Welcome this Forum John, if you could PM with your email address I will scan the Drawing for the Westrex Tower.
The Motor wiring can be switch either way for rotation on those Towers.
Posted by Ken McFall (Member # 845) on 08-29-2011, 04:23 PM:
Not exactly sure what you mean by wired the wrong way.
The only connections required are Mains (live, neutral, earth) and the removal of a 'brown' link for a film break system to turn off the 'running' side of the tower in the event of a film break.
If you don't have a service tech I suggest contacting Tom Pain who knows pretty much all there is to know about 35mm projection and is local to you and highly recommended. Unlike many he is not all about selling new kit when it's not required he will repair, refurbish and do full installations as required.
He's based in Aberystwyth. If you want his contact number let me know.
Regards.
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 08-29-2011, 05:05 PM:
I cut my teeth, as well as my fingers on the Westrex 5035 long play film carrier ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Often towers have been well and truly messed around with. I once heard a truly scary story of one having been left with the body connected to live. I was told the operator was hurt by whomevers negligence ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
SO be careful of whatever the unitiated might have done to it.
A common modification though is to make the spools run backwards from factory, usually to get it to run on the 'wrong' side. I suspect this is what John means.
The motors are quite something, effectively 3 phase running split phase via the capacitors mounted on each motor plate. Simple but clever, borne out by the number of them still running with little or no maintenance. We can repair anything on those towers, even found a suitable replacement for the side selector switch. It's a hell of a job to fit it as none of the terminals are a positional match for the original, which means altering that work of art Westrex loom ![[Eek!]](eek.gif)
But it works and keeps these old lumps working.
They are up their with your favourite platters Ken!
Posted by Ken McFall (Member # 845) on 08-29-2011, 05:19 PM:
Hi Pete,
yeah I was the one who found that little shocker....
It seemed that a leg of the multipole switch had broken and as a temp fix the motor neutral was tied to earth. An engineer, who you know all about had been working in the projector pedestal that week and the earth for the tower had been pulled out.
The fault would have gone unnoticed except that to unlace the projector mid spool required lifting of the exhaust ducting and it was acting as an earth!!!
An electrician and the engineer were called in to sort out the fault. The earth was repaired but the motor fault was left!! I replaced the switch, supplied by your company and finally left the tower fully functional and safe.
Best tower ever made as Pete says.
That brings back bad memories and sad sad days...
Thank god I've left it all behind now. Or has it left me?
Hope you are well Pete last time we meet was not the best of times which was a shame. But not your fault.
Regards.
Footnote:
just looked back in my records and found the letter regarding the faulty wiring. It was way back in March 2002. I was asked to sort out another problem that had been installed that week .... and I was asked to look into the tower problem while I was there. The things you forget. Thanks for reminding me :-)
Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 08-30-2011, 01:44 PM:
Aye, that place was a terrible job. Haud it 'n' daud it in full effect.
Just as busy Ken, the rolling stone of DLP install is well and truly gathering moss.
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 09-30-2012, 06:03 PM:
It has been 397 days since the last post.