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Topic: Strong SPA-7 automation cue/start problem

Mike Babb
Master Film Handler

Posts: 250
From: Norwich UK
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 08-19-2002 05:08 PM

I am heading out to take a look at a Strong SPA-7 automation that is intermittently starting on its own and/or cueing on its own. The cue detector/failsafe is an FP350 and I know the automation was recently installed. The console is a Strong but I don't know which model. Has anyone seen this and can you point me in the right direction? Thanks!

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Mike
Drive-In Records
www.driveinrecords.com

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Richard Fowler
Film God

Posts: 2392
From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA
Registered: Jun 2001

posted 08-19-2002 05:39 PM

Some of the Eprad based products can be sensitive from the RF pulse of the ignitor, power supply filtering and grounding problems....which may become more problematic as the equipment ages.
Richard Fowler
TVP-Theatre & Video Products Inc. www.tvpmiami.com

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 08-19-2002 08:34 PM

I am only guessing here, but I will side with Richard on this one. I would suspect an equipment grounding problem if it just decides to start up by itself for absolutely no reason at all, especially on a very dry day when static electricity is high.

By the way, are yours wired for interlocking, and if so, is it going nuts when an event happens with another machine even though you are not interlocked?

How about slight power bumps when a HVAC or some other heavy current draw devices come on?

Good luck. Problems like yours can be a real hair-puller trying to find out what is causing it.

Paul

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Pat Moore
Master Film Handler

Posts: 363

Registered: Mar 2000

posted 08-20-2002 07:22 PM

Hi -- also take a look at the various interconnect cables that mate the pieces of the SPA-7 together, including the failsafe connecting cable. Be sure they are not coupled to or closely in parallel with any DC or AC Power cables or wires. A neat installation might have included tie-wrapping these cables to leads that induce noise into the system.

Are there other systems connected to this one? If so, disconnect the interlock wiring and see if that helps the problem.

The start and cue input problem would appear to be related -- the problem is determing what is occurring that's initiating such false inputs. If it was cue only, I'd look at the failsafe, but since it's both I'd have to look somewhere else initially.

Pat

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Gordon McLeod
Film God

Posts: 9532
From: Toronto Ontario Canada
Registered: Jun 99

posted 08-21-2002 09:52 AM

Also check if there is a remote anuciator panel installed cabling to them can also be an issue
Also another thing to try is disconect the sensor and jumper the failasfe terminal so it thinks there is film present and run it and see if the problem persists (being aware of course that the system is in effect running manual
If it does it is either a Motherboard problem grounding or remote/interlock
Slowly remove on outside world device at a time unitl the problem goes away and that is the culprit
It will take time

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Mike Babb
Master Film Handler

Posts: 250
From: Norwich UK
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 08-21-2002 08:38 PM

Thanks everyone. Here's what happened in case anyone needs it for future reference:
When I got there the projector motor would start up as soon as the automation power was turned on, as long as you had a card tucked in the failsafe to simulate film. Take the card out, projector off, put the card back, projector on. Unhook the failsafe wire from the termination board and the projector stops, hook it back up and the projector starts. Also at this point the automation had not yet entered "trailer" mode. Interesting to note that by hitting the cue button, everything seemed to return to normal. Anyway a few other things were tried but mainly just to narrow it down we put the main board in the next house and the problem moved with the board. With advice from Jay at Eprad (thanks Jay!) we unhooked various cables, took out chips and relays, with no success. One thing Jay even commented that there's no way the motor should be running with that out, can't remember which relay though. Bottom line is we are repair/exchanging the main board and I am confident this will solve the theatre problem. I'll still be curious to know what they find at Eprad and if I remember I'll post it here. Thanks again for the head start everyone...

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Mike
Drive-In Records
www.driveinrecords.com

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