Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Cin. ZX-4000H Lamphouse Alingment

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Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-04-2006, 11:22 AM:

Hello all,
I am having a really strange issue and maybe some of you can help me out. We have installed in a cinema with an old V8 projector a ZX-4000H lamphouse using Osram 4K lamp. After a lot of alingment (using Alingotron) getting the lamphouse right in the middle where it is supposed to be, checking all the distances from film gate to mirror as specified on the manual, still the light output is not high enough. It is really troubling because everything is how it is supposed to be! Distances between gate and mirror is exactly 505.5mm as specified in the manual. The Alingotron hits bullseye! Any ideas?
Best Regards

D

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 05-04-2006, 02:30 PM:

Is this the "Generation One" original vertical Cinemeccanica lamphouse? If so this is probably normal light output. Louis

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-04-2006, 02:34 PM:

What do u mean Generation 1? Is the one that is advertised on the website of Cinemeccanica. It was purchased brand new only a few years ago

Sorry for the edit. The lamphouse was purchased in 1998.

Posted by Raphael Friedland (Member # 3453) on 05-04-2006, 02:57 PM:

Are you sure that you use the right lamp adaptor look in the lamp house manual

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 05-04-2006, 03:11 PM:

Bulb adapter sounds right or the seating of the adapter within the rear support. Bulb F1 point is 191mm.The 4000H prefers HS bulbs.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-04-2006, 04:00 PM:

We are using the right lamp adaptor. This lamphouse was purchased specifically for 4k lamps. Richard what do u mean by Bulb F1 point is 191mm.The 4000H prefers HS bulbs.
D

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 05-05-2006, 08:33 AM:

F1 point is the negative tip in the bulb or the region that the arc is located in the reflector. I have done many service calls where the adapter was the wrong type or the adapter was clamped into the rear power fitting but NOT seated fully into the fitting so the bulb was out of focus to the reflector. The lamphouse usually does not have a magnet and most HS series bulbs do not require this type of stabilization as do W/H series. Another problem point is to make sure the reflector is properly seated to the casting, especially where the casting enters the reflector hole.
That lamphouse does a nice job at 4KW.........

Posted by Christos Mitsakis (Member # 143) on 05-05-2006, 11:32 AM:

Louis, I believe this ZX-4000H is the horizontal lamphouse.
Dimitri, is there a chance that someone replaced the mirror with one that has different focal length? Does the mirror itself has somewere in the back writen the focal distances?
C.

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 05-05-2006, 02:22 PM:

The reflector is 270mm either DO0443 hot or 1163 cold.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-06-2006, 03:10 AM:

The original order was the lamphouse with the 270mm diam. mirror (hot) number D00443. I too believe that the focus of the lamp in respect to the mirror is not correct. I am certain that the clamp seats fully into the fitting. If someone with the same lamphouse can make a measurement from the gate to the mirror and tell me if they get the same as I do. 505.5mm. (as specified in the manual). The most focused point in the alingment still is dark. I really like to fix this problem and make our customer happy! We are also using a heat filter, number D07203. Could that be causing the light output to be 'dimmed'? I am thinking maybe I need to push the lamphouse closer to the gate but it is not possible since the cone prevents it. If I need to do that, then I need to remove the cone and push it forward but I don't think that will solve the problem. Richard, what is the difference between the D03033 clamp and XH-1295 clamp? I am not sure which of the two we are using there.

Posted by David Graham Rose (Member # 1450) on 05-06-2006, 05:22 AM:

Congratulations on purchasing a piece of C**P. The ZX4000 lantern with a 4Kw Xenon is not a lantern at all. It is an extremely efficient device for blistering mirrors.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-06-2006, 08:05 AM:

David sorry but I strongly dissagree with you. We have another cinema which installed a V5 with a ZX-4000 somewhere in the 90's brand new which is for a multipurpose cinema/theater operation since its owned by a college, and the light output from the 2.5k lamp which is used is outstanding. The best light output though I've seen is from the Kinoton babies! FP-30E using even a 1.6k lamp still it makes ur eyes pop. We have a miniplex with 3 Kinotons down here, 1.6k, 2.5k and 3k lamps and they are all three magnificent. But I really want to sort this out with this cinema and fix the light problem.
Demetris

Posted by Thomas Jonsson (Member # 1902) on 05-06-2006, 08:08 AM:

I run change-over on two Vic 5 with this lamphouse. Two identical
set ups. I put in new 4kW bulbs yesterday. Number one gives very
good and even light on the screen. The other one gives about 70%
the light of number one and far from even. Figure it out...

Thomas

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 05-06-2006, 12:21 PM:

The 4000H lamphouse does a good job with 4KW but really is more efficient with 2 - 3 KW bulbs. The heat filter should not cause a noticable difference in light output. Are you using the short cone for V8 projectors?

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-06-2006, 12:50 PM:

Yes Richard,
I am using the short cone for V8 projectors.

Posted by Samuel Hynds (Member # 2610) on 05-08-2006, 09:57 AM:

Hello Demetris,

The D03033 & XH1295 are for the same lamp (4000w/HS) but are different lengths for different mirrors.
The D03033 is 16.5mm in length for a F1 of 191mm; which has been nicknamed the 'Americano' mirror.
The XH1295 is 20mm in length for a F1 of 194.5mm.

There should be enough room in the focus adjustment to make-up the difference.

Hope this helps. Sam

Posted by Richard Fowler (Member # 893) on 05-08-2006, 10:49 AM:

3.5mm could make a huge difference in light output [Wink]

When I mentioned that the fitting may not be seated, many times I found the bulb adapter 2 - 3mm off in the fitting clamp. Sam should know after so many years immersed with Cinemeccanica USA [Cool]

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 05-08-2006, 01:08 PM:

Even if there is an issue of the clamp not sitting correctly, doesn't the horizontal displacement sets the focus back in place? I never had a problem except with this specific cinema with this lamphouse.