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Author Topic: Xebex Lamphouses Chris Byrne Expert Film Handler Posts: 102 From: Kirwan, Australia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 03-11-2003 10:02 PM                     Is there anyone else on this site who uses Xebex IIIR Lamphouses? The reason I ask, is that I was informed yesterday by my engineer that these lamphouses are slightly inferior and not designed to get quality hours out of a bulb. I run ushio 3000HK-O bulbs and average 4000 - 5000 hours out of them. I have reached as high as 8000, however not since I commenced pumping them up to 100A for better light. I know the bulb is rated at 110A, however my rectifiers (USHIO KCX 100U4) are only rated at 100A. While I have no doubt that the advice passed on is true, I would be keen to hear what other techs have to say. Also on the topic, looking back through our booth logs; dating back 13 years, there had been bulbs getting up to 13000 hours. I know for a fact that the Tech before me never used to run bulbs above 90A (which is supposedly not good for the bulb) and would rotate them every 1000 hours. Why the big deviance if there is no obvious reason for this?  |  IP: Logged Darryl Spicer Film God Posts: 3250 From: Lexington, KY, USA Registered: Dec 2000 posted 03-11-2003 10:19 PM                    hmmmmmmmm that's a lot of hours. You have bomb squad insurance or something. most I ever saw a lamp get in hours was 4000 and it exploded in the lamphouse. It was in a strong super lumex 2 lamphouse. I will stick to since I have to anyways changing out at 2000hrs. It's past warrenty and if it blows and takes out the mirror or damages the reflector bowl no coverage by the lamp manufacturer. You have to understand these are CFS lamphouses that I use and they do not like to run the bulb after 2000 hors without flicker or hard starts. oh wait a minute I see you have the bulb change safety equipment on in your photo. I guess you have to wear that all the time.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 03-11-2003 10:27 PM                        Running bulbs for that long, a lamphouse that is particularily hard on bulbs is the least of your worries. You're not going to have good light on the screen after 8000 hours. Even 4000 hours is pushing it.  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 03-12-2003 08:19 AM                     The Xebex lamphouse series was designed many years ago and some new reflector designs have been developed since then which are not incorporated by this equipment. The Xebex is part of the Ushio family of products and overall is a decent unit. I have seen many on my travels out of the USA. They where available in some markets in a disassembled, knocked down kit for easier customs entry and shipment. Richard Fowler Kinoton America Inc. Know your product.....and all of your competitors  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 03-12-2003 09:40 PM                     That's a pretty good lamphouse, I've never heard it called hard on lamps. It isn't easy to get parts for them but reflectors are available. The lamp adjustment system is brilliant though. If you're used to it and go to a Strong you'll be crying. The blower needs attention in the clean-and-oil department or the lamp will be undercooled, keep an eye on it though and you should get fine lamp life... and if the fan seizes the transformer tends to fail as well. Obviously 4000+ hours is great if you actually get good light out of it then! I expect the envelope will have darkened a lot and degraded the light considerably though.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-13-2003 09:20 AM                     In the great white north the Xebex was for a long time one of the most commonly installed lamphouses with the Sanrex rectifier Never had any issues with poor lamp life but cooling is an issue. The exhasut must be up to snuff Also those rectifiers can have very dirty DC in standbye mode and it is a good idea to get the filter caps checked as a lot of them start to dryout  |  IP: Logged Chris Byrne Expert Film Handler Posts: 102 From: Kirwan, Australia Registered: Jan 2003 posted 03-14-2003 08:00 PM                     With all due respect, if I pulled bulbs regularly at 2000 hours, I would get a 'Please Explain' note on my desk. I agree that when the bulb reaches about 4000 hours, the light starts to drop off dramatically and it's time to weigh up the pros and cons of changing it soon after. As we don't run in stand-by mode, I can't compare the advantages of such, however the blowers and exhausts are maintained efficiently. What were you having a go Darryl, that is my uniform!  |  IP: Logged Bill Carter Expert Film Handler Posts: 162 From: Minneapolis, Minnesota Registered: Sep 1999 posted 03-14-2003 08:16 PM                     When I first took over my theater, there were a couple of Osram bulbs with more than 7000 hours on 'em in the Super Lumexes. They would still strike up, but that's about all I can say for them. I actually saved one of them for a while, because it was absolutely the blackest thing I've ever seen.  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-14-2003 09:27 PM                        With age, the quartz envelope blackens, and absorbs more energy, so it gets even hotter. With age and heat, the quartz vitrifies and the seals weaken, making catastrophic failure more likely. As the electrodes erode, ignition often becomes problematic. And as the lamp ages, light output decreases. If you can't maintain at least the 12 footlambert minimum specified by standard SMPTE 196M, you are cheating your audience.  |  IP: Logged

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