Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Oil level in Victoria 5

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Posted by Carmine Occhino (Member # 1699) on 05-07-2003, 06:42 AM:

Being my first post, let me just say after browsing through some of the previous threads and links what a fantastic web-site this is. Now...
On my Victoria 5 projector there is no oil showing in the view port,or at times it is extremely low. (I don't here the intermittent unit clanking). I checked it multiple times, cold and hot. While the projector is running I can see oil swirling around back there. I can not add more oil because the fill tube looks to be at its max. Why isn't the oil showing properly in the view port ? According to the manual the oil should be changed at 500 hrs and I believe it has been at least that long. Could this be the problem ?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-07-2003, 07:01 AM:

Could an airlock be causing the filler tube to look full when the intermittent unit isn't?

It's been several years since I've touched a Vic 5 now, but I do seem to remember that you could sometimes get a false oil level (i.e. seriously above or below the red dot) reading, especially during the 10 minutes or so after the machine has finished running a feature.

If the problem won't go away I'd be inclined to drain it and refill it, then see what gives.

Posted by Carmine Occhino (Member # 1699) on 05-07-2003, 07:44 AM:

Thanks Leo that seems the likely answer to this problem. Changing the oil looks simple enough with that fill tube however me being relatively new to these projectors, anything I should take note of?

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 05-07-2003, 08:06 AM:

From what I can remember you just unclip the filler pipe, point it downwards into a container and let the oil drain out. I'd turn over the intermittent very gently by hand as it finishes draining to make sure it is all released. When replacing the oil, you'll need to use something like an oilcan for a car (i.e. something with a nozzle) to get it in the pipe without causing any mess. I'd introduce the oil very slowly and gently with the pipe clipped in place, again turning over the intermittent by hand in order to make sure that it fills the cross box evenly. Once oil starts appearing in the sight glass, then as far as I can remember, that should be it.

Posted by Erik Stevens (Member # 1497) on 05-07-2003, 08:09 AM:

We have just installed Vic 5 projectors into our new locations. After filling them all with oil, I noticed that sometimes you need to wait 30 seconds or so for the oil to go down, even if the filler tube looks full. Sometimes it takes the pressure/weight of the oil in the funnel to make the oil go down.

Good luck!

Ciao,

Erik

Posted by Mike Rendall (Member # 1499) on 05-07-2003, 02:55 PM:

Just a thought - Have you got the racking handle in the correct position? - From memory it should be at the exact centre of travel.

If the oil in the tube is higher than the level in the window with the racking central then I think you may have either an airlock (turning the motor by hand should alleviate this) or a blockage. Sometimes the plastic pipes get brittle (when exposed to the harsh light conditions and ozone). If it snaps off when you bend it you will need to replace it - I used plastic tubing from Boots in the UK - original purpose - For home wine making!

Mike

Posted by Joop de Gruiter (Member # 84) on 05-07-2003, 06:07 PM:

I usually unscrew a screw on top of the intermittant unit to let the air out so that the oil can replace it.