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Author Topic: Strong Power Supply Problems!!! Thomas Dieter Expert Film Handler Posts: 234 From: Yakima, WA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 11-16-2007 01:23 AM                     I thought this would be the best place for this question, beings it deals with the power supply. I've got a problem with a couple of my lamp houses. I can't seem to get the amperage up to the specified 85A for a 2000W bulb. Even setup on the maximum setting. I'm running Strong Super Lume-X Lamp houses with the Strong Xenon Power Supply. I've taken photos of the settings to show where they are, and so that you can direct me as to what I should do. This was the original settings inside the power supply before I tried boosting the amperage. This was the reading from the back of the lamp house while it was running. This was the stepper switch setting. 6. Now I know if the amperage isn't enough for the size bulb that is running, even when set on the highest setting, you can move the wire in the first picture on the left to the left one slot to increase the current. But at the same time you need to turn the stepper switch down so that you don't supply the bulb with to much current. When I did this, the reading on the Lamp House Meter only went up 2 hash marks, bringing the amperage up to 60A, even on the highest setting for the stepper. What should I do next? I guess some of this information would be useful. I've installed an ASL(ORC) XM2000H/VC/G Lamp with is rated at 28V and 70A. I would assume that the amps as the bulb is aged would generally need to be bumped up to 75, 80, and going no higher than 85, is that correct?  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 11-16-2007 02:22 AM                     Are you sure that the meters are good? I had several meters that were not reading accurately last year. Had one that was reading almost 10amps lower than it actually was. I would try measuring the current across the shunt with a volt meter. If you know what/where the shunt is quite easy to do. Set the meter to DC and carefully (with full protective clothing and mask if it requires exposing the lamp) measure the voltage across the shunt while the lamp is already lit. It should give you a reading in mV. Next power off the lamp and look at the shunt markings that look something like 150A/50mV. This gives you 3mV per amp. So if you get a reading of say 20mV with your hand held then multiply it by 3 which will give you 60A. I'd post pics, but my camera's not working.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 11-16-2007 03:02 AM                     How's the 4 diodes in that diode bank in those old rectifiers? Those old rectifiers DO get mighty tired after years of service and seen them changed out with switchers. Actually, you really don't want to go max on that bulb where your suggested rating is 80% of the wattage - like 70 to 75 amps @ 27 VDC. (One can easilly do the math: If you can grab the amperage above mentioned with a VOM, then touch across the DC legs to get VDC, take the two values and times them together to get your wattage ..<the classic PIE formula P=IxE> - which the total should be within the 80 to 90 percent of the maximum wattage of the bulb. Granted though, the amperage output what is shown on the meter isn't the healthiest...have you tried a different bulb, for I've seen defective bulbs run at low amperage like that. Also, check for tight connections from rectifier to lamphouse. L (Tap the meter plastic face with it running., Sometimes the movements inside of them DO love to get a bit on the dry and sticky side.) Look on the VOLT/AMP plate (where the Model and SS# is embossed on the plate) on the rectifier to see what the MAX VoltsDC/AmpsDC outputs are. You really shouldn't try to exceed those settings. Good luck, Thomas - Monte  |  IP: Logged Thomas Dieter Expert Film Handler Posts: 234 From: Yakima, WA Registered: Jun 2004 posted 11-16-2007 03:47 AM                     quote: Jeremy Weigel I would try measuring the current across the shunt with a volt meter. Where in this photo is the Shunt? Is it the metal cross member I see there behind the wires that has the esbestos cable, with red tape on it, attached. I looked at the manual on the site, and from the B/W picture, I couldnt' tell what it was. I had to remove a metal plate to take this picture. I assume this is ment to keep the circut borad there in the back from being shattered when a bulb explodes.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 11-16-2007 05:32 AM                        Yes, that's the shunt. The cover keeps the UV from destroying the electronic parts (It destroys the rest quite well.) Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-16-2007 08:21 AM                     I had two of those old 61XXX series rectifiers fail... one on day and the other the next day about a year ago in western Nevada. Since the theater was a stones throw from the site of the 1963 Project Shoal Nuclear Test I told the theater owner it was probbly relatesd to the escaping radionuclides from the underground blast chamber. Odd thing was that it was the main transformer in both rectifiers that failed (Shorted windings). Caused the main breaker to trip on one unit immediately and on the other after about 30 seconds. Those rectifers never were any good... always high ripple and inrush... lamp eaters.  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-16-2007 08:34 AM                     For current readings...I use a calibrated clamp on DC ammeter...but is it me or does that screw holding the positive lead on the shunt look toasted? They normally are not black like the picture shows but more like the other screw. Steve  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 11-16-2007 11:16 AM                     It also looks like some of the wires are toasted as well,although it could just be a coating of dust.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-16-2007 07:39 PM                     Hey Steveo, There's some nice crispy Strong lamphouse wiring for you!! Its sure an old one but the new lamphouses still use the same garbage wire. The average span that I've seen till they get nice and crispy like that is about 6 years.... Not very good life out of a 320.00 wiring harness! Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-17-2007 07:00 AM                     Not to defend Strong's wire or anything, nor my complete frustration as to why everyone uses white wire ties in a lamphouse that can't take the UV but do you find that other manufacturers use any better grade of wire? Certainly not Christie where even the lamp adjust mechanisms have suffered from failure to UV radiation. About the only manufacturer that seems to have wire that stands up well is Kinoton...it stays flexible even after exposure to the lamp. But THEY use those stupid white wire ties too. Now Mark, you can't blame Strong for that screw, necessarily and their Asbestoes wire seems to have held up very well! No buring either!  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 11-17-2007 10:15 AM                        In the shop, we have rehabbed many old Xetron consoles, Super Lumexs, etc. Generally we replace all heavy wiring with the kind that Christie uses (UV-proof) and then use BLACK UV wire ties. The reason factories dont's do this are two fold: price and the fact that they never see an old one. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-17-2007 05:26 PM                     Steve, Actually it took ALOT longer than the average 6 to 7 years it takes for Super Lum-Ex wire to become crispy than it did for the lamp mechanism to go bad on those Christie H series things... I have a high number of those H series lamps and consoles whose lamp adjust mechanisms are also still working just fine. And at least in the Christies the main wire harness STAYS GOOD... it never becomes brittle nor cracks. I've installed countless plenum kits in old H series consoles whose wiring was still in like new shape even though they were over 30 years old. The Supers should have been at least UV proof as Louis says or better yet Teflon. The latter is not all that expensive to do. While I won't piss and moan as much about the Super 80 and Ultra lamphouses it seems that Strong has done little to nothing to improve on the Super-Lumex while other companies still seem to strive to do at least some improvements to film related items... Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-17-2007 07:18 PM                     While I'll certainly have to conceed that Strong's wiring has historically been lacking (goes brittle)...as to improving the design...it is like with Christie's projector...started with such a low bar...it might seem amazing that they keep improving it but with each improvement, it is only in a sense to be bring their result up to where others already exist. The Super Lume-X has a wonderful light output. The Super/Ultra-80 are also quite good though their optical design goes back pretty far too. Personally, I've always liked Strong's lamp alignment too...no goofy linkages that go bad or need special wrenches to fit. Oh, the larger K series lamps also used the nylon lamp alignments too. Now I admit that is going back a ways now. Then again, Christie feels the need to ground the negative side...better to float the DC, in my opinion...keeps noise down, among other things...it also tends to keep ammeters alive...I can't tell you how many Christie ammeters have bit the dust due to the ignition going through the meter rather than the lamp. I also much prefer Strong's lamp cooling. At least they shoot air up on the anode (without any brittle glass tubes that crack on the old H and K series). But yes, it his high time that Strong updates the wire quality in their lamphouses.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 11-17-2007 07:57 PM                     I agree the light from the Super is very nice. Always used them for dailies where the DP had no problem with the dichroic color. The Light can be set very flat and even out of a Super!! Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 11-17-2007 10:04 PM                     Ayup...I have a pair of 5400K reflectors at the MPAA on Super Lume-X lamphouses...never a complaint about color, uniformity or quantity of light.  |  IP: Logged

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