quote: Joe Redifer

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I increased the power substantially once and put a 3K bulb in there. It lit, but was extraordinarily dim.

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That is easy to explain as the 3k bulb is physically longer and your rear support needs to have a spacer added to bring the bulb back into focus range. (If it's like the older CH series, the spacer is a trapezoid-shaped part that goes between the casting and the rear support where it is attached with the four screws.)

The striking problem is because of the no-load being too low as was already mentioned.

I think the no-load taps are the two small wires under the tap studs, but it's been ages since I was in one of those consoles.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-21-2010, 07:12 PM:
 
Look at the schematic to get the wire numbers. They are physically TINY and are taped back just behind the top of the terminal board. Louis
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-22-2010, 12:39 PM:
 
Yea, the "Hi/Lo" taps are mounted behind the rectifier on a fibre panel with nine set of studs with the middle three studs as the common . You'll might see three brass straps that are held down with brass nuts.

If the three straps are bolted down in the lower position, unbolt them and put them in the high position.

-Monte
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 03-22-2010, 01:50 PM:
 
Monte, the HI/LO taps govern the overall output of the rectifier, not the no-load voltage. If you change those and your AC input voltage is not correct you will fry the transformer.

The no-load wires are only about 14ga. and are separate from the taps.
 

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Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 03-22-2010, 08:22 PM:
 
Okey..thx-for the update on this..monte
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-22-2010, 08:33 PM:
 
The schematics make no sense, especially when chopped up like the version here on Film-Tech is. I need a visual representation. I looked on the non-operator side of the rectifier and it doesn't look like that's where I want to be. Just tell me what to do and where it is.
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 03-22-2010, 10:32 PM:
 
Joe, looking at page 6, lower left of the schematics (yes it's hard to read broken up as it is) you'll see "Manual Start" and "Auto Start" listed by two wires, wire numbers 78 and 84, which connect to (in various combinations) terminals 78, 81, 84 and 87.

For auto strike normal connection should be

Lead 78 to terminal 81
Lead 84 to terminal 87

And I think but am not positive that in cases like yours you can move lead 78 to terminal 78 to kick up the no load voltage...but check with Christie to confirm in case I'm wrong!! (Wouldn't want you to fry anything.)

Again, been ages since I opened up an SLC console, but I THINK the connections are on the operator's side, lower door.

These wires and terminals should be on the right hand upper corner of the transformer board (red fibreboard).

Just dawned on me that Bevan Wright at MIT might be able to help you... give him a shout at 714) 751-7998 or if he still posts here maybe he'll chime in.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-23-2010, 12:09 AM:
 
Thanks Tony. Bevan still hasn't forgiven me for the Bevan-Poo.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-23-2010, 06:59 AM:
 
The wires you are looking for are very small. . . .#22 guage and white. The ends are insulated and taped back along the wire bundle at the top of the fibre board, maybe just over the top. Louis
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-23-2010, 10:48 AM:
 
I won't be able to check this out until probably Friday, but the wires have actual tape on them? Invisible tape, masking tape, artists tape, Zebra tape, etc???
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-26-2010, 08:37 AM:
 
Tony, would what you describe only affect manual start? The lead you suggested to be moved is for manual start, what about Lead 84?
 

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Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 03-26-2010, 11:06 PM:
 
Joe, the way it is labeled on the schematic is confusing, but here's the scoop:

For manual start (ie the no-load voltage boost is below the threshold for the auto ignition circuit)

It would be wired as:

Lead 78 to terminal 78
Lead 84 to terminal 84

Notice this uses less of the transformer windings as shown on the diagram, which gives a lower voltage out.

Standard auto ignition uses the setup of:

Lead 78 to terminal 81
Lead 84 to terminal 87

Which uses more of the windings giving a higher voltage out.

Now moving

Lead 78 to terminal 78, while leaving lead 84 on terminal 87,

would make use of the full boost windings and give the highest possible no-load voltage out.

It is the combination of how the leads are connected that makes the difference of "Manual" and "Auto" ignition, not any one lead is for Manual/Auto ignition specifically.

I hope this makes sense...

quote: Joe Redifer

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Thanks Tony. Bevan still hasn't forgiven me for the Bevan-Poo.

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So you're the one who coined the name Bevan-Poo?
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-27-2010, 12:56 AM:
 
Christie sent me this today. Does that vibe with what you are saying?

I am not seeing any wires as small as 22 gauge. All wires anywhere near the rectifier are pretty thick, nothing thinner than about 10 gauge I'd say. I haven't checked the non-operator side again, but there is nothing on the operator side to change/adjust. I didn't get this document until I got home, but measured the voltage and am getting 115.6 VDC.
 

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Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 03-27-2010, 10:44 AM:
 
That seems low to me. I haven't worked with a Christie in a long time but I know Strong lamphouses usually need 150 vdc. Cinemeccanica on the other hand can strike with as low as 85vdc from an IREM but thats not what we are discussing here.

I may well be wrong as I havent worked on any Christies in a long time but 155 seems very low to me.
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-27-2010, 11:32 AM:
 
Jim at Christie says I want to be around 120vdc. 115 is low, but not really that low.
 

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Posted by John Hawkinson (Member # 1135) on 03-27-2010, 05:50 PM:
 
Joe, 115VDC should be fine. Xenons need one voltage to strike when cold, and a higher voltage to start when warm (i.e. when they have recently been extinguished). The cold voltage should be somewhere around 80V (supposedly -- you may need more as the lamp ages), and the hot voltage around 120V. Of course you want the lamphouse to supply the hot voltage so it can strike any lamp under any conditions.

Was your 115VDC after you made changes? If so what was the voltage before? If not, well, you may have a different problem.
What's your operating voltage while the lamp is running?
And do you trust your voltmeter?

--jhawk
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-28-2010, 12:28 AM:
 
I think I do have a different problem, because according to the Christie docs I posted above, I am already at maximum voltage. I have:

Wire 81 on terminal 78
Wire 87 on terminal 84
4th link LO

This gives me 115.6 VDC, though the Christie docs say measure VAC. I trust my multimeter. I never trust the built-in lamphouse meters. The one on the lamphouse is for amps only, however, no option to view volts. Christie doesn't believe in displaying volts.
 

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Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 03-28-2010, 07:00 AM:
 
I agree, Joe. You must have another problem. Can you swap igniters with another lamp?

btw: Christie systems only run on amps, they don't need volts (It would be easy to read volts-amps-watts on a digital read out like Xetron or Big Sky) Louis
 

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Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 03-28-2010, 10:40 AM:
 
I can Louis, but I think I will wait for a bit because the lamp in the problematic house is only a couple of weeks old and strikes perfectly. In a month or so it'll probably be up to 3 or 4 strikes each time. That's when I can try the swap to see if it affects anything.
 

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Posted by Sean McKinnon (Member # 612) on 03-28-2010, 12:06 PM:
 

quote: Joe Redifer

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Jim at Christie says I want to be around 120vdc. 115 is low, but not really that low.

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