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Author Topic: My first Xenon bulb experience Sam Hunter Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 779 From: West Monroe, LA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 05-31-2003 05:52 PM                     German, The manual states not to let the light stay on the projection lens but doesn't mention the negative lens. Although you do have a point and I can see where a hot spot could get it. What do yaw think about leaving the negative lens as is? It seems to show ok so I don't know. I would like to change it though. Also, Bob I have a ventilator fan in the attic that runs as long as booth power is on and it was working at the time. Thanks!!  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-01-2003 08:30 AM                     I have yet to see a M1000 with out a cracked neg lens They usually crack because during alignment a hot spot gets focused on them  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-01-2003 08:49 AM                     I have one thats not cracked, but Gord is right as any hot spot will cause uneven expansion of the lens, and its easy to get a hot spot developed with that lamphouse as well as the model 1000. It generally will not cause any problems except that the crack might continue to grow as the lens heats up and cools down over many more thermal cycles. Strong Lum-Ex lamphouses have the same problem. If the lens falls apart just glue it back together with hi-temp red silicone. As far as the porthole goes....Just go ahead and cut it out....Then hang a photo of a Norelco DP-70 sitting just inside its porthole on the side looking into your booth. On your booth side hang a photo of the stage of Radio City Music Hall....... there, you're all set!! Mark  |  IP: Logged Thomas Procyk Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1842 From: Royal Palm Beach, FL, USA Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-01-2003 09:29 AM                     At my very first projection job, it was stressed over and over to leave all the blowers and exhaust fans ON at the end of the night when we shut everything else down. It used to be the policy at first to leave them on for 20 minutes after the show ended, (which was REALLY annoying when trying to go home after midnight shows) but thanks to the wonderful Florida heat and humidity, we came in to find condensation all over the reflectors and inside the lamphouse! After that, there was an "always-on" policy and we had no problems. No other booth I have worked in has ever done anything to let the bulbs cool at the end of the night. Just shut everything off and out the door. These "other" booths had various lamp problems from early flicker to just premature darkening. =TMP=  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-01-2003 09:06 PM                     I always install a timer on the exhaust so it will stay on 30 minutes after the switch is turned off  |  IP: Logged Sam Hunter Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 779 From: West Monroe, LA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-01-2003 10:51 PM                     Want to hear something funny? Yesterday during my adventure I noticed that while I was trying to target the bulb and get my "Bullseye" I noticed that the adjustments I made where drifting. So I turned off the lamphouse, let it cool and pulled the top off. I found that there were two tension springs that needed snugging up a bit and that cured that but anyway, during this I looked at the bulb and noticed that it looked cracked. I said "OH SHIT". ANyway, I reasoned that if the bulb was cracked I would know it by the sound of a small bomb going off. I took another look and found out that it was the little silver wire that is used to ignite the bulb. Anyway, this has been one learning experience so far and I really appreciate all the help and insight you guys give me. Until next time...Cheers!  |  IP: Logged Travis Hubrig Expert Film Handler Posts: 175 From: Minot ND, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 06-02-2003 04:51 PM                     Sam, I recently found that a bulb can start to crack even while it is operating, I noticed fine 'spiderwebbing' cracks on the anode end of the bulb. It was the first time I have seen a bulb start to crack and still ignite. I am going to try to take pictures of it, but it is not as visible as when it was in the lamphouse. Good Luck with your project. Travis Hubrig  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 06-02-2003 07:12 PM                        quote: I noticed fine 'spiderwebbing' cracks on the anode end of the bulb Not really a "crack", but vitrification or crystallization of the quartz. Not a good sign.  |  IP: Logged Travis Hubrig Expert Film Handler Posts: 175 From: Minot ND, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 06-02-2003 09:51 PM                     Thanks John, Not very common? First time I've seen it in 6 yrs working in the booth. It is a bit intimidating trying to change the bulb if it still is pressurized and the quartz has a known defect...  |  IP: Logged Sam Hunter Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 779 From: West Monroe, LA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-02-2003 10:44 PM                     Now guys, don't get me second guessing myself. These bulbs do have wire laced on the outside right? This bulb is brand new and shouldn't be nothing wrong with it.  |  IP: Logged Travis Hubrig Expert Film Handler Posts: 175 From: Minot ND, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 06-02-2003 11:28 PM                     Sorry, My Fault for throwing you off course... YES they come with a wire on the outside It is an 'ignition aid wire'  |  IP: Logged Michael Harlow Expert Film Handler Posts: 170 From: Faversham, Kent, UK Registered: Jul 2002 posted 06-03-2003 05:21 AM                     Sam, there is normally a nickle wire slung from end to end on the outside, this is to help ignition of a "tired" lamp... Nothing to worry about.  |  IP: Logged Jeff Taylor Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 601 From: Chatham, NJ/East Hampton, NY Registered: Apr 2000 posted 06-03-2003 08:30 AM                     Sam: The toughest thing with xenons, especially after you begin to get comfortable handling them, is to get uncomfortable again. It's a fine balance...a little intimidation is a healthy thing, but it's not rocket science.  |  IP: Logged Sam Hunter Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 779 From: West Monroe, LA, USA Registered: Jan 2002 posted 06-03-2003 09:55 AM                     Whew!  |  IP: Logged John Anastasio Master Film Handler Posts: 325 From: Trenton, NJ, USA Registered: Sep 2000 posted 06-03-2003 08:20 PM                        I once had a fellow stop by while I was teaching a production class and pull out a 5k xenon bulb to show me. The damn thing was just sitting on the back seat of his truck. He started waving it around just holding it by one end while I had 15 students standing there and they all couldn't figure out why I quickly shuffled them back inside the studio and locked the guy out. Talk about no respect (do that like Rodney Dangerfield). I haven't had one blow yet, but you're right about getting comfortable with them. It's like electricity....you get cocky with it after a while and that's when you do something dumb like discovering the charge on an igniter with your finger. I'm just glad I had one hand in my pocket the day I took that "across the room" flight. Treat potentially dangerous things with respect and their danger is greatly diminished.  |  IP: Logged

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