This is topic Need help withSuper Lume-X lamphouse in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.


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Posted by Paul Looker (Member # 5420) on 12-21-2009, 06:34 PM:
 




The above photos will show you what I'm dealing with. That's a type 39000-01 and Hertz is 30 as those stamped in numbers can be hard to read. This isn't the first time this has happened. It's going to be going on the 4th time we've had our tech come in to work on this lamp house and I'm beginning to suspect that he really doesn't know what he's doing that we continue to have issues with it. Not that I really know how to fix it but thats why i'm here. What I would like to know is what is that thing that melted called? Would anyone know the part number for it? How do I replace it? And finally, any ideas why this might have happened?

Any help that anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. All I want for Christmas is to not have a house down.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 12-21-2009, 07:01 PM:
 
Caused by loose connection on rear of bulb. Is that a 2000 watt bulb? XBO-2000w/h? Part number varies by bulb type.

Sorry you have tgrouble, BUT that is a very good lamphouse. Louiz
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-21-2009, 07:05 PM:
 
my guess is a loose connection. Change the cable, clamp and bulb adaptor when you replace the collet. Make damn sure the connections are TIGHT.
 

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Posted by Paul Looker (Member # 5420) on 12-21-2009, 07:10 PM:
 
It is a 2000W/H. Did you know the part number for that one? Basically this is for no other reason than the hex screw wasn't tight enough? Our tech put this bulb in the last time he was here fixing an issue with the power supply that fried the previous one. It seems like its simple to replace. The old one just slid out. Slide in the new one and attach it to the lead and we're done? Is there anything else to take into consideration before doing the job?

Richard, would you have part numbers for any of those items outside of the collet?
 

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Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 12-21-2009, 07:27 PM:
 
I doubt there was anything wrong with your power supply in the first place. Like Richard said, change the cable also. I have had this happen before also. One time I had to change it twice because the cable was bad and it kept overheating.
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-21-2009, 07:42 PM:
 
Paul, no, I dont know the part numbers. Your dealer can give them to you, or you can call Strong and their sales dept should give you the part numbers. Or, I think there is a manual here on film-tech Sorry
 

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Posted by Paul Looker (Member # 5420) on 12-21-2009, 07:52 PM:
 
Alright, thank you everyone for all your help, but just one more question if it isn't too much bother. I've got the part numbers from the manual on the site here, really should have looked there straight away, but it still seems a little unclear about one thing. On the current burned up collet there is a brass colored ring with another black rubber/plastic kind of ring around it. They seem to be the support for the collet while it is in the focus screw. That black rubber/plastic ring will come off of the brass ring and go back on easily enough, but that brass ring will NOT come off the collet. Should it? Is there some particular way to get it to come off? If not will the new collet come with one or will I have to order it seperately. In which case would anybody at least know what its called so I can try and dig up the number from the manual or talk to my supplier about it?
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-21-2009, 07:58 PM:
 
dont know the part #, but I'm assuming your talking about the snap ring that keeps the collet in place. I always bought those from the local hardware store when I needed them.
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 12-21-2009, 08:49 PM:
 
BTW, I think that says 50 Hz and not 30 Hz.

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-22-2009, 12:49 AM:
 
ALSO, in addition to good tight connections...make sure your blowers and exhaust are working properly...lack of air flow will also cause it to overheat.

Steve
 

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Posted by Tim Reed (Member # 137) on 12-22-2009, 01:40 AM:
 
The #1 reason this happens is most people are afraid they'll break the bulb if they tighten it too tight. When you turn the Allen wrench on this connection, it can put lateral pressure against the envelope (between the cathode connector and anode support yoke). This is what scares people - and rightfully so.

The trick I use is to grasp the bulb by the cathode connection in one hand and slightly lift the anode off its support - so that it's free in the air - and then run down the cathode screw with your other hand as tight as it will go. As long as you're holding the bulb off the anode support in this manner, it absolutely cannot have any force applied to its length.

Since the anode connection is via the bulb cable, there's no problem getting it tight.

It's funny to get calls when someone changes a bulb that I installed. They always ask how I got it so tight.

Btw, yes, Paul. That would be the retaining ring for the insulator. Be careful, they're easy to lose.
 

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Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 12-22-2009, 12:02 PM:
 
Tim uses the same tightening procedure I do
It must be very tight or you will have trouble
To remove the cathode support you will need a snap ring removal tool to remove the snap ring otherwise it is a simple procedure
 

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Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 12-22-2009, 03:06 PM:
 

quote: Paul Looker

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This isn't the first time this has happened. It's going to be going on the 4th time we've had our tech come in to work on this lamp house and I'm beginning to suspect that he really doesn't know what he's doing that we continue to have issues with it.

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show him this thread

When I first started doing tech work, I got called in 1 night because of a "dim" picture. When I got in the booth, I could smell the electrical "burn". The meters on the lamphouse were way low. After sniffing around, I could tell the smell was from the breaker panel. I took the front of the panel off and one of the screws on the 3 phase breaker for that lamphouse was glowing. There were a couple of people who stayed for the movie, even though you couldn't see shit, so I tried to tighten the screw. It immediataly snapped off and we lost the show.
I spent the next day checking every breaker at 5 different locations. About 25% I could give them a good half turn or so.
 

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Posted by Randy Bowden (Member # 587) on 12-24-2009, 03:42 AM:
 
Wow, that's a bad one!

Follow the tightening proceedure that Tim explains here and that problem will be a thing of the past.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-24-2009, 03:51 AM:
 
I could never get over the fan mounted on the side of the lamphouse - from the Super Lume-X, all the way up to the STRONG 80..

..just seem odd why being mounted on the side like that. Is it blowing on the bulb seals, or just blowing ambient air around to aid in seal cooling..?
 

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Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 12-24-2009, 06:41 AM:
 
Monte,

Neither...it PRESSURIZES the rear compartment of the lamphouse...if you look at its design...when the side panel is closed, the rear area is pressurized by the intake blower...the only way out is over the lamp via the hole in the reflector.

In the bigger lamphouses (Super/Ultra 80) they also have a plenum to allow air to make it to the anode support and blow on the anode seal.

Steve
 

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Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 12-24-2009, 07:56 AM:
 
The collet (the white plastic piece with the brass tip where the lamp is attached) is held in the focussing unit's swivel bushing with a snap ring at the back. The collet can be a very tight fit in the swivel bushing and you can sometimes push the bushing assembly out of the aluminum housing when trying to push out a collet. The bushing will just press back in, there's a plastic part around the metal ball that allows the swiveling. You have to get the collet out of the bushing, and it only goes one way. If the bushing pops out you have to be gentle with it... don't clamp it in a vise for example. I have reversed the stuck collet/bushing in the aluminum part (so it will push solidly against the step in the aluminum part's bore) and pressed a really jammed collet out with force, either a drill press/arbor press or a hammer. I think the bushing will go either way but you might have to force it out again and reverse it. If you disassemble the focussing unit, be careful not to lose the wee nylon ball that jams the focus threads when you tighten the locking thumbscrew.
If your new collet is super tight as well, take a file and reduce the diameter of the end where it goes through the bushing. It should go in without a big fight, it will be held securely by the snap ring but don't overdo the filing.
Your problem does look like just an overheating lamp end, usually that's because of a loosish cable clamp on the cathode. Check the cable bolt connection for tightness and the crimp connector too, and replace the cable if the wire strands are charred looking.
Make sure the clamping allen screw is in good shape and is the correct one. If someone cut off a longer one to fit, the threads may not be long enough to clamp onto the lamp even with the screw really really tight (I've seen this). Use a bit of dielectric grease or antiseize on the allen screw threads and washer - this allows easy tightening and loosening without the skreeking that seems to scare people out of tightening properly.
Ensure the fan is turning freely and is clean. When the lamp is out the fan is easy to remove and reinstall for cleaning and oiling, disconnect the microswitch wires and power wires and it unscrews after removing the finger guard. Keep the screws carefully, the finger guard uses very short screws that are hard to find.
The squirrel cage gets gummed up and furry, which drastically reduces airflow. Clean it as well as you can with strong detergent and hot water, it comes off the motor shaft once you undo the screw on the side of the shaft - either a hex head setscrew on older ones or torx (20 or 15?) on newer ones. Clean out the inside of the fan housing as well as you can too. Oil the motor bearings, 3in1 electric motor oil is OK.
the fan pressurizes the rear compartment of the lamphouse, primarily blowing air through the mirror hole to cool the lamp envelope and also cooling the cathode end a bit. If the airflow is weak here the lamp will get hot, and the mirror can be damaged (look for a burnt/flaky ring around the centre hole).
Check the airflow microswitch operation (the wires, by the way, go on the bent lug that comes off the switch side and the adjacent centre lug that comes out of the switch end). The arm should move freely. You can check the operation by blocking the fan inlet with the lamp on: the rectifier (and lamp) should switch off more or less immediately, and come back on soon after unblocking the intake.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 12-24-2009, 01:18 PM:
 

quote: Steve Guttag

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...it PRESSURIZES the rear compartment of the lamphouse...

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