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Author Topic: FM-35 RICK HAMILTON Film Handler Posts: 28 Registered: Aug 1999 posted 08-17-1999 10:47 PM                     I'm going to a theatre on Friday that has been shutting down on it's own. It's a Christie with an AM-10 automation and an FM-35 Que detector. It suppossedly shuts down for no apparent reason. The FM-35 has been switched. The main board of the AM-10 has been taken out and flexed and twisted(to check for any bad solder points). The motion sensor has been disconnected. The reflection from the porthole has been blocked from the sensor. All relays have been switched. Every time I have a Tech there, the show runs just fine for a couple of weeks and then just shuts down. After the film shuts down, it will run fine for a few more weeks. This problem happens so infrequently that I'm afraid that I'll have to wait until the thing just dies altogether to find the problem. Unfortunitally this happens to be the big house at this theatre. Any help would be deeply appreciated. Rick  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 08-17-1999 10:58 PM                     Sounds like you're talking about an SDDS player, Rick. I'd swap that board completely instead of just flexing it first. That sounds like the only thing you haven't swapped out to find the culprit. I prefer complete isolation of all possible parts.  |  IP: Logged RICK HAMILTON Film Handler Posts: 28 Registered: Aug 1999 posted 08-17-1999 11:35 PM                     What's an SDDS? I'll try swapping boards when I get there on Fri. Unfortunatly this is going to be one of those "just passing through" visits on my way home.(6 hours away). I will swap boards though and see if the problem follows. I was hoping that someone had aready had and solved this problem. Wishful thinking!! rick  |  IP: Logged Rick Long Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 759 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Registered: Nov 1999 posted 08-18-1999 01:22 AM                     For what it's worth. A similar problem here in Toronto was cured by replacement of the micro-sitch on the fail-safe section. Another stupid thought. Has the platter been moved, (maybe by the cleaners), or has a film jam occured on the platter so that the rollers are now enough out of alignment so that one of the fail-safe rollers "dips" occasionally enough to shut down the automation?  |  IP: Logged Rick Long Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 759 From: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Registered: Nov 1999 posted 08-18-1999 01:36 AM                     Another stupid thought! Is it possible that the problem lies with the platter itself? Possibly a stator contact (especially if it a Ballantyne) or motor brushes? Might be an idea to ask the theatre to keep track of which platter decks were in use at the time of the problem.  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-18-1999 04:00 PM                     Most of my problems with shutdowns (after we fixed the FM-35's sensors) were caused by either crummy splices getting caught in a roller and causing the film to go slack for a split second or because the rollers were out of alignment and the film wasn't seated perfectly flat in the "groove" of the failsafe roller. Lemme' tell you, that film has to be PERFECTLY aligned in that failsafe or it will spite you. About every month or so I make a 'tour' of the booth, just checking for stuff like catty-wompass rollers and junk. Along with a daily "quick check" of each proj. at opening, that keeps me out of failsafe trouble. (mostly) It's just a habit that you gotta' develop. PS: I'm assuming that there's no mechanical / electrical problem with the projector and you're pretty sure that the failsafe is the cause. Try to remember the point in the film where the droppage happens and see if it's always in the same spot.  |  IP: Logged Don Olson Film Handler Posts: 20 From: Seattle WA Registered: Jul 99 posted 08-18-1999 05:29 PM                        Mylar film caused some problems with earlier FM-35's. You might want to check into whether you need to upgrade your unit. The upgrade part number is FMPU. The FM-35 requires a power supply to function. If the supply falls below around 7 volts it will drop the presence relay. Check the supply and wiring with a volt/ohm meter It is also possible that you have a bad (oil soaked?) FM-35 connector and / or bad cable. Good Luck  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 08-19-1999 01:02 AM                     Don is correct: If you have one of the older FM35's (the ones without the extra IC chip on the sensor board or the 'red dot' optical units) they will play havoc trying to read certain types of film, especially B/W and IB Tech receiver stocks, and certain palyestar stocks. Get in touch with CE and get the upgrade kit. It will be worth it, I had so many problems with the FM35's not wanting to detect film presence that I considered switching to Speco failsafes until i learned about this upgrade. Ever since the change i have *never* had a failure due to a loss fo presence, and B/W and IB tech runs just like any other film! Try the upgrade! Aaron Cinema West Theatres  |  IP: Logged

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