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Author Topic: Lamp house not working. HELP!! William Nolan Film Handler Posts: 9 From: Willcox, Arizona, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 03-10-2009 07:10 PM                        We are a little, non-profit twin run by volunteers. One of our lamp houses has quit, and we are unable to get it working. Here's the facts: It worked fine for both shows on Saturday, and was working Saturday evening when it was turned off and let cool down as usual. On Sunday matinee it would not light, although the igniter sounds normal. The lamp housing is a Cine-X35, and the power supply is a Strong. The power supply has two green lights on it. One lights when we turn it on and the other when we turn on the lamp switch on the housing. Then we push the igniter button, but no light. I took everything apart and checked all the connections I could find -- no luck. We had an old bulb that was working when removed, as far as we know. I switched them, but no change. How would I know if the bulb was bad? It is a Christie KL3X0248. I am out of ideas. If you can help me fix this, let me know. Thanks, Bill Rex Allen Theater www.willcoxmovies.com bill@freeholder.com 520-508-2225 (cell)  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-10-2009 08:19 PM                     Why not just call Kelsey Black... he could fix it for you!!! Mark  |  IP: Logged William Nolan Film Handler Posts: 9 From: Willcox, Arizona, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 03-10-2009 08:48 PM                        Pretty good idea. Last I heard he lives in Safford. I am not sure how to reach him. Do you know?  |  IP: Logged Bill Enos Film God Posts: 2081 From: Richmond, Virginia, USA Registered: Apr 2000 posted 03-10-2009 09:34 PM                     Anywho.com lists his address and phone number in Willcox AZ  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-10-2009 09:37 PM                     I'm 99% sure that his folks still live in Wilcox. Call his dad and get his number... Kelsey does know that equipment at the Rex Allen! Mark  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 03-10-2009 09:51 PM                     Off topic, but wasn't Cine-X35 (however it's punctuated) the name of a short-lived projector manufactured by Christie a few years back?  |  IP: Logged John Eickhof Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 588 From: Wendell, ID USA Registered: Jan 2000 posted 03-10-2009 10:15 PM                        If the lamphouse is the ORC early Cine-X35 ( small tan and brown unit ) and you hear the igniter trying to strike the lamp, then you probably have a diode out in the strong power supply, of course, first thing is to check all switches and breakers ( fuses? ) first! When you press the igniiter ( start ) button do you see a flash of light in the spot sight box on the projector? Again, it sounds like a power supply problem. Good luck!  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 03-10-2009 10:33 PM                     Does this lamphouse have a voltmeter/ammeter? If so, I would start by turning on the lamp switch and check what voltage is displayed on the meter. From this result you can continue troubleshooting the problem further by posting your results here.  |  IP: Logged William Nolan Film Handler Posts: 9 From: Willcox, Arizona, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 03-10-2009 11:20 PM                        First, it fits the description of a "small brown and tan" unit, so that is probably accurate. When I push the igniter button, I do get a flash of light. It looks like it is coming from a little bulb in the igniter area of the housing. (Is that the exciter bulb I have read about?) There is aa ampmeter, but not a volt meter. The amp meter has always stayed on zero until the bulb ignites, and it is staying on zero now. If it is a diode in the power supply, how do I get that diagnosed or fixed? Thanks,  |  IP: Logged Eric Robinson Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 538 From: Santa Rosa, CA Registered: Jan 2005 posted 03-10-2009 11:42 PM                     Is there a button or switch close by to your ammeter which says something like volts/amps? Sorry I am not familiar with your model. The lamphouses I most commonly use have a pushbutton you can press to have the meter display volts. So, in effect the meter has a dual purpose which can be selected by the operator. The spark you are seeing may be coming from the ignitor itself if it has something called a spark gap. If it does have a spark gap then it is normal to see a spark there. You should also see a spark inside the bulb simultaneously. If not, then you may have a cable which is arcing to the cabinet. Most likely the cable which connects between the ignitor output and the rear of the bulb. If the cable insulation is poor, the cable can arc to the cabinet if the cable is too close to one of the cabinet surfaces.  |  IP: Logged William Nolan Film Handler Posts: 9 From: Willcox, Arizona, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 03-11-2009 09:00 PM                        Well, I got in touch with Kelsey Black as suggested, and he came by this afternoon. It is now working. The problem turned out to be the igniter. Fortunately, I had an old one on hand that had failed. Kelsey was able to assemble one good one with the parts from the two broken ones. he did say I probably need a different bulb, as this one is fluctuating. I will hope to find a good used one. Kelsey also said the power supply would handle a bulb brighter than the 1600w onw we are using, if we can find one that fits. Thanks for all the advice. Bill Rex Allen Theater  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 03-11-2009 10:08 PM                     Don't put larger than a 1600 watt lamp in the Cine X-35 lamphouse or you'll be sorry ! I think you need to get those guys down at the auto parts store to buy you a more modern lampenhousen!!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-11-2009 11:19 PM                     Cine X-35's .. is it that little lamphouse that looks like they could sit on the back of 16mm projectors where you can put a handle on top of them so they can be portable? If so, saw a pair of these lamphouses sitting on the back of E-7s throwing an 80 ft light to fill a 13x33 ft screen .. and running 1000w bulbs.in the early 70's. -Monte  |  IP: Logged William Nolan Film Handler Posts: 9 From: Willcox, Arizona, USA Registered: Jul 2004 posted 03-12-2009 12:25 PM                        I wanted to thank everyone again for the help with this problem. If you are interested, I have posted a photo of the lamphouse and projector. www.willcoxmovies.com/rexallen.jpg Thanks again, Bill  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 03-13-2009 05:50 AM                     Good ol' Motiographs AAA's .. just keep the gears greased weekly and the intermittent assembly filled with oil - they should last a lifetime. -monte  |  IP: Logged

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