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Author Topic: Can you check a diode without removing it? Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-14-2006 08:11 PM                        RE the pictures, if they are indeed authentic: "This person who is high on PCP was trying to kill himself. ... Reached out his hand and grabbed the conductor! At that instant 16,600 volts shot through his body. ... If you can believe it , this guy survived the contact with the high voltage and to this day is still alive! If you made it to this point-- YOU GOT GUTS!!!" I would rather say - If you made it so this point -- YOU ARE AN IDIOT!!! Since he allegedly surived, he didn't even qualify for a Darwin Award nomination.  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-14-2006 09:23 PM                    In the "electrocuted" picture, the flame kind of seems like it takes on the shape of a person. When I first saw it, it reminded of that scooby doo episode with the 10,000 volt electricity monster. Looks like him.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-14-2006 11:39 PM                     quote: Michael Schaffer Mark is always like that Great Hornytoads... I love gett'n you guys all farred up... it gets you postin here! Mark  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 07-15-2006 12:43 AM                        Mark - I was defending you. Please don't destroy that.  |  IP: Logged Charles Greenlee Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 801 From: Savannah, Ga, U.S. Registered: Jun 2006 posted 07-15-2006 03:44 AM                        Power supplies, and componets lifespans can differ creatly depending on how clean the incomeing power is. Downtown here, there is alot of noise in the power, whether it be from poor handling equipment, or outside RF or whatever, it is very noisy. Not to mention it's easy to lose power, frequently and in breif flashes. This means your power supply is having to work harder to produce the smoooth DC power your equipment needs. My friend had to replace his power supply on his coumputer a few times before he bought a power conditioning ups. Surges are the main culprit, even if they don't "blow" something, they can weaken it without any symptoms, and after a period of several times, it simply fails. There are also the opposite of surges, which surge protectors don't compensate for, of which the extended version would be a brown out. Those can also be devistating. Here, my power is pretty clean, almost a perfect 60Hz Sine wave, and few surges. So I could probably run for a long time simply plugged straight into the wall. My point? That is, if you haven't had to replace your diodes in 10 years, it's most likely you live in an area that has good power. That is good. Be glad. If you're like the local Wynnsong, and power can fluctuate every time a red car drives by, or a bird flaps its wings, you'll be replacing your diodes more often. Also it depends on what's putting the load on the diodes, if your equipment is putting a higher load than they can handle (even if they're rated for that load, they can simply be weak). Or say they're rated for 20 Amps, your system runs at 15 Amps, you're fine. But you forget when the lamp initially fires it momentarily, in less than a blink of an eye, spikes up to 30 amps, which you don't ever notice. 1 spike won't kill a diode, nor will 10 or maybe 100, but 1,000 shows later the diode is just worn out. Not assuming these numbers are real, just expressing a logic. And I sure wish I didn't have to replace any diodes, I had to do it 3 times at the Wynnsong, but they weren't on the same projector.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-15-2006 09:39 AM                        One of my customers (IREM rectifiers) had multiple diode failure as well as phone, computer, game and light bulb failure. Turns out that the power company high voltage guy had wired EVERY pole wrong for 15 years in this community. The locals accepted it as normal. Before sueing the electrical engineer, our customer gave him one more chance; he brought in his University professor who noted that the power tranformers on the pole were incorrectly connected. (high voltage ground). Every transformer bank in the county was checked and more than 100 were corrected. Problem solved. Sometimes it IS the power company! Louis  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 07-15-2006 01:05 PM                     Back to the price on the diode I generally supply for IREM; it does include a welded insulated lead. I supply the same diode for much less without the lead but I find field installs with screw on or poorly soldered leads end with premature failure. I am selling to markets with dirty power, low or large daily voltage swings. The most trouble free regarding diodes has been Kneisley rectifiers;changing capacitors due to age but in the last 28 years possibly 3 - 4 diodes.  |  IP: Logged Frank Dubrois Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 896 From: Cleveland, OH Registered: Mar 2005 posted 07-15-2006 09:15 PM                    OK, let me ask this. What SHOULD we be paying for diodes?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 07-17-2006 06:31 AM                     quote: Brad Miller I have honestly NEVER had a diode failure in a Christie, IREM, or anything else. Brad, Give em time... we have some of the first SLC's made, I think they are 11 years old now. Also, lots of 4kw Irem's thata re also becomming very aged.... in fact it was the Irem's that use the Semikron diodes... that led me to find the same diode without the leads attached in both forword and reverse configurations. quote: Frank Dubrois OK, let me ask this. What SHOULD we be paying for diodes? Again, THATS something you have to discover for yourself... try calling 3 or 4 different dealers and see who gives you the best price.... as loong as its a quality diode get them from the least expensive source. Mark  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 07-17-2006 08:46 AM                     Ahhhh...Mark is such a diode teaser  |  IP: Logged

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