This is topic Speco LP-270 running too slow in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.
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Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 03-11-2001, 09:15 AM:
Our theatre recently purchased two new Speco platters, and they both seem to be timed slower than the other four that have been there for years (the maximum payout speed, that is). One of them in particular is so slow that it has trouble keeping up at the start of shows. I don't think it's the motor or drive wheel because activating the take-up and raising the elevator will spin the appropriate platter very rapidly. Activating the payout control and moving the payout unit to 100% (with the takeup elevator down) will make the plate spin at around 1 revolution per 2 1/2 to 3 seconds, whereas all the older platters we had will spin at around 1 revolution per second under the same conditions. The second of the new platters is timed about halfway between the two. I think the position of the magnet is correct as they all activate at the same payout arm position - perhaps it is fractionally out of position?
I looked in the manual but found no instructions for increasing the maximum payout speed. Is there a separate service manual available, or can someone tell me how this is accomplished?
A further note is that the payout arm springs back to zero on the new platters; on the old ones they were hardly spring loaded at all. Is this spring adjustment in the payout unit itself like on a Cinemeccanica or part of the plate assembly like on a Christie? I'd like to match the performance of the new platters to the old as they are perfect the way they are. To my knowledge, the old platters have never thrown a print, which I think is due to the gentle acceleration - they never 'jerk'.
Posted by William T. Parr (Member # 677) on 03-11-2001, 09:19 AM:
Micheal,
There is a set of Resistors behind the control cover on a LP 270 that you will have to adjust. Download the LP270 manual in the Manuals section of Film-Tech, there should be information about how to do this in it. I have had to do this to several myself, but the last time I touched one in that fasion was in 1987 When Cinemark opend the Dollar Cinema in Corpus Christi so I am a bit rusty on exactly how to do this. But I hope what litle I have said helps.
Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 03-11-2001, 10:36 AM:
Thanks, William. At least I know where to look, but unfortunately the online manual is the same as the one at work and does not seem to refer specifically to that adjustment. I will take a look though - thanks!
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-11-2001, 12:52 PM:
I would assume the change was made by SPECO to help keep the platters from throwing prints. Can they keep up for that first trailer? If so, I personally would be quite pleased with the slower maximum payout speed and would recommend you modify the older SPECOs to match the new.Let us know.
Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 03-11-2001, 01:55 PM:
YOu may want to check that the arm is moveing the magnet over far enough to engage the reed switch.
Also does it make a differance which deck is selected?
Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 03-11-2001, 09:34 PM:
Brad: The slower of the two new ones has trouble keeping up with the leader and first trailer. It's borderline - sometimes it will start to wrap, so it's a bit too slow. On ad/trailer change days (once a week), we have to drop in trailer packs of a smaller diameter than the take-up ring (often, more goes in than what comes out). The older units keep up with this reduced diameter without issues (the longest titles have played on these without getting thrown), and even the other new platter works well under these conditions (still a bit slow; it underfeeds about 180 degrees then responds fine once the feature starts, which is acceptable). This one, however, will certainly wrap and needs to be spun by hand throughout the duration of the 'dropped-in' trailer pack. I can well imagine that SPECO decided to slow down their platters, however the problem is that both of the new units are very different from one another, so there is an inconsistency here. If they were both timed like the faster of the two, there wouldn't really be an issue, although I'd still be curious. The way it stands, we have a problem with the slower unit being too slow in order to operate efficiently.Gordon: All the plates on this deck respond with almost identical results, except that the second lowest (they are 4-deck units) seems a tad slower still. The older platter units also have consistent results from deck to deck, and also with each other.
Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 03-11-2001, 11:45 PM:
Michael, call Barry and ask him to come and have a look at adjusting them for you. Barry's a great tech and won't steer you wrong.He may even be able to give you the instructions to fix it yourself over the phone.
...and being that these are still under warranty, those cheap bastards you work for can't use their old excuse of 'can't afford it' for this one.
------------------
"It's not the years, honey...it's the mileage". Indiana Jones
Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 03-12-2001, 02:06 AM:
One other thing to check is the pair of micro switches located at the bottom of the take-up variac shaft assy. I have had a switch go bad and thus does not power up the variac past the 50% tap. The socond switch should be a spare, so move the two wires onto it and see how it works! Sometimes the twisted variac shaft lifts out of the flex coupling just above the variac (black box) and can cause speed prblems too! good luck!!------------------
John Eickhof President, Chief Slave
Northwest Theatre Equipment Co., Inc.
P.O.Box 258
Wendell, ID. 83355-0258
208-536-5489
email: jeickhof@nteequip.com
Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 03-12-2001, 09:43 AM:
John Wilson: I was going to suggest that they call someone out - Barry is a great suggestion - but I figured it might be an adjustment I could make myself...maybe not, but perhaps he can guide me through it over the phone like you suggested or show me how it's done when he's there. Good point about the warranty!John Eickhof: Thanks - that seems very valid to me. I will look into this!
Posted by Michael Barry (Member # 237) on 03-13-2001, 10:17 PM:
John E: I had a close look last night. Indeed, there are two microswitches sitting side by side. Facing the elevator shaft, these are on the left hand side at the bottom of the shaft. However, there seems to be a twisted pair of wires leading into both switches. So when you say 'move the two wires (onto the spare)' do you mean switch the two twisted wire pairs with one another? Also, another of our platters coincentally had the switch fail, meaning the take-up platter would not stop once the elevator fell at the end of a session. Two points came out of this for me: 1) The two switches we got in as a spare part both have different model numbers and are slightly different in appearance, and 2) if the switches on the platter that I first posted about were also faulty, wouldn't this be evident by the fact that the take-up plate would not stop at the end of the session?
Thanks again - I'm sure I have one or more things confused here which hopefully these points will help to identify.