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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » MIT M4a automation relay problem (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: MIT M4a automation relay problem Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-18-2006 02:52 AM                    I think the relays are the problem, heres why: Picture two projectors, one works perfectly, the other has issues with the changeover opening, lights dimming, projector starting immediately. I swapped ALL relays in the automations of both projectors, relay for relay, and put them in the exact same spot. I figured, if the relays were the problem, the problems were having with the bad projector would transfer over to the working projector. To my surprise, BOTH projectors work fine with no problems....for now. The reason I say that is, I've tried this before and within a month or so the problem will come back or something different will start to occur (like the lights coming up after the last trailer, or the lights not dimming after the last trialer) really weird stuff. If I'm simply swapping relay for relay, and now we are problem free, whats causing our problems to keep coming back? When they come back, it will simply be a matter of either swapping relays again or most likely just removing and re-inserting them. Before removing them, I check to make sure they were securely seated, and they all were. This simply doesnt make any sense. Anyone come across this? Is there a fix?  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 01-18-2006 01:08 PM                     Just for fun, I would buy some of Marks favorite contact cleaner, Caig Deoxit. Unplug anything that will unplug, spray the male and female portion of the connectors. Plug them in and out once or twice. Spray them again as per Caigs instructions. Reseat them. I've cured problems like this before with contact cleaner. Be sure to turn off the power first.  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-18-2006 02:43 PM                    I thought of that as well. How long does the projector need to sit after spraying the cleaner inside the female portion of the contacts? I dont want to short anything out.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-18-2006 09:53 PM                     Frank, You certainly seem to be having problems with that MIT stuff! If you do the Caig cleaner thing do use it very sparingly and apply it to just the relay contacts then seat the relay in its socket. The De-Oxide will do the rest of the work for you. I wouldn't want to say for sure that this will cure your problem though. I suspect that other evil forces are at work there. Mark Mark  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-18-2006 09:58 PM                    Its hard to tell what the deal is. The cleaner sounds like the best possible solution at this point. Like I said earlier, to temporarily fix the problem, removing and replacing the relays resolve and problems, but they do come back. What would cause these contacts to go bad so fast? If this doesnt solve the issues, what else could it be??  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-19-2006 08:31 AM                     If the relay sockets are soldered directly to the main circuit board I'd be looking for cold/poor solder work! Mark  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-19-2006 06:03 PM                    But 4 machines all doing the same thing?? I wouldnt think poor soldering would be the culprit there. 1 projector MAYBE, but all 4 doing the same thing to varying degrees?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-19-2006 09:45 PM                     Have you contacted the installer or MIT regarding the problem  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-19-2006 09:56 PM                     Back in the 70's when I was a bench tech at Panasonic I repaired hundreds of the same models of different products for bad solder joints. Solder is an expensive commodity in manufacturing facilities..... Mark  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-19-2006 11:25 PM                    We have contacted the installer. They are no help at all.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-20-2006 07:12 AM                     Well assuming that they got paid for the job then contact the manufacturer directly the warranty (iff still under it) lies with them if it is a manufactureing defect  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-20-2006 09:01 AM                     I have to confess that when there are MIT problems Bevan seems to be no where to be found........ Mark  |  IP: Logged Bevan Wright Expert Film Handler Posts: 176 From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA Registered: Sep 2003 posted 01-20-2006 10:37 AM                        Frank, give me a call 714-751-7998.  |  IP: Logged Timothy Eiler Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Litchfield , Minnesota, USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-20-2006 02:25 PM                        quote: Frank Dubrois the other has issues with the changeover opening, lights dimming, projector starting immediately Had the same problem after a couple of years of use Replacing the bad relays fixed it  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-20-2006 04:59 PM                     Wow...found in about 1.5-hours!  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

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.