Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Christie CH20

This is topic Christie CH20 in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Andrew McCrea (Member # 674) on 08-22-2005, 02:19 PM:

Can anyone steer me to pictures of this lamphouse/console?

What were the dates of manufacture?

Was this one of the first consoles?

Posted by Scott Norwood (Member # 30) on 08-22-2005, 02:42 PM:

For pics of the lamphouse version, look in the photo gallery under "Williamsburg Theatre"; those were installed in 1982 and replaced circa y2k with Kneisleys (which made a big improvement in light output). Steve could tell you what they are using now.

For the console version, look under "Chestnut Hill Cinema"; the CH-20s there date to the mid-1970s (the theatre opened in 1975) and I believe that they are still in use.

Note that a modern lamphouse design (or even a Super Lume-X) will give far better light on screen than these things do, all other factors being equal.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-22-2005, 03:11 PM:

Be advised that many sources (us included) offer a Super Lumex reflector kit that REALLY helps the light output on these. Louis

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 08-22-2005, 06:21 PM:

The Kimball theatre (as it is now called) in Williamsburg still uses the Kneisley lamphouses that Scott refers to.

With a CH20 console, I would definately use the Christie Phoenix kit...while the Strong kit does work to some degree (the picture will be brighter) I prefer the Phoenix kit from Christie as it cools better and everything just seems to line up better.

A CH with a phoenix kit effectively turns a CH console into an SLC console in terms of light output since it is the same reflector.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-22-2005, 08:13 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
Be advised that many sources (us included) offer a Super Lumex reflector kit that REALLY helps the light output on these. Louis

I completely agree with Steve!! Amazing, it does happen once in a while...

We have three or four used Strong/Christie kits in stock if anyone is looking for one on the el-cheapo. We removed these to install Phoenix kits. Light output with the Phoenix conversion is a conservative double over the Strong kit as measured with the USL light meter.

We also recently completed our first CFS 2000/Phoenix conversion job.... Quadrupling the light output is a good thing! We have not decided what to call it though... "Cinema Digital Systems", or "Christie Film Systems"...... or what ever.....

Because of the Plenum's excellent cooling we also expect to get as good or better lamp life from them as when it was running with the verticle lamp.

Mark

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-22-2005, 09:21 PM:

The Strong Super Lumex is regarded as a decent enough lamphouse. Depending upon the skill of the installer, you should be able to approach (95%) the same light as the Super Lumex with the Christie/Strong conversion. The last 5% isn't going to happen since the working distance is slightly wrong.

The SLC is a newer design and the Phoenix kit is much more expensive. Cooling has never been an issue with the Strong/Christie conversion if instructions are carefully followed. (Remove the tube & spring as well as the negative lens assembly.) Previous cooling problems in the CH-20 were caused by turbulence on the inside edge of the reflector and by I.R. reflections from the lens back onto the front end of the bulb.

I have more than 600 of these in daily use....good value for the money. Louis

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 08-22-2005, 09:34 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
The SLC is a newer design and the Phoenix kit is much more expensive. Cooling has never been an issue with the Strong/Christie conversion if instructions are carefully followed.

Yes, I completely agreee that the Super Lumex is a decent lamphouse and its one that can provide extmely flat illumination if set up carefully. However the Phoenix conversion although more expensive will actually pay for itself over a 10 year cinema working period in lamp savings alone..... lamps just last far, far longer in than in any other xenon lamphouse I can remember inclcuding the old verticles.

Mark

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 08-23-2005, 09:40 AM:

We did eight ORC vertical consoles five years ago with a light module used in the Cinemeccanica console. Brightness increase just short of double. We did one in our shop to figure the retrofit parts / electrical harness and produced copies to ship to the jobsite which was out of the country. The client owned the consoles and did not want to pay high shipping costs for a "sheet metal" box. The local tech had no problem using our shop unit and drawings as a guide. We also had great success with the Strong kit for the Christie.

Posted by William Hooper (Member # 71) on 08-24-2005, 02:41 AM:

There has been an issue involved with this thread that has been slightly nagging for me, & I would just like to go ahead & point out that CH2O is the formula for formaldehyde.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-25-2005, 01:12 PM:

quote"CH2O is the formula for formaldehyde."
appropriate since it is a dead console [Big Grin]

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 08-25-2005, 01:45 PM:

Yes, but (judging from the amount of them still running) apprently well PRESERVED!! (I'm sorry...I just couldn't help it.)

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 08-25-2005, 02:20 PM:

but considering some of the recifier fires I have seen they survived the cremation [Big Grin]