my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » New Xenon bulb failure question:

Author Topic: New Xenon bulb failure question: Wolff King Morrow Master Film Handler Posts: 490 From: Denton, TX, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 08-26-2004 03:22 AM                        So I had a sort of scary moment when I attempted to change the 4k Xenon bulb in one of our Strong Highlight II consoles. I've done this before several times, but this was a new bulb from a batch I recently ordered. Two nights ago I replaced a 4k with my last spare from an older batch and it worked fine. As usual, I ran the motor and used the manual switch to strike the bulb and check for focus. What I saw was an initial strike followed by intense flickering. I looked through the peep-hole and saw the entire envelope was now completely fogged over with a faint flickering arc flash. I shut it down immediately and removed the bulb (after waiting several minutes). The spherical glass was "milky" white to where you cannot even see the anode and cathode. So I put the old bulb back in and it works fine. I'd like to know if prehaps I did something wrong or maybe the new bulb was defective? It's a 4k OSRAM XBO HS OFR 135 rated current. Thanks for any help you could give.  |  IP: Logged Dick Vaughan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1032 From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: Jul 2000 posted 08-26-2004 03:35 AM                        Sounds as though you have a leaker where the end seal(s) have given out and allowed the gas to escape. Take a look at the Tips section . Top of the list is a very useful guide to Xenon failures.  |  IP: Logged Wolff King Morrow Master Film Handler Posts: 490 From: Denton, TX, USA Registered: Feb 2004 posted 08-26-2004 03:56 AM                        Thanks, I've already read that before a couple of times. I was just wondering if it was anything I did wrong myself. I'm always very careful doing that job (because it scares the crap out of me every time), but you never know when it might be user-error.  |  IP: Logged Dick Vaughan Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1032 From: Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK Registered: Jul 2000 posted 08-26-2004 04:05 AM                        Unless you have done something radically different to previous lamp changes and you have somehow manged to put excessive lateral pressure on the lamp this time it's likely to be a manufacture problem. Send it back to Osram to check it out.  |  IP: Logged Dustin Mitchell Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1865 From: Mondovi, WI, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 08-26-2004 12:50 PM                     Call the manufacturer (or if you work for a chain, call the appropriate person in the home office), that bulb will be under warranty. Dick's assesment is probably right, leaky seal.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.