Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Variac went on platter during show

This is topic Variac went on platter during show in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 12-03-2005, 06:31 PM:

The variac went on one of our CFS platters today, typically it was during Harry Potter in our biggest screen. The projectionist reported the problem when he started to lace up and it got progressively worse, until with about 45 minutes left to run, we decided to take alternative measures. It was going to fail.

Hooked two MUT's up to the platter motors, one to control payout and one for take up. Then manual all the way, took the variac out the equation. Easy enough to control standing and keeping an eye on the platters and adjusting the voltage to the motors, a small adjustment every few minutes or so. All done on the fly. Never stopped the show.

There wasn't enough time to swap a variac from one of the smaller screens so next show was manual on the MUT's all the way.

Just a heads up for anyone in the same position sometime as an idea, always had this procedure in my head in case of such a situation and happy to find it works well in practice.

[ 12-04-2005, 06:23 PM: Message edited by: Andy Muirhead ]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 12-03-2005, 06:51 PM:

If the variac is made by STACO the brushes are available from the STACO factory as spares....

Mark

Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 12-03-2005, 06:59 PM:

Good point Mark, I'd forgotten CFS were out of business and spares would be hard to locate.

Thanks

Although having said that, the whole thing is pretty much gone, not just the brushes. We'll see.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 12-03-2005, 07:00 PM:

Bah! Just convert your 3-tier platters so you can have all 3 decks working for you at once. [Big Grin]

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 12-03-2005, 09:58 PM:

Andy: 2 sources of CFS parts: Dick Niccum's company (whose name escapes me) and Potts in Rantoul. IL (1-217-893-0443) most parts are identical to older Potts platters; cheaper/better. Louis

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 12-03-2005, 10:30 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
Dick Niccum's company (whose name escapes me)

Lighting Images Technology, I believe.

Posted by Andy Muirhead (Member # 712) on 12-04-2005, 06:23 PM:

I think Jack Roe will source a variac for us. In the meantime, the variac from screen 4 is now in use, and the damaged one has been repaired enough to run in 4 until we get a replacement (and spare).

Thanks for any responses regarding sources.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 01-14-2006, 02:29 PM:

quote: Mike Spaeth
Lighting Images Technology, I believe.

Phone # is : 951-786-9999 (Riverside, CA)

Posted by Aaron Sisemore (Member # 145) on 01-14-2006, 03:31 PM:

Lighting Images Technology's web site

Posted by John Eickhof (Member # 323) on 01-18-2006, 11:07 AM:

Its a STACO #1010 variac available from any elctrical / electronic distributor, the mods to it are very simple and easy to do.