Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Has anyone replaced the Igniter in an ULTRA 80 Lamphouse with an IREM Igniter?

This is topic Has anyone replaced the Igniter in an ULTRA 80 Lamphouse with an IREM Igniter? in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Dan Reiter (Member # 1386) on 04-12-2007, 08:09 AM:

Has anyone done this swap? I know of the BIG SKY kit for the Highlight Consoles, but I am looking for pictures and experiences of anyone who has done this igniter swap in this particular lamphouse.

Many Thanks! [thumbsup]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-12-2007, 08:47 AM:

Sorry to have to post negatively Dan but why? Irem ignitors suck big time. Not only are they noisy bastards but they are not repairable and just about the most expensive ignitors to replace. I've had more IREM ignitors fail over the years than any other type... one last week in Casper, WY! Strong, Christie, or LP would be my only considerations. At least those three are field repairable making them more economical to use, even Strong's DC ignitor is field repairable. I have retrofitted LP's ignitor into Xetron lamphouses on a number of occasions with great success(yep... tight fit though!) at just 60% of the dealer cost of a new IREM and they've also never failed. The LP would probably also work in an Super/Ultra 80 since that area of the lamphouse is pretty darn roomy.

Mark

Posted by Dan Reiter (Member # 1386) on 04-12-2007, 09:00 AM:

As the bulbs age, they are having problems striking. They already have the IREM N3-180 power supplies. One item I have not heard back yet is input voltage, knowing that the 3-phase input level is critical.

Basically looking at solutions for this. My gut feeling is the spark gap is out of whack.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 04-12-2007, 11:25 AM:

Your combination will work just fine. You have created an electrical equivalent of a Big Sky! The case and reflector is all that is different. Louis

Posted by Dan Reiter (Member # 1386) on 04-12-2007, 11:30 AM:

Louis,

That was the plan! (being I was the father of that design!) [Wink]

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 04-12-2007, 02:54 PM:

Check the spark gap to see if the teflon casing has melted or become distorted, this is not uncommon. Replacing the gap assembly is a rather inexpensive thing. I've also seen the 120 to 7kv transformer fail in those as well. The tranny is once again available from Strong, they were long out of stock of them... for several years! A Christie ignitor transformer also fits in there with just a little work and works out fine.
If this is a new install you will need to change the zener on the relay board to agree with the Irem Rectifiers lower no- load DC voltage, If its just misfiring this may also be your problem, it may have never been done.

Mark

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 04-12-2007, 05:50 PM:

I have had some but not as many IREM ignitors fail as strongs over the years
usually it is because the operator failed to tighten the connections properly
As for noise the problem is often the lamphouse lacks suppression on the ac feed and the dc leads
If one looks at a strong the supresion is external of the ignitor and it is well done
Xetron and some others just put a single disk cap across the mains and that doesn't cut it