Basic Light
Simple, portable, flexible illumination. Uniform-intensity illumination for visualizing helium bubble trajectories, in a rugged 1.6 kg housing on an adjustable tripod.
kg, excluding tripod
m/s, single / paired
cm tripod elevation
W ELH lamp
What it does
The Basic Light is the fast way to get a look at a flow field. It delivers uniform illumination across the beam, sets up in moments, and moves easily between test locations — which matters more than it sounds when you’re trying to find the right viewing angle on an unfamiliar flow.
A single unit visualizes airflow at velocities to 9 m/s. A second unit extends that to 16 m/s, or covers a wider area.
Where the arc lamp system is the instrument for measurement, the Basic Light is the instrument for looking.
Components
- Front — projection lens for beam focusing
- Aperture cradle — thumbscrew orientation control, accepts both included apertures
- Center — lamp housing with thermal fuse protection
- Rear — cooling fan for continuous operation
- Base — ball-head tripod, detachable
Apertures
Iris — circular beam, 5–60 cm diameter at 180 cm. For axisymmetric flow.
Adjustable slit — rectangular beam, 1 mm × 56 cm to 20 cm × 56 cm at 180 cm. For two-dimensional flow, and the usual choice for a light sheet.
Specifications
Optical
| Circular beam spread | 5–60 cm diameter @ 180 cm |
| Rectangular beam spread | 1 mm × 56 cm to 20 cm × 56 cm @ 180 cm |
| Iris diaphragm | 2.5–37.0 mm |
| Slit width | 0.1–1.1 cm |
| Focusing range | 61 cm to infinity |
| Projection lens focal length | 200 mm |
Lamp and electrical
| Lamp | ELH 300 W, 120 Vac tungsten-halogen |
| Bulb life | 35 hours average |
| Input | 115 Vac, 50/60 Hz |
| Cooling | Forced convection |
Physical
| Housing | 10.2 cm H × 10.2 cm W × 34.3 cm L |
| Weight | 1.6 kg, excluding tripod |
| Stand | Ball-head tripod, 0–165 cm |
What's included
- Basic Light with projection lens and aperture cradle
- Iris and adjustable-slit apertures
- Ball-head tripod with detachable support
- Two spare 300 W, 120 Vac lamps
- 500 W step-down transformer for 220–240 V operation
- Setup and operation manual
- Calibration sheet
Available with a padded nylon case or a Pelican ABS Vault case with foam.
Works with
Model 5 Console
SAI 1035 Bubble Film Solution
Auxiliary Air & Helium Supply
Ordering
Ships within 10 days. One year warranty and technical support. Replacement lamps available.
Payment is required with order. For orders under US$2,500 we accept electronic funds transfer, credit card, PayPal or check; above that amount, electronic funds transfer or check. Purchase orders accepted, payment due before shipment.
We ship worldwide, direct from Pinetop, Arizona. Freight, duties and taxes are added, and shipping is charged at cost by carrier. A 500 W step-down transformer for 220–240 V operation is included with every unit.
Questions
The lamp is rated for 35 hours. Is that a problem?
It’s a tungsten-halogen lamp, and 35 hours is normal for the type. Two spares ship with every unit and replacements are inexpensive and stocked. In practice, illumination is only running while you’re actively observing.
Can I run it outside North America?
Yes. A 500 W step-down transformer for 220–240 V operation is included.
Tell us what you're trying to see.
Send us your test conditions — velocity, volume, and what you’re trying to visualize — and we’ll tell you what configuration fits, and what it costs.
Or call (928) 358-7313 · info@sageactioninc.com