Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: automation/light control issue

This is topic automation/light control issue in forum Film Handlers' Forum at Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE.

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Posted by Jack Terrell (Member # 6250) on 04-24-2011, 09:22 PM:

I am having another issue....

It is with our kelmar lighting control system. After the trailers - when the lights are at mid and need to go to low - the cue reads, but it locks the lighting system at mid. I won't let me push any buttons to change the light. I use a knife to simulate another cue on the center (the one that brings the lights down to low) and still no change. to unlock the light system I either have to activate the outboard cue, which closes the dowser and shuts off the sound, or just close the dowser and reopen it again. This sucks...

We have the Christie AM3, the Component Engineering FM-35 failsafe. The problem does not happen consistently with one print or with one projector. So far it has happened on three different projectors at seemingly random times.

Anyone know where I should start? I'm thinking it would be the cam that controls that stage in the automation, because those seem to be the most likely to go out in the chain.

Thanks.

Posted by Phil Ranucci (Member # 3820) on 04-25-2011, 01:44 AM:

I just had this problem with a Component failsafe. The lights were stuck at mid and wouldn't go out. Lindsey/Fairbanks dimmers. I thought it was a stuck relay in the dimmer but then I noticed that the 'inboard' LED was lit on the failsafe. I swapped the cue reader with a a spare and all was good.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 05-09-2011, 03:06 PM:

Probably not the case in this issue but I had a kelmar a while back mounted at knee-height and someone had come by and bumped the button firmly enough that it stuck.
For whatever reason it would do high and mid but would never go into low because that button was stuck down against the chassis.

Posted by Gordon McLeod (Member # 33) on 05-09-2011, 04:24 PM:

The only reason the dimmer wouldn't respond is if something is providing a maintained mid command a jammed manual switch would not correct itself on dowser close so is suspect someone wired it to a maintained contact on the automation