If you are hesitating to use a portable gas generator on your production because of the noise they make - don't be. Whether you pick up generator noise on your audio tracks comes down to what generator you use and how you use it. Our HD Plug-n-Play Gen-set is specifically designed to enable you to record clean audio even under the worse case scenario (see sample production below.) How does it do it? We start with the super quiet Honda EU6500is Inverter generator and then augment it with a custom distribution system that enables you to operate the generator at a distance (where it won't be heard) yet still maintain full 120V line level on set.

A common problem with portable generators, even the super quiet Honda Inverter generators, is that by the time you move them far enough off set that you don't hear them you have significant "Line Loss" (often referred to as "Voltage Drop") from the long cable run back to set (if you use regular cable.) To the problem of line loss, you have the added problem that as you add load, the voltage drops on portable generators (it is not uncommon for a generator to drop 5-10 volts under full load.) The combination of voltage drop on the generator and line loss on a long cable run can cause voltage to drop to the point where HMI and Kino ballasts cut out unexpectantly or won't strike at all. Low voltage can also cause problems such as reduced efficiency and excessive heat in equipment, unnecessary additional load on the generator, and a dramatic shift in the color temperature and in the output of lights (use this link for a details .) For these reasons, portable gas generators are typically operated too close to set where they are picked up on audio tracks. The trick to recording clean audio is to use a generator, like our modified Honda EU6500is, with a boost transformer, like our Full Power Transformer/Distro, that enables you to operate the generator at a distance without suffering from voltage drop.

Our 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro provides 7500 Watts of power in a single 120v circuit
from the new Honda EU6500is Generator


The Honda EU6500is inverter generator to begin with is much quieter than other portable generators and even Honda's older movie blimped Honda EX5500. Part of what makes the new Honda EU6500is so quiet is it's "Eco-Throttle." The Eco-Throttle's microprocessor automatically adjusts the generator's engine speed to produce only the power needed for the applied load. It can do this because the inverter technology of the Honda EU6500is enables it to run at different RPMs and maintain a constant frequency and voltage. Where conventional generators like the Honda EX5500 and ES6500 have to run full speed at a constant 3600 RPM to produce stable 60 hertz (cycle) electricity, a Honda EU6500is only needs to run as fast as required to meet the load demand. Since their engines do not have to run at full speed, and given the fact that an inverter generator generates 20% more power per revolution of the engine, makes the Honda EU series of inverter generators substantially quieter than conventional models.

ILLUSTRATION COURTESY OF HONDA POWER PRODUCTS

Comparative Noise Levels of Honda Generators and other sources.


The net result is that the EU6500is operates between 34 to 44 dBA at 50 ft. - half as loud (ten decibels) as the comparable EM7000is and ES6500 generators and comparable to full size movie blimped generators like the Crawfords. But you can't park a Crawford right on set and record sound without picking up the generator either. With sound specs this good all you need to record sound with a Honda EU6500is without picking up generator noise is a real distro system that will allow you to move the EU6500is off set (like you would a Crawford), minimize line loss over a long cable run, and provide plug-in pockets conveniently close to set. That is where our Full Power Transformer/Distro comes in.

Distro System consisting of 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro, 2-60A GPC (Bates) Splitters, 2-60A Woodhead Box.
Even though the generator is 100' away to reduce noise, plug-in points remain conveniently close to set.


To record sync sound without picking up any generator noise, all you need to do is add 200'- 300' of our heavy duty 250V twist-lock extension cable between the generator and one of our Full Power Transformer/Distros. This is usually enough cable to place the generator around the corner of a building, or to run it out of a van or truck - which is usually all the additional blimping you need with these generators. The heavy-duty 250V twist-lock cable eliminates multiple long cable runs to the generator and minimizes line-loss (eliminating the severe voltage drop you would have using standard electrical cords.) And, to assure full line level (120V) on set, our Full Power Transformer/Distros are designed to compensate for the unavoidable slight line loss you will have over an extended cable run.

"Select" Models allow you to adjust for line-loss to maintain 120V on set

Our standard Transformer/Distro is designed to boost the voltage on the load side (secondary) of the transformer by 5 percent. For instance, if you were to plug the Transformer/Distro directly into a genertor running with no load and feed the supply side (primary) of the transformer with the generator's 240V output, you will get 126 Volts out on the secondary side where you would plug in lights. We have designed this slight boost into our standard Transformer/Distro to compensate for the slight line loss that is unavoidable over a long cable run, and the voltage drop on the generator under load. Our "Select" model of Transformer/Distros, enables you to adjust the amount of voltage boost in two 5% steps. This enables you to maintain full line level (120Vs) regardless if the supply voltage has dropped to 228V, or even 216V, from line loss and load running on the generator. To find the optimum switch setting, our "Select" Transformer/Distros have a built-in volt meter that tells you if the line level is too low or too high.



A good example of how our Transformer/Distro makes it possible to record clean audio tracks even under the worst of conditions is the indie short "Toothbrush." In this story of mistaken identity produced by Guymanly Productions, a pivotal scene takes place in the middle of a near vacant parking lot of an all night convenience store. With no building or other sound barrier within a reasonable distance to block the sound of the generator, Gaffer Aaron MacLaughlin had no recourse but to put it behind their grip truck as far from set as possible. As you can see from the photos below, he ran 300' of twist-lock extension cable from the generator to our Transformer/Distro hidden behind a newspaper box. From the Transformer/Distro he then ran 200' of 6/3 Bates Extension to set where he broke out to 20A Edison receptacles using a 60A snack box. While running the generator near full capacity with a lighting package that consisted of three 1200W HMI Pars and two 1k Baby Quartz Fresnels, he experienced no appreciable voltage drop on set even after a 500' cable run because our Select Transformer/Distro was able to compensate for both the line loss of the cable and voltage drop of the generator under near full load.

Left: Scene in parking lot. Center: Transformer/Distro hidden behind newspaper box (set 200' in distance.) Right: Generator baffled by truck (Transformer/Distro 300' in distance.)

This example shows how the variable boost of our Select Transformer/Distros, not only enables you to place the generator further from set where you won't hear it, but also assures that the supply voltage on the secondary side of the transformer does not drop too low. By comparison, had Aaron run 500' of standard 14 Awg electrical cord he would have experienced a line loss alone of 24.5V (according to the line loss table below.) With that severe a voltage drop, his HMI ballasts would probably have cut out from low voltage as he added additional loads on the generator. Without the line-loss compensation of our Transformer/Distros, he would have had to move the generator closer to set where it would be picked up on the audio tracks.


Line loss compensation is just one of the many benefits to be gained by using our Full Power Transformer/Distro on our modified Honda EU6500is generator. Whether on exterior locations where house power is not available, or to simply supplement house power, our Full Power Transformer/ Distro offers a number of benefits when used to step-down the enhanced 7500W output of our modified Honda EU6500is. These benefits include (use these links for details):
Don't forget that our 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro offers the same benefits when accessing more power on location from common 240v household outlets (use this linik for details.) Adapters are available that will enable you to plug our Transformer/Distro into common 240V sources found on interior locations - including Range Plugs, Dryer Plugs, and special receptacles installed for Window Air Conditioners. By giving you access to more "house power" through common 240V household outlets, our 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro can eliminate the need for dangerous tie-ins or expensive tow generators.

Left: Arri AS18 1800W Par powered from Transformer/Distro.
Right: 4Kw and 1800W HMI ballasts powered from Transformer/Distro.

To maximize the number of lights that you can operate on our new Gen-set or a Dryer/Range plug, contact us for competitive pricing on the latest motion picture lighting equipment by Arri, Mole-Richardson, & Kino Flo that make up our HD Plug & Play Pkg. If you let us know what additional equipment you want, we will work up a more detailed quote. Financing is available for orders of more than $5000.00. Please inquire for details.

We are confident that you will be more than satisfied with the performance of our HD Plug & Play Pkg.. Harry Box, author of the authoritative trade handbook "Set Lighting Technician's Handbook" has endorsed our HD Plug & Play Gen-set in the just released 4th Edition of the handbook. In addition, he has established a link from the companion website for the 4th Edition of the Handbook, called "Box Book Extras" , to our company news letter article on "Portable Generators in Motion Picture Production" (I have attached a copy of the link.) Of the article he exclaims:

"Great work!... this is the kind of thing I think very few technician's ever get to see,
and as a result many people have absolutely no idea why things stop working."

"Following the prescriptions contained in this article enables the operation of bigger lights, or more smaller lights,
on portable generators than has ever been possible before."



What earned Harry's endorsement is that our HD Plug & Play Gen-set is the first portable "movie blimped" generator/distro system to offer 7500W of power in a Single 120V circuit capable of, as Harry puts it, "powering bigger lights, or more small lights, on a portable generator than has ever been possible before." For example, our modified Honda EU6500is inverter generator with 60A Full Power Transformer/Distro is capable of simultaneously powering a 4kw & 1200w Pars of our HD P&P Pkg. - which is sufficient to get good production values on bright day exteriors.

Our modified Honda EU6500is with our Transformer/Distro can power
the PFC 2.5 & 1.8 HMI Pars, PFC 400w Lighthouse HMI,
2 ParaBeam 400, 2 ParaBeam 200s, and 2 Integra 400s of our HD P&P Pkg.

If you were to swap out the 4k globe for a 2.5K globe our gen-set is capable of powering the 2.5kw, 1800w, 400w Pars of our HD P&P Pkg., plus a couple of Kino Flo Parabeam 400s, Parabeam 200s, and Integra 400s. Given the light sensitivity of HD Cameras, this constitutes a complete interior daylight or exterior night location lighting package for HD Digital Cinema productions.

Please let me know if you need any further information.

Guy Holt
ScreenLight & Grip
rentals@screenlightandgrip.com
Office: 781-326-5088, Ext 5# for Rentals
Cell: 617-224-8534