Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: MUT not working on just one AW3

This is topic MUT not working on just one AW3 in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 01-30-2010, 05:39 PM:

When to break down Avatar and the MUT would not work on that platter. I had used it just the night before to break down on another platter and it worked just fine.

I opened up the outlet on the platter and there is nothing visibly wrong. All leads are attached and nothing appears to have fried.

I use a Goldberg reel for most buildup and I usually don't break down on this projector because it's our main house and movie are not usually in there the final week.

Posted by Mark Gulbrandsen (Member # 72) on 01-30-2010, 06:02 PM:

Brand, make and model please....

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 01-30-2010, 06:24 PM:

Christie AW3 3 deck platter. New in 1997.

I should add that it's not working for build up or break down on any deck.

Posted by John Wilson (Member # 269) on 01-30-2010, 06:46 PM:

Is everything else functioning correctly for payout/take-up?

Have you checked the fuses?

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 01-30-2010, 11:14 PM:

If the MUT works on the platter in one house, but not in another, then I would suspect the female socket at the bottom of the mast. Especially if it is the older retangular 6-pin 'Jones' type. The tangs inside spread apart and so there's no connection, even though it may look OK at a casual glance. Try wiggling the connector around a little and see if it works.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 01-30-2010, 11:36 PM:

Did you try all three decks? I have had the make-up pushbuttons go bad on a few AW3's.

And John is correct, the Jones connectors can get loose over time. A quick fix is to gently put a few bends (kinda like "s" bends) in the pins of the MUT plug.

The cause for the loose Jones plugs is usually lazy folks yanking on the cord to unplug the MUT.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 02-03-2010, 11:08 PM:

Bumped up to ask Justin if he found out what the problem was...

Posted by Geena Phillips (Member # 3726) on 02-06-2010, 12:50 PM:

Does your model have the pushbuttons for switching to Make-Up, or is it the newer switch type (Christie doesn't seem to differentiate between the two)?

Posted by Scott D. Neff (Member # 185) on 02-08-2010, 01:02 PM:

I had this same problem. It was usually the connector at the base of the platter. Either somethings come loose or it's wired differently than the plug on the MUT.

Posted by Justin Hamaker (Member # 2165) on 02-09-2010, 03:35 PM:

What's really strange is the problem now appears to be with the MUT. I used this MUT to break down a movie on one platter (#5) and it worked find. The next day I tried to use it on another platter (#3) and it wouldn't work. A couple days later I tried to use it on the same platter it worked on (#5) and it didn't work at all.

The odd thing is I have had some intermittent problems on the platter where it didn't initially work (#3). This problem is probably related to the plug on the tree and I will try to replace that once I get the MUT working again.

Fortunately I have a MUT at out drive-in which I was able to bring over for the time being.

Posted by John Walsh (Member # 168) on 02-09-2010, 05:53 PM:

On the plug for the MUT, I've seen where the soldered connection at the male plug breaks, but the rubber insulation holds it in place on the terminal. So, it will still work, but flexing it breaks the connection. What may be confusing the issue is both the female socket might be worn, and the connection is broken in the male plug.