Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: CA100 automation and manual Xenon Off

This is topic CA100 automation and manual Xenon Off in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 07-07-2005, 07:27 AM:

I would like to share a problem of mine with you all and possibly find with your help a way out of it.
The theaters I work in use the CA100 automation with Calink to remote control them. The consoles are the Cristie SLC 30s
Often enough, because of no attendance in the shows, and for not using the xenon lamp in vain, we have to stop the playing of a movie. So we manually cue all the way to the end of the program and turn on the switch of the motor.
And here the problem arise.
With the end of the program the alarm system goes off as well.
The supervision of the movement of the film is often not possible (the projector could be out of sight for too many minutes) so if anything goes wrong during the whole procedure, it could lead to a big loss (in many ways).
Whenever I or somebody else tried to manually turn of the Xenon by the Xenon Off button in the CA100 the answer was zip. The button seems to be decorative only.
We even tried to make a program witch will contain the command xenon off, but even that was of no use. Even then, nothing happens.
It seems like the turning off of the lamp is locked with the motor off command. But this way, there is no way to keep up and running the alarm system.

Did you ever had a similar problem?
How did you came around it?

The solution would make my morning shifts a lot less worrying.
In fact, this is the main reason to register in the forum in the first place.
(Thanks in advance for any help provided)

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 07-07-2005, 09:55 AM:

Not knowing the CA100 automation but Christie (and others) often have a 3-pole breaker that powers just the rectifier on the console (there is also often a "lamphouse" breaker on the console. Why not just turn one of these off until you need the lamp?

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-07-2005, 01:34 PM:

The motor IS locked with the lamp. It's an incredibly STUPID design, and one your technician needs to wire around.

Personally I use the exciter relay to control the xenon and the xenon relay to control the exciter (if needed).

This is probably the interface board you are using. Note the motor and lamp are both being controlled by that one double relay.

Posted by Ioannis Syrogiannis (Member # 3235) on 07-07-2005, 08:35 PM:

Well, as a mater of fact. This is not exactly the interface board we are using. The relays it is using is one for the C.O. (dowser open and close), another for the exciter and another for the motor (and only the motor) witch we use to fold the film back to the platter when we turn off the lamp by the "motor off" command.
Yet, the relay for the exciter will not turn off the xenon lamp when it is on session.

If I use the relays in the board witch gives power to the lamp house, the automation, the sound console etc in order to cut off the lamp with the rest of the automation on, then the alarm will go on because of the "xenon failure" it detected.

If I turn off the automation as well, I am in the same position.
[Frown]

So, is there a way to wire around this lock between the lamp and the motor?

It takes a technician's expertise to do the work, or is there a way to make my life easier by my self?

(please, be patient with my lack of eloquence
as well as any of misunderstandings,
as the technical terms may be used differently,
or my knowledge might be insufficient)

Anyway, Steve, Brad, thanks for your good will to assist. [Smile]

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 07-07-2005, 08:55 PM:

You can always install a bypass switch to override the xenon photocell. Just wire it in parallel to the photocell.

Alternatively, contact Pennywise in Australia and get them to send you some updated firmware which does not link these relays together. That's the proper solution. [Smile]

Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 07-08-2005, 12:01 AM:

What part of Athens do you live in? I was in that city many times.