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Topic: Wish Me Luck on my Xenon Bulb Training

Chad M Calpito
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Apr 2006

posted 06-25-2007 10:30 AM

Today, I will be trained on changing a Xenon Bulb. I'm excited, but, nervous at the same time. I opted to be trained to do this since none of my booth personnel wish to be trained. My technician will be training me. I have the basic understanding of how this is done, but, never did get the formal training until today when I go in. Anyway, wish me luck.

Oh yeah, we do have the appropriate safety gear in the booth for this type of job.

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John Wilson
Film God

Posts: 5438
From: Sydney, Australia.
Registered: Dec 1999

posted 06-25-2007 12:33 PM

Hey Chad

Relax. Once you've changed a few you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. Having said that, you still need to treat them with care.

John

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Chad M Calpito
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Apr 2006

posted 06-25-2007 01:36 PM

Well, good news. I just got back from the theatre and the training was great. Once there, I wasn't even nervous. I had my hands on experience and it was a success. Anyway, I agree that handling the bulbs with great care is very important. My technician gave me great tips and showed me all of the details, etc. Anyway, thanks John for the tip. [Big Grin]

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004

posted 06-25-2007 07:57 PM

I remember when I did my first bulb changeout - in a Cine 1600w vertical lamphouse back in 1978. Got all garbed up worrying to death of that thing blowing up on me and sweating like something else..and did the changeout with no problems, but it was so nervewracking since I've never done one before and no outside training neither - just the manual on how to change one out.

But, it took me a good half-hour to do that changeout since I was so nervous.

Now, I can flip one out and plop a new one back in within 5 minutes, and the HTP Christie bulbs are more easier to put in - no cables to fuss with.

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Josh Rosen
Film Handler

Posts: 49
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canda
Registered: May 2007

posted 06-25-2007 08:32 PM

On the topic of Xenon changing I have a quick question.

At my theater we use Strong Highlite II consoles/lamp houses. I recently tried to change a bulb that is in desperate need of replacement, only to find that the Allen bolt that tightens to hold the negative electrode in the socket in the back is royally stuck. I think a technician changed it last time (someone royally f***ed up the lamp house because they didn't know how to change the bulb) and he made it really tight.

Three of us have tried to loosen the bolt now but it still won't budge. Just wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to loosen it (normally with a really tight screw I would spray some WD-40 around it and it looses no problem, but I obviously have some reservations about spraying that stuff inside of the lamp house).

Thanks
Josh

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Michael Moore
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 188
From: Dover, DE / USA
Registered: Jun 2006

posted 06-25-2007 09:13 PM

I'm not familiar with your lamp house so if the Allen bolt is in a tight spot these suggestions may not help you but... Get yourself an strait Allen wrench that is like a screw driver. The smaller bent allens are harder to use on hard to turn bolts. If you need more leverage you can take a pare of vise grips and grip the Allen wrench and try that. Don't strip the head it can happen with allens if you don't have your wrench square. Also don't use vise grips on the Allen head depending on the diameter of the bolt you may snap the head off and then you have another problem. I bet if you use vise grips on the Allen wrench and be careful you should have no problem getting that bolt out. Also if you take a tooth pick and soak it with WD-40 and then dab it around the head. You should be able to apply a significant amount of WD-40 without spraying it just keep reapplying it until you are satisfied that the threads have a good soak.

Mike

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-25-2007 09:55 PM

Don't stress the quartz (glass) part of the bulb, but allow it to float free while loosening the allen screw. This is for your own safety. Louis

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Chad M Calpito
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: San Diego, CA
Registered: Apr 2006

posted 06-25-2007 11:23 PM

I agree with Louis. Be careful. Safety is always important.

Anyway, when I did this first Xenon Bulb change-out, all I could think about was properly installing a new bulb safely and properly, which stopped me from being nervous because I focused at the job at hand making sure I did it right.

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Frank Dubrois
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 896
From: Cleveland, OH
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-25-2007 11:58 PM

This seems to happen a lot. What you DON'T want to do is work the allen screw too hard because of your proximity to the lamp, and the fact that it is older. I have had to remove the lamp WITH the assembly still attached and take it out back and break the lamp in order to safely get the screw loose. Its really the only way to do it safely.

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Josh Rosen
Film Handler

Posts: 49
From: Toronto, Ontario, Canda
Registered: May 2007

posted 06-26-2007 12:29 AM

quote: Louis Bornwasser
Don't stress the quartz (glass) part of the bulb, but allow it to float free while loosening the allen screw. This is for your own safety. Louis

Ya, this is why I have been reluctant to put force on it (especially because the bulb is now passed the max hours and is more suceptible to "failure").

I will give those suggestions a try and if all else fails, I guess we will have to remove the assembly and break the lamp.

Thanks for the input.

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Sean McKinnon
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1712
From: Peabody Massachusetts
Registered: Sep 2000

posted 06-26-2007 01:54 AM

If the allen screw wasnt tightened properly the power could arc and arc weld the screw and the lamp together. I would carefully break the little nipple thereby expelling the xenon gas, then I would carefully break the quartz so that you can really get on that sucker. or else change the assembly.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005

posted 06-26-2007 08:05 AM

How, exactly do you break off the little nipple safely? Louis

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Michael Moore
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 188
From: Dover, DE / USA
Registered: Jun 2006

posted 06-26-2007 09:31 AM

Louis; I was just about to ask the same thing?
Can it be done?
Mike

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Chris Slycord
Film God

Posts: 2986
From: 퍼항시, 경상푹도, South Korea
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 06-26-2007 05:25 PM

quote: Josh Rosen
I think a technician changed it last time (someone royally f***ed up the lamp house because they didn't know how to change the bulb)

FYI: your technicians might take offense at finding out you're blaming them for this without anything linking them to it. Especially in such a public forum. Hell, even if they did it, they still might look at it as being out of line.

Also, wouldn't the technician be the least likely person to not know how to change a bulb? At least I hope they would.

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Jeremy Weigel
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1062
From: Edmond, OK, USA
Registered: Mar 2007

posted 06-26-2007 07:18 PM

quote: Josh Rosen
I think a technician changed it last time (someone royally f***ed up the lamp house because they didn't know how to change the bulb) and he made it really tight.

quote: Chris Slycord
FYI: your technicians might take offense at finding out you're blaming them for this without anything linking them to it. Especially in such a public forum. Hell, even if they did it, they still might look at it as being out of line.

I took it as the technician had to come out and correct someone else's f-up not that the tech f'd up.

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