Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Kneisley Electric no longer in business?!?

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Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 11-20-2003, 07:48 PM:

I was talking to my dealer today about getting some parts for a Kneisley Xenex I lamphouse and was told that they tried calling the place (during business hours) and nobody answered the phone, and he talked to someone else who said that Kneisley had gone bankrupt and had closed down. I know the Kneisley web site is still up, but the big question is:

Are they really gone? and if so, is there anyone providing support for their products?

-Aaron

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-20-2003, 08:18 PM:

Such nice people. They have been working basically a skeleton detail the last few years. The graphics art industry was another source of revenue for them.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 11-21-2003, 04:53 AM:

Richard is right....years ago I needed a ballest resistor for a rectifier that has manufactured circa 1950 and that had an RCA logo plate on it, but it really was a Kneisley unit that they manufactured for RCA. I called Kneisley and the person I spoke with didn't know about the RCA model, but got the elder Mr. Kneisley on the phone and the guy knew exactly which rectifier I was talking about and what I needed. We spoke for half an hour about the film industry and then he send out the big resistor free of charge. Aside from the generous gesture, he was a real gentleman and a delight to speak with.

A real shame if a family business like that can no longer be viable in our economy. I guess when you don't want to farm you manufacturing out to China or Milasia, you have a very hard time competing. So much for the American dream.

Frank

Posted by Greg Pauley (Member # 503) on 11-21-2003, 02:25 PM:

I spoke with NCS today and they had spoken to Betty last week whenever they heard the rumors and she denied they were closing.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-21-2003, 07:41 PM:

I can assure you that as long as Betty is alive there will be a Kneisley Electirc Co. They are VERY nice people to do buisness with and make pretty darn good products as well. I sure owe her a few lunches..... All the times I went to pick up truckloads of consoles from them mylunch was always taken care of. They did send us a notice of a holiday closure from just before xmas to just after new years.

"PLEASE HOLD FOR THAT EXTENSION"

Mark @ CLACO

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-22-2003, 05:38 AM:

Betty IS always "that extension" on their voice mail system [Big Grin]

The late Dick Kneisley sold out in the early 1990's and moved to Florida and has since expired. He was a walking encycopedia and set up his company in the late 1930's after leaving Strong Electric. The last time I had a visit ( unannouced ) we both went out on a service call to check up on a problem rectifier.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-22-2003, 11:20 AM:

For me...their phone system was the worst part of Kneisley...you couldn't use it to get to anybody and it would hang up on you.

Steve

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-22-2003, 02:07 PM:

Is the diode heatsink assembly in the console modeled on the phone system? That is probably the worst and unserviceable heatsink design I have ever come across.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 11-22-2003, 05:42 PM:

Micheal,
the heat sink is a pain to service but the huge diodes they use rarely give a problem....as long as the G.E. exhaust fan is operating and the doors to the unit stay closed during operation, it usually takes a lightning strike to knock them out [Wink]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-23-2003, 02:26 AM:

I had to change 2 recently. The fan was working. It was not fun to change them. But OK, it wasn`t that bad after all. I just couldn`t resist the joke.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-23-2003, 10:19 AM:

Yea, those are 150, or 200 amp diodes on that assy if my memory serves me correctly. I've never had to change one on over 20 years. I have however changed out an entire transformer assy in a three phase rectifier!! No small job indeed.
Mark

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-23-2003, 10:28 AM:

You don't happen to remember the 1N numbers, do you? I figure the next time I order any electronic parts I would get a few spares. Kneisley 2K's.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 11-23-2003, 01:17 PM:

No, can't remember.... never having replaced one before. 007 might know though. I do remember though that the diodes on the original heatsinks are not marked with a 1N number. I doubt you'd ever blow one of them. Things that are more likely to fail are the contactor, fan motor, and main power transformer assy.
BTW...Kneisley actually manufactures their own power transformers in a building behind the main plant. They wind them, dip in varnish, and then bake them all in house!!
Mark

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 11-23-2003, 04:55 PM:

I've only had one go bad and it was an infant mortality issue. I believe they are 150A DO-8 packages. 150KA600 or better, I believe (to use IR diode numbers).

Steve

Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 11-23-2003, 09:21 PM:

No, can't remember.... never having replaced one before.

I have a vague recollection of a stack going bad at Elgin Fox. Not sure where you were but there was no VOM around the shop that day and I had to get creative to diagnose which diode was open or shorted.

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 11-24-2003, 03:45 AM:

I am also told that 3 or 4 failed just weeks before I arrived here. That would make a total of about 6 in less than one year.
There are no specifications on the diodes or in the manual. They only have a part number on them, EDAL R-2437 F2, but despite the R-, they are all forward.