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Author Topic: xetron xcn-35 console ignition Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-18-2004 05:17 PM                        You said they tried another bulb. Was that a new one? In my experience, the Xetron consoles are more problematic when it comes to igniting older bulbs than most other consoles. I had slightly worn lamps which were taken out of Xetron consoles because they wouldn`t light up, but worked without a problem in other consoles.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-18-2004 05:31 PM                     Sounds like a spark gap issue to me. Had the same problem with the igniter in the Strong Super Lumex. Adjusted the spark gap, and problem went away. However, I do not know what spark gap width is actually supposed to be. Michael, even if the bulb is bad, the igniter will still attempt to fire. This has (at least) been my experience with most lamphouses. But you are right about the Xetron being problematic....They can definately be a pain in the lower posterior.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-18-2004 10:53 PM                     Irem ignitors are the world standard (there are more manufacturers useing them than any other source) They have been in my experience rock stabel until xetron gets there hand on them and then with there control modifications become very problematic  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-19-2004 02:11 AM                        I didn`t say it doesn`t attempt to ignite. I meant it doesn`t succeed in igniting the lamp, and in that the Xetron consoles seem to be more touchy than any other console.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-19-2004 10:34 AM                     If it lights manualy with the pushbutton then the ignitor is fine just that flacky xetron autostrike circuit at fault  |  IP: Logged James S. Mellen Film Handler Posts: 22 From: Sandpoint, Idaho, USA Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-19-2004 09:25 PM                     When it wouldn't ignite, it wouldn't work either manually or on auto, and I didn't hear any attempt to ignite. Now that I have swapped igniters, both work on auto. The bulbs do not have many hours on them. I don't understand how the spark gap works. The igniter in question has an external spark gap incased in plastic. Is the spark gap adjustable on these? If so, how do I determine the correct gap?  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 01-24-2004 12:48 PM                     James, I think you have a spark gap issue. Close up the gap just a tad and it will probably work. Through the years, they do erode somewhat.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2004 01:54 PM                     be very carefull playing with sparkgaps as you could get yourself on a fatl end of a nasty shock Note usually a spark gap would have to have been very large for it not to have a spark in it (which you would have heard) the gap length effects the frequency of the energy across the lamp gap  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-24-2004 08:06 PM                        Here is another Xetron ignition problem: I just received a call that we have a console (I don`t know exactly what revision, I will have to go there and look) doesn`t try to ignite at all. No ignition automatically or manually. Apparently the voltage display on the console is also dead and the contactor doesn`t pull in either. Now here is something puzzling: according to the projectionist, the console had those problems before when it had been turned off. That`s why they never turned the breakers off. When it was turned off by accident, it would take 5 minutes or so, then it would work again. Today they had a power outage for an hour. Now the lamphouse is completely dead like described above. They checked all breakers and the fuse on the control panel. All other projector functions (automation, motor, exciter etc.) work  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-24-2004 09:21 PM                     That doesn't sound like an igintior issue If the volt meter say no output then the igintor can't attempt to fire Check the airflow as one of the blowers may not have started I have always had an issue with the xetron method of turning off the internal blowers and then the airflow switches shutting the recticier down another strike in my books against xetron I want the blowers to stay on after the lamp shuts down to control the cool down Also there is a high probability that one of the phases of a circuit breaker has failed had that problem at foranna location when I visited it a while ago as the breaker had the wrong trip curve for its load a prblem with a lot of console vendors who use magnetic breakers in the wrong application  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-25-2004 02:05 AM                        Yes, I also suspect it might be a blower or a stuck airflow switch. That is the only thing I could think of which might account for the waiting time. Or maybe it is a breaker which was on its way to fail and was regularly tripped by the inrush current before it now finally failed. I will go and see in the morning.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 01-25-2004 10:25 AM                     We have over 100 of the Xetron consoles, and generally they have been very reliable. Regarding Michael's problem; If the volt meter is dead, ie: none of the LCD segments display, the small fuse on the PCB may have blown. That fuse only powers the meter, so even if it was blown the lamp would still light. The vane switch for the blower sometimes gets clogged with dust/dirt. That switch is in series with the contactor coil, the door safety switch(s) and the automation. Gordon's suggestion of an open phase is likely, too. There is a power switch on the control panel for when the console is used without any automation; it should be left in the on position with automation, but sometimes the operator accidently shuts it off. The power for the lamp control PCB was intended to have it's own circurt, so it would still work if the rectifier 3-phase went out. However many installers just connect it's 110vac to one of the rectifier 3-phases. Xetron changed the wiring many (10?) years ago; they no longer allow just the airflow switch to shut off the rectifier, and the blowers do continue to run even when the lamp is shut off. Admittedly, that wasn't a good idea, but it's easy to rewire it, which we did to ours.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-26-2004 04:20 AM                        The power supply is fine. I can switch on the lamp by pushing the contactor in with a screwdriver. Does the contactor coil in the IREM PS for the American market need 120VAC or 208? All 3 phases come into the console and reach the PS. The safety switches are OK too. I checked continuity across the switches and followed the wiring to the PCB to make sure the correct voltage is there (why is there no diagram in the manual!?!). Also triplechecked all breakers and fuses, fuse holders, switches etc. The PCB fuse is actually for the blower, anyway it`s OK too and the blower runs. Do you have a list of the wiring and the correct voltages that should be read at the plug-in connectors to the ignition board? I want to be isolate the board as the problem, or when there is a misreading on one of the connections, be able to track it down to the cause of the problem. OK, I can compare the input readings to a working unit, but if I find a problem there I would like to identify it without following the wiring all the way through the console. Gordon - the blower is on all the time. This is one of the XCN consoles with the digital display.  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 01-26-2004 08:36 AM                     The contactor is the same voltage - 208VAC. There are a few different revisions of the manual; I have sent a copy (with schematics) to Brad for posting. Note that on -some- IREM rectifiers, there is a fuse for the contactor coil. Unless someone rewired the console, the 3AG fuse on the outside front of the panel only does the blower (on earlier 4K and higher consoles there are two blowers); the small two-pin fuse on the PCB itself ("F1") is only for the LCD meter. Do you have another console to swap out the panel for testing?  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-26-2004 07:35 PM                        That is basically the same board except the one I have has a little battery on top (presumably for the lamp data). Do you have the connection diagram for the plugs?  |  IP: Logged

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