Do we really have to warn the audience about the strobe?

Yes, and it is easy to do properly. Strobe light can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, so put warning posters at the entrances, a line in the programme and a front-of-house announcement before the show, and tell the cast in rehearsal so nobody is caught out on stage. The HSE recommends strobes at public performances flash no faster than four times a second, so keep the fast rates for short bursts. We send the standard warning wording with every strobe booking.

Will it run off a normal socket?

Yes. On 230V mains the typical draw is 8 amps in high power mode, with short peaks above that as the tube fires, so give the strobe a 13 amp socket of its own rather than sharing a run with anything else. School and village hall circuits vary, and long blinder sequences work the supply harder than lightning hits do — tell us what you are planning and we will help you place it.

How many do we need, and can they flash together?

One covers most school halls and village hall stages for a lightning moment. A wide stage often wants two or three, offset or chasing, which your desk handles over DMX — or the Detonator remote runs a multi-fixture chase without a desk. We can supply as many as the show needs — tell our team the size of your rig and we will see what we can do.

We have no lighting desk. Can we still cue it?

Yes. The fixture has a stand-alone mode triggered from a simple switch, with a preset flash rate or the blinder effect, and for a show with one storm scene that is often all you need. If you want the full effects list and proper cueing — lightning on a go button — a small desk can be added to the hire, and it is less to learn than you might think.

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Strobe hire — Martin Atomic 3000

Some moments need a flash rather than a light: a lightning strike, a transformation, a dream sequence that jolts. The Martin Atomic 3000 is the strobe most theatres reach for — a 3000W xenon tube in a steel housing, with flash rate and intensity on DMX and built-in effects from single flash to continuous blinder. It hires at £14 per day. Used properly it is safe, and we will help you plan the photosensitive epilepsy warnings your audience needs.

The Martin Atomic 3000 DMX is the classic high-power theatre strobe: a 3000W xenon discharge tube in a powder-coated steel housing. The flash is what xenon does best — a very short, very hard burst of white that freezes the stage for an instant. One unit is enough to put lightning across a school hall.

Control is DMX, in 1, 3 or 4 channel modes covering flash rate, intensity and flash duration, and the useful effects are built into the fixture: ramp up, ramp down, random flash, lightning, spikes, blinder and single flash. The lightning programme alone earns its keep in pantomime season. Addressing is by DIP switch, and both 3-pin and 5-pin XLR sockets are fitted. If you have no desk at all, it runs stand-alone from a simple switch, with a preset flash rate or the blinder effect.

Practically, it is 7.5kg with a bracket that mounts any way up, so it sits on the floor, hangs on a bar or bolts to truss. Keep the front a metre clear of anything it lights and half a metre from anything that could scorch. On UK 230V mains the typical draw is 8 amps in high power mode, with short peaks well above that when the tube fires, so give it a 13 amp socket of its own — and if you are planning long blinder sequences, tell us and we will talk through the power. Indoor use only.

Be straight with your audience about the strobe. Flashing light can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, and the HSE recommends strobes at public performances flash no faster than four times a second. The routine every professional venue runs is simple: warning posters at the entrances, a line in the programme, a front-of-house announcement, and a word with the cast in rehearsal. Keep the fast rates for short bursts. We will send you the standard warning wording when you book. None of this is a reason to cut the effect — it is just part of doing it properly.

Hire by the day. One covers most halls; a wide stage may want two or three chasing for lightning, which the DMX handles from your desk. We can supply as many as the show needs, and the Atomic Colors scroller can be added if you want the flashes in colour.

What you get

The strobe with its Martin mounting bracket, wired for UK mains — tell us what sockets your venue has and we will fit the right plug

A hook clamp and safety bond if it is going on a bar — say where it is rigging when you book and we will supply the right fittings

DMX cabling to reach your desk — let us know the distances and we will sort the run

The standard audience strobe-warning wording for posters and programmes — ask and we will send it with the booking

Not included as standard: a lighting desk, stands, the Detonator remote or the Atomic Colors scroller. All can be added

A technician to rig it, set the levels and run the effect on the night, if you would rather not

Good for

Lightning for pantomimes, storm scenes and ghost stories — the built-in lightning effect does it on one channel

School and academy productions that need one big moment without a bigger rig

Dance school showcases, with strobe numbers run in short, planned bursts

Am-dram and youth theatre transformations, dream sequences and flashbacks

Halloween events and haunted rooms in village halls, indoors

Blinder hits for band nights and end-of-show bows

What you need to know

What it does: A strobe: very short, very bright white flashes, from a single lightning hit to a continuous flicker. It reads as an effect, not a light to see by.
Power: A 3,000 watt xenon tube. Typical draw is 8 amps at 230 volts, so give it its own 13 amp socket — and tell us if you are planning long blinder sequences.
Control: DMX, using 1, 3 or 4 channels for flash rate, intensity and duration, with lightning and blinder effects built in. No desk? It runs stand-alone from a simple switch.
Where it goes: 7.5 kg in a steel housing, on the floor, a bar or truss, any way up. Keep it a metre clear of whatever it points at. Indoors only.
Who runs it: Anyone sensible, once shown. But someone must own the epilepsy warnings: signs at the doors, a line in the programme, a word to the cast. We supply the wording.

Rates are per day and exclude VAT. A longer hire costs less per day — tell us your dates and we will price the period exactly. Ask us about delivery and hiring with a technician.

Full technical specification (20)

Manufacturer and model	Martin Atomic 3000 DMX
Fixture type	Xenon strobe
Lamp	MAX-15 xenon discharge (230V model)
Rated power	3,000 W
Flash rate	0 to 25 flashes per second on a 50 Hz supply
Flash duration	Variable, 0 to 650 ms
Intensity	Variable, blackout to full
Built in effects	Ramp up, ramp down, ramp up-down, random flash, lightning, spikes, blinder, single flash
Blinder effect	Continuous, with auto fade
Control	DMX512 in 1, 3 or 4 channel modes; stand-alone via switch; Detonator remote option
Addressing	DIP switch
DMX connections	3-pin and 5-pin XLR, in and out
Mains	200-240V, 50/60 Hz; typical draw 8 A in high power mode, 33 A peak
Power connection	1.5 m cable tail
Housing	Powder-coated steel
Mounting	Bracket with five 12 mm holes; any orientation
Minimum distances	1 m to illuminated surfaces, 0.5 m to combustible materials
Operating temperature	5 to 40 °C, indoor use
Dimensions	425 x 245 x 240 mm (L x W x H, without bracket)
Weight	7.5 kg without bracket

Common questions

Yes, and it is easy to do properly. Strobe light can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy, so put warning posters at the entrances, a line in the programme and a front-of-house announcement before the show, and tell the cast in rehearsal so nobody is caught out on stage. The HSE recommends strobes at public performances flash no faster than four times a second, so keep the fast rates for short bursts. We send the standard warning wording with every strobe booking.
Yes. On 230V mains the typical draw is 8 amps in high power mode, with short peaks above that as the tube fires, so give the strobe a 13 amp socket of its own rather than sharing a run with anything else. School and village hall circuits vary, and long blinder sequences work the supply harder than lightning hits do — tell us what you are planning and we will help you place it.
One covers most school halls and village hall stages for a lightning moment. A wide stage often wants two or three, offset or chasing, which your desk handles over DMX — or the Detonator remote runs a multi-fixture chase without a desk. We can supply as many as the show needs — tell our team the size of your rig and we will see what we can do.
Yes. The fixture has a stand-alone mode triggered from a simple switch, with a preset flash rate or the blinder effect, and for a show with one storm scene that is often all you need. If you want the full effects list and proper cueing — lightning on a go button — a small desk can be added to the hire, and it is less to learn than you might think.