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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » how hot is to hot in the projection booth? (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: how hot is to hot in the projection booth? Robert D. LaValley Film Handler Posts: 58 From: Florida Registered: Aug 2003 posted 04-01-2006 04:03 PM                     I've been in booths were the AC is not working and the only thing that is cooling the projectors is the exaust fans. How hot is to hot to be running a projection booth? In one booth the temp outside of the lamp houses got up to 110 degrees. When does it become an issue for film and or equipment?  |  IP: Logged Aaron Mehocic Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 804 From: New Castle, PA, USA Registered: Jun 99 posted 04-01-2006 04:48 PM                     Exhaust systems are designed to pull into the lamphouse so many cubic feet of air to cool the bulb. I'd say, even at 110 degrees if the unit is operating properly it should not be a problem. I've ran booths with temperatures in excess of 100 degrees in the summer and have never had issues with striking or flickering due to heat. On the other hand, I have noticed problems with sound systems (and other circuit-based equipment) when it gets that hot. Excessive heat causes DTS units to drop out of digital. Also the screens on the CP500 becomes faint and has a slight flicker to it.  |  IP: Logged Mike Babb Master Film Handler Posts: 250 From: Norwich UK Registered: Jul 2002 posted 04-01-2006 05:31 PM                        Don't forget the humans in the booth...I worked in a booth than ran 90+ in the summer...  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-01-2006 09:16 PM                        People & electronics are heat limited. Louis  |  IP: Logged Ron Curran Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 504 From: Springwood NSW Australia Registered: Feb 2006 posted 04-01-2006 09:41 PM                        Back in the days of carbon arcs and valve amps, and before projectionists were required to do ground floor duties as well, some of our operators worked in their underwear in Australia's summers.  |  IP: Logged Robert D. LaValley Film Handler Posts: 58 From: Florida Registered: Aug 2003 posted 04-02-2006 03:08 AM                     well basically what I am looking at is if you're looking for the best presentation with out failing equipment do you want it cooler, does it matter? There's always the talk of fighting humid and dryness in booths, and this is florida booths here with this heat. so I'm having to fix this equipment with these temperatures what do I have to look forward to for problems due to the climate of the booth? assume that you have no AC at all, and just the projectors exuast fans moving air. And right now the projectionists have to go clean theatres between rounds then run upstairs and thread and start. the other thing I noticed I have stong hightlight II lamphouses that I cant keep my hand on the top of it for more then a second without burning myself, I dont have a meter to check airflow but it seems to be pulling air pretty good becuase the air vein stays up and when I put a hand near the exaust pipe it feels like its moving air pretty good. Any tips appriciated.  |  IP: Logged Marin Zorica Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 671 From: Biograd na Moru, Croatia Registered: May 2003 posted 04-02-2006 03:34 AM                     I was in theatre without any fans in lamphouse running 2,5KW bulb, wow!!!! You can't touch lamphouse! Then I realized why collor dropped from that projector :-))!!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-02-2006 04:40 AM                     When I was working in the drive-in's, Summer booth temperaturs where quite high due to those two Ashcrafts pumping out the heat and the booth wasn't insulated. ...and the reverse coming the end of the season when the booth was so cold that we had to turn on the machines a good half hour just to get them warmed up before film was ran through them...no booth heat was installed. (kinda fun loading carbon rods in the lamphouse while wearing a heavy coat...let along threading and doing changeovers...) quote: Robert D. LaValley I dont have a meter to check airflow but it seems to be pulling air pretty good becuase the air vein stays up and when I put a hand near the exaust pipe it feels like its moving air pretty good. What size of bulb IS in those HiLite II's anywho...? And what kind of exhaust fan is up on the roof - turbine or squirrel cage? Do you know what the CFM rating are for those fans? Granted, the draft going up in keeping the sailfin failsafe switch up feels sufficent, but you could be cooking the console (and the bulb) to death with low airflow.... Is the upper blower blowing enough air though the plenum to keep the negative end cool enough and a good flow going through the mirror? Are you keeping these blower wheels clean? Is your exhaust units on the roof functionable and clean as well..no restrictions of exhaust flow? Mark G always mention that if you lay a sunday paper in the console, the paper will be drawn up to the stack if the upflow of air is sufficent enough - no matter what wattage the bulb is. quote: Aaron Mehocic On the other hand, I have noticed problems with sound systems (and other circuit-based equipment) when it gets that hot. Excessive heat causes DTS units to drop out of digital. Also the screens on the CP500 becomes faint and has a slight flicker to it. ..better get an auxillary fan/cooling/exhaust system blowing on these units to keep their temperatures under control as well..just don't let them perculate in the heated atmosphere..you'll kill them very quickly due to the excessive heat, for electronic items are so very sensitive to heat as well.. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Mark J. Marshall Film God Posts: 3188 From: New Castle, DE, USA Registered: Aug 2002 posted 04-02-2006 10:36 AM                    All the equipment prefers it to be cool. Set the AC at 68, and all the equipment will thank you. If the booth operators are cold, give them a jacket.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 04-02-2006 10:56 AM                        I think the "Florida" issue is excessive heat and humidity. Besides the personal discomfort; it would surely be cheaper to TAKE CARE OF THE EQUIPMENT by having suitable cooling and therefore reduction of humidity. (I don't think there are any owners who care about people.) Rust, bulb life, and all kinds of circuitry problems are stopped instantly by proper temperature and humidity control. Louis  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 04-03-2006 09:00 AM                        For proper film handling, control of relative humidity is more important than temperature. Ideally, film handling and projection areas should be maintained near 50% relative humidity. At very low humidities (below about 30% RH), the film curl becomes excessive, and static issues are more likely. In very damp conditions (above about 70% relative humidity), the film emulsion becomes softer, stickier, easier to abrade, and more prone to buildup of hardened gelatin in the hot projector gate. Really damp conditions can be an issue for high voltage electronics, especially xenon ignitors. As Louis mentioned, rust and corrosion are more problematic in damp conditions. Temperature is more critical for operator comfort, and for proper cooling of electronic equipment. Remember that winter heating can significantly reduce the relative humidity below the desired range, so humidification may be needed to keep the relative humidity near the aim of 50%RH. In tropical climates, air conditioning or dehumidification should be used to lower the relative humidity to near 50% RH. Every projection room should have accurate humidity gauges to be sure the relative humidity is near 50 percent RH. Accurate digital gauges are available for about $20 USD.  |  IP: Logged Matt Fields Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 545 From: Ohio, United States Registered: Jun 2005 posted 04-03-2006 09:31 AM                     I was having problems with the bulbs striking last summer...and then I bought a dehumidifier and the problems went away.  |  IP: Logged Phil Blake Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 558 From: esperance western australia Registered: Nov 2003 posted 04-03-2006 09:32 AM                        quote Ron Curran quote: Ron Curran some of our operators worked in their underwear in Australia's summers. yep! I was one of them ,Carbon arcs DC Motor generators and no AC it got damn hot in there , i remember gasping at the open ports while dodging incoming bugs the size of golf balls.  |  IP: Logged John T. Hendrickson, Jr Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 889 From: Freehold, NJ, USA Registered: Apr 2001 posted 04-03-2006 04:54 PM                     Monte Hall said: "When I was working in the drive-in's, Summer booth temperaturs where quite high due to those two Ashcrafts pumping out the heat and the booth wasn't insulated". Amen to that Monte! Here in NJ you got those hot nights where you left the screen doors open and had a fan to blow the air across the booth. Usually you sat outside (if the bugs weren't too bad) until changeover time. Then, thread, check the carbons again and make a bee-line for the outside. Fortunately, I only worked relief at the drive-ins. Much perferred the hardtops in the summer.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 04-03-2006 11:53 PM                     quote: John T. Hendrickson, Jr "Monte Hall" ..one of my nicknames...lol .. ..and you talk about heat is when you work in a drive-in with Strong Futura II's with those big 13.6mm rotators carbons blasting light and the heat through a pair of Motiographs "AA's" to shoot light on a 100x60 foot screen 150 feet away... Damn..that booth was HOT during the summer..let along having 14 Motiograph tube amplifiers for the speakers pumping out the heat as well, fans everywhere, drinking ice water, wiping our selves down with wet cloths..et.al. ..and that booth didn't have an front outside exit to get away between changeovers. You had to pass though the concession area to get to the booth..Thus, you were stuck either in the booth or in the concession area (which wasn't the best idea since you might just miss the reel end alarm at times) but, you know, that was still fun. -Monte  |  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.