it get it back around, and the plattens are pretty warm..... we do use a fan between the flash and me.
We do run the flash tight....at about 3/4 inch above the shirt, very carefully managed and we have the thing leveled and set so is is quite parallel to the platten.

We have to raise it for fleece and poly garments etc .
Long ago we drilled the column pipe with a series of holes and the collar straight thru to accept a pin (dumped that PITA collar long ago) so we just pull the pin, lift / lower & put the pin back to modify height consistantly with the pre-drilled holes.

mooseman

[Printhouse]

Great info screened gear.  Mine is a 110 volt, 20 amp model.  A may call today and see if I can look into a 220 panel for it. 

[Sbrem]

We have an old Hopkins IR flash on our manual, 4 - 5 seconds tops.

Steve

[Frog]

Just a note, that though I was the one who pointed out the silly exaggerated times used in the sales pitch, a quartz unit could be pretty slick.

It would be nice to see some real numbers comparing, say a decent 220 IR with an average flash time of 6-7 seconds to a Quartz unit, whether the one mentioned in the OP, or another.
With electricity rates varying all over the country, real numbers could really matter.

On a side note on electricity rates, the figures touted in many plug-in car ads are totally unrealistic in many locations.

[mooseman]

there is one other operational cost issue to be investigated with any electrical device that is turned on / off/ on etc.

It is called inrush current, take a normal light bulb when you hit the switch often times the bulb will blow instantly.
This is primarily due to several factors but the big culprit is overdriving the bulb due to inrush current rapidly filling a device that offers little resistance until the full load electrical draw is reached. The current over-runs so to speak for yes just nano seconds but it happens drawing / using more relative power.

this is a big issue with heavy industrial motor driven equipment where the start up is across the line ie full on. the resistance in a 100 HP motor is quite low untill all the electricity gets there and delivery lines have to be properly sized to handle the over-drive when the switch is thrown.

now take a quartz heater switching on / off /on/ off............ there are a lot of inrush cycles drawing considerably more current on a nano time basis that when the device is full on. so while they are cheaper to run technically speaking they draw very high current at startup after startup after ...............

mooseman

 

[Gilligan]

Don't they glow on all the time though.

Not saying this negates your concerns completely but doesn't it help with it a little?

[Inkworks]

My local tech mentioned to me that IR flashes are more efficient than Quartz. That came as a surprise to me, but I'm not sure if it's always true. Yes it takes some serious power to start and light up 1600watt quartz tubes, but an IR flash will heat up the shop considerably more after a long day of printing.

Maybe 244 can comment on power efficiency between the two?

[Gabe]

YO@PRINTHOUZE
How many colors do you normally print on your manual press?
if it`s 1C. black on white normally a printer can do 120 print per hour
if you print P/F/P it take about 60 prints per hour
now if you print P/F/P with another color on top is much less an hour
i believe you`ll be just fine with a black body flash 110 volts
a quartz flash is expensive to buy and you gotta keeps buying tubes down the road
Gabe

[Gilligan]

My local tech mentioned to me that IR flashes are more efficient than Quartz. That came as a surprise to me, but I'm not sure if it's always true. Yes it takes some serious power to start and light up 1600watt quartz tubes, but an IR flash will heat up the shop considerably more after a long day of printing.

Maybe 244 can comment on power efficiency between the two?

that's a good point... an IR retains a good bit of the heat so it doesn't need to constantly be on.  Whereas a Quartz unit is only putting out heat while it is on.

All in all, I'd bet the quartz unit uses less.  I would like to see some numbers from someone like Rich.

[Printhouse]

I do a lot of 4 color and up jobs.  I would say  at least 50 percent of my printing these days seems to be in the 3-4 color range.  When you p/f/p white...  then flash between each color, sometimes for two hits....  that time REALLY adds up.  The other day I knocked 200 black tees with a white, purple and gold design out in just under 3 hours.  For some reason they flashed great.  The next run an hour later was 180 white tees with black and red and they took about 4 hours.  They were just taking a lot longer to get to tack and not be wet when the next color went down.

[Gabe]

I do a lot of 4 color and up jobs.  I would say  at least 50 percent of my printing these days seems to be in the 3-4 color range.  When you p/f/p white...  then flash between each color, sometimes for two hits....  that time REALLY adds up.  The other day I knocked 200 black tees with a white, purple and gold design out in just under 3 hours.  For some reason they flashed great.  The next run an hour later was 180 white tees with black and red and they took about 4 hours.  They were just taking a lot longer to get to tack and not be wet when the next color went down.

it souds like you can benefit from a 220V. flash unit definitely