Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Strong Ignitor

This is topic Strong Ignitor in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 09-04-2010, 01:41 PM:

I have a strong AC ignitor but I don't know which lamphouse it's for. I checked the manuals but the part number I have isn't close to any of them. The part number is barely readable. The first 2 number may not be correct, but the rest are. Anyone recognize it? Part #31943000

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-04-2010, 01:58 PM:

Dude, it took a 2 second search on Ballantynes website. ignitor .

Call them on Tuesday and I'm sure they can help you with it.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 09-04-2010, 02:07 PM:

quote:
Price: $1954.10

Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 09-04-2010, 02:10 PM:

Yeah, but that doesn't help me. What lamphouse and or console is it for? That's my question.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-04-2010, 04:29 PM:

Good question. Even the regular Lumex carries a 60000 series number. I expect it is quite old like the X-16. (No manual to check it out.) Louis

Posted by Monte L Fullmer (Member # 2797) on 09-05-2010, 12:54 AM:

Sounds like one of those white cased, POS DC igniters .. and that price it about right for one of them new.

If it's white, it was for the newer (94 and up) STRONG X-90 consoles where it was mounted behind the plenum.

If it's black, then it's an AC igniter (far more reliable) that was mounted in the earlier X-90 consoles on the inside wall behind the reflector.

But, the white ones can be rebuilt ...

-Monte

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-05-2010, 12:55 PM:

I agree with the Grand Pooh-Bah's post...

I think the folks at Wrong are on the wacky weed and not sharing with the rest of us....I cannot fathom how they come up with nearly $2,000 for a box with MAYBE $175 worth of parts in it.... [Roll Eyes]

Hell, I just paid those schmucks $16 for a 4" piece of 1/8" aluminum tubing (the oil tube for a Simplex intermittant oil catcher) and the rat bastards didn't include the fitting and bass ferrule. [Mad]

Sad thing is it seems that their prices are continuing to go up even on projector parts, and they also no longer have/make a LOT of parts anymore.

Posted by Demetris Thoupis (Member # 833) on 09-05-2010, 01:23 PM:

Buy an Irem one [Big Grin]

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-05-2010, 08:26 PM:

The AC type Stong igniters are easily and inexpensively repaired. I do it all of the time. Louis

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 09-06-2010, 12:37 AM:

Agreed. Unless the Tesla coil has melted everything in there is replaceable but it's worth more than $175.00. Just try and find a 10kV transformer for much less than that, and the capacitors aren't cheap either.

Posted by Eric Robinson (Member # 2966) on 09-07-2010, 10:20 PM:

quote: Louis Bornwasser
easily and inexpensively repaired

How do you bench test them Louis?

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 09-07-2010, 11:06 PM:

I don't know about Louis but we put them in a Super Lume-X (they just drop in the top) and light up a lamp. Pretty simple test, actually. Then again, there are only a handful of parts in a Strong AC igniter. The biggest failure we see in the Strong AC igniter system is in the R10 series relay...to prolong its life, tie the second contact (Strong brings out the contacts on solder tabs on the auto strike board) to the first contacts. It will likely not fail, ever.

In many ways, the DC igniter fixes a non-existent problem. Who asked for it? And yet, most manufacturers have gone with them. I was mildly amused when I started putting in Christie CP2000-SBs...to hear the familiar "zap" of the IREM AC igniter found in Xetron lamphouses/consoles throughout the years.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-10-2010, 08:10 AM:

quote: Tony Bandiera Jr
they also no longer have/make a LOT of parts anymore.

Tony, I found that out trying to order some Megasysytems parts recently. I couldn't get a quote for some parts because they would have to order the materials and make them. There are only a couple dozen Mega projectors out there and I can understand the reasoning there. I think I bought every Mega part they had in stock.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-10-2010, 11:00 AM:

Steve: we test them the same way. Louis

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-14-2010, 09:59 AM:

From the Megasystems manual:

quote:
igniter capacitors have drained for (10) minutes

quote:
The Strong DC Pulse Igniter stores energy in its capacitors after
the lamphouse has been de-energized. To prevent shock, this energy
can be discharged by placing the blade of an insulated-handle
screwdriver across the metal end caps of the spark gap.

I made the mistake of opening up a DC ignitor shortly after 10 minutes and got my ass kicked [Embarrassed]

It felt like somebody hit me in the chest with a sledgehammer, I fell back against the wall, slumped down and sat for a moment, then told my interpreter that it was time to go back to my hotel. Not sure how many volts went through my body, but it hurt like hell.

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-14-2010, 03:29 PM:

quote: Richard Hamilton
Call them

So did you?

Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 09-14-2010, 03:33 PM:

No I didn't yet.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-14-2010, 04:04 PM:

[Roll Eyes]

Posted by Richard Hamilton (Member # 321) on 09-14-2010, 04:04 PM:

quote: Richard May
What lamphouse and or console is it for? That's my question.

10 days later and all you need to do is make a simple phone call. They have an 800 number, so you can call from a payphone if you need to, or you can just keep people here on Film-tech guessing.

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-14-2010, 04:25 PM:

[Mad]

to this thread, just like THIS ONE

Posted by Richard May (Member # 2627) on 09-14-2010, 07:07 PM:

You guys are something else. Is it really THAT important to you that I need to do it now?? I will get to it when I get to it. When I do, I will post it. If it bothers you that much, then don't respond.