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Posted by David Emery (Member # 382) on 09-01-2000, 03:40 PM:
In the past few days we have been having a problem with our projector#2 just shutting off at random. It sounds the alarm and shuts the motor and lamp off but when you go to check what caused it to shut down you cant find anything wrong. We are running a SLC-30 Christie Lamphouse, Christie M35GP Projection head, Component Engineering FM-35 automation, and Strong AP3 platters.A few days back we changed out the motor because we though that was what was causing the problem but the problem still persists. Last night I remembered that the FM-35 uses IR light to sense the film so I pulled off the reader and cleaned it. Ill find out tonight if that is what was wrong and ill post if it is still having problems.
What is the easyest way to clean the IR reader on the FM-35. I had a heck of a time cleaning off the lights on it because they are resessed inside these plastic covers.
Posted by Dave Cutler (Member # 515) on 09-01-2000, 03:51 PM:
Do you have any platter fail safe or a tension fail safe that may be tripping the alarm? How old is the lamp? It might be shuting off and re-striking.
Posted by Michael Cunningham (Member # 210) on 09-01-2000, 04:13 PM:
The easiest way to clean those infrared sensors takes a bit of preperation. Cover both sensor "pits" with a bit of tape - scotch clear type. Using a razor blade or utility knife, cut around these covers so that the tape doesn't hang over. Now, you just have to clean the surface of the tape with a Q-tip soaked in isopropyl alchol about once a week. This way, you don't have to try and get the Q-tip up in those little pits. Good luck!-Mike
Posted by David Emery (Member # 382) on 09-01-2000, 04:13 PM:
There is no tention failsafe on the system. The FM-35 has a presense and motion failsafe on it.
Posted by Greg Pauley (Member # 503) on 09-01-2000, 04:24 PM:
David:
There are defeat (bypass) switches inside the TA10 automation for the motion and presense on the FM35. If you suspect the FM35, turn on the defeat switches and see if the problem continues. Keep in mind that the FM35 will not shut the system down with these switches activated.
Posted by Randy Stankey (Member # 64) on 09-01-2000, 11:32 PM:
The first thing I'd do is clean the failsafe.Use a philips screwdriver and remove the screw that holds on the black roller. (Don't lose the washer.) Slide the roller off the shaft. Just carefully pull it off. Clean it well, using alcohol & Q-Tip. Set it aside.
Shut off the power to the failsafe. (Shut off the automation.)
Look under the sensor. There are two more philips screws. Remove them. The sensor will just pull off. Clean the little windows with alcohol & Q-Tip. Dry it well. (I use those stupid hand dryers in the bathroom. That's about all they're good for.)
Reassemble in reverse order.
While you've got the thing in your hand, take a look at the bottom. (Between the sensor windows.) Is there an IC chip on that PC? If not you ought to consider getting a replacement. There are improved versions of the sensor that will make it work better.
Also, while you're looking at the area of the failsafe...
Check your film path and check all your splices and cues. If your rollers are misaligned or if you have a crummy splice the film could momentarily jump the roller and cause the failsafe to think the film's going haywire.
If this is the case, your failsafe is doing it's job. It's trying to tell you there's a problem.
Lastly, I wouldn't tape over the sensor windows. After a while, the tape will collect dirt and the failsafe will start to malfunction. I recommend that the failsafe be cleaned every night by carefully brushing it out with a clean, dry paintbrush. (or similar)
If you do that, you should only have to use alcohol on them every once in a great while.
Posted by David Emery (Member # 382) on 09-02-2000, 01:40 AM:
Well im back from tonights shift upstairs. When I got to the theater we already had signs up saying we wernt showing anything in that house. We were testing it to see if our fix would work. So the projector was still running like normal but for a empty croud because we couldnt trust the projector yet. We found that flipping the motor switch out of auto took care of the problem and it ran fine through the whole show. If you ever switched it back into auto it would just shut the motor off. To top it all off tonight the projector (Christie M35GP) was about to break the shutter belt.Yes we do have the IC chip on the board and also we have the red dot on the end IR sensor.
Brad you were right just give them a few more months and they will start to break. This is the second one in the last 2 months. 8 more to go. I just hope they all dont decide to make 1 day be the one they all break. Hehe knock on wood.
Posted by Bill Purdy (Member # 202) on 09-03-2000, 10:55 AM:
As for cleaning, follow Randy's disassembly instructions above and then squirt some strong househole detergent cleaner into the holes of the sensors. You know, Formula 409 or such as that. Let them sit a couple of minutes and then hold them under the hottest water faucet you have. After they are thoroughly rinsed out they should look pretty shiny. Knock out as much water as you can and if you have compressed air available blow them out and reinstall. Water won't hurt them. Over the years we have discovered quite a few things which will cause phantom stops and sometimes it takes a bit of detective work. If you are still having trouble, please call our tech guy, Don Olson, at 206-284-9171 with your symptoms. Don loves to figure these things out and he has the patience to stay with you until you find the solution.
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Bill Purdy
Component Engineering