Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Carbon Arc lamphouse:Brenkert EnArc or Peerless Magnarc

This is topic Carbon Arc lamphouse:Brenkert EnArc or Peerless Magnarc in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Mike Fitzgerald (Member # 1304) on 05-18-2003, 06:18 PM:

I have a chance for my portable booth to obtain either a pair of Brenkert Enarc (no price yet) or Peerless Magnarc and a pair of the old tungar rectifers. What in everyone opinion would be the better route to go. I know some of you will say Xenon but I go with what I can afford. They will be hooked up to my Bauer U2 and in all likely hood a picture size of around 12x24 and I think I will be burning 8 and 9's for the carbon at somewhere in the 72 - 80 rang or 7 an 8's in the 60 - 70 range depending on the rectifers I am able to obtain. Thanks for the input.
[beer]

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-18-2003, 06:32 PM:

Peerless magnac is the way i would go as they have no peers [thumbsup]

Posted by Gordon Bachlund (Member # 124) on 05-18-2003, 06:33 PM:

The Enarcs have their fans and the Magnarcs have their fans, but the bottom line is the condition of the lamphouses and the availability of reflectors (glass reflectors are fragile but give the best results). If you need carbons, let me know.

Good luck from a carbon lover. [beer]

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-18-2003, 07:00 PM:

They are both good lamphouses, but the Peerless is much easier to keep clean. I think the Enarc and Peerless mirrors will interchange. We snitched an Enarc mirror from an old lamphouse and it fit the Peerless perfectly.

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 05-18-2003, 07:54 PM:

I would have a slight preference for Peerless, partly because the look better and partly because I prefer the location of the positive and negative feed knobs. Also, the back part of Peerless lamps (including the reflector) swings outward, which makes it easier to clean and replace. Mechanically and optically, though, either type will be fine. I'd agree with the suggestion that you should get whatever is in the best condition and/or has the best source of spare parts.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 05-18-2003, 11:33 PM:

First.....Don't pay a dime for any of that stuff!! Its all worthless on the real market. They should be paying you to haul it away!! Anyone that actually charges you for that stuff will be giving you the [fu]

when you turn your back to them.
You may have to buy the carbons though as a handfull of theatres still run Peerless lamps. You will find it easier to get parts for Peerless stuff too.
Secondly.....Bauer U-2's [thumbsup]

in a portable booth??? Cool [Cool]

that must be some kinda well built portable booth you have there! They weigh more than a DP-70 does.
Mark

Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 05-19-2003, 01:18 AM:

Gordon Bachlund hit the nail on the head. The present condition will mean everything.

However, all else being equal, I would go for the Magnarcs for the reasons Mark said.

Posted by Paul G. Thompson (Member # 655) on 05-19-2003, 02:08 AM:

Mike, if you go that route, dump the tungars. The rectifiers can be very easily converted with Sil-Tubes.

Posted by Mike Fitzgerald (Member # 1304) on 05-19-2003, 07:45 AM:

Thanks for the input. I am hoping the rectifers already have been changed over to Sil-Tubes. I am inclined to go with the Peerless unless the Enarcs are for free. THe only problem is Martin Hill can be overpriced. Here is a picture of the Peerless that he has.

Posted by Ken Layton (Member # 133) on 05-19-2003, 08:44 AM:

Wow! There's a Motiograph. [Wink]

Posted by Philippe Laude (Member # 79) on 05-19-2003, 08:45 AM:

I totally agree with Mark. The Bauer U2 is a magnificent projector but not a portable one, unless hercules is a friend of yours!

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-19-2003, 10:25 AM:

Does the motiographs go with them ditch the bower and use them [Smile]

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 05-20-2003, 08:25 PM:

Pics from another arc lover....

Josh

Posted by Chris Markiewicz (Member # 1415) on 05-20-2003, 08:51 PM:

Isn't Art Deco great? I love the speedlines on the lamphouses. [Smile]

Posted by Josh Jones (Member # 447) on 05-20-2003, 11:54 PM:

Those lamps were built in 46 and with a little help this summer, will light up my garage again.

Josh

Posted by Dick Prather (Member # 1136) on 05-21-2003, 01:24 AM:

Mike,
Both lamps ran just fine. I always liked gear driven lamps better then chain drive such as Strong Mogul and several Ashcraft lamps.

With that said neither one of the lamps should sell for much at all. I agree with most that the Magnarc was probably the best suprex lamp ever made. Parts would be easier to find for them then the Enarc. The were more popular then others and anyone still running arc below 80 amps is probably using them.
Things to consider:
Get them cheap.
Which ones are in better shape? They will both put out a good light. Start gathering carbons, they aren't cheap. Best of luck.

Posted by Rick Long (Member # 213) on 05-22-2003, 01:32 AM:

Peerless Magnarc, hands down. It's the Super Lumex of the carbon era.

Posted by Bob Koch (Member # 1062) on 05-23-2003, 01:09 PM:

Peerless seemed to preferred by all operators;however the enarc had one advantage namely that,at that time three reflector working distances were available; N500,34"[same as peerless]N 500A,31 1/2"and N500B 29 1/2". The origial Enarc had a light cone on the front which you could shorten for the 31 1/2" mirror or remove entirely for the 291/2" mirror. I used to use the 31 1/2 " in all the indoors that I serviced and 291/2" in the DI`s.Paul may be right about swapping mirrors between the two but the shorter WD`s would`nt work in the magnarc because of it`s front end construction. Put a Peerless Magnarc on a Motiograph K or F and you could`nt get in any closer than 36" resulting in an appreciable loss of light. Worst case;1953 installed all Philips equipment in The Granada Theater` Reno Nv for United Cal Theatres[UA]; all except the lamphouse where they decided to save money by using Peerless they had laying around. Because of the construction of the FP7 projector you could`nt even approach the proper 34" WD for the Magnarc,more like 40". Always a poor picture.