Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Strong Super Lume-x Lamphouse (UK)

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Posted by Michael Harlow (Member # 1353) on 09-11-2012, 01:29 PM:

Hi There,
We have aquired a Super Lumex lamphouse from another UK cinema (now out of business) and have a strange question.
All instruction books and the data plate say it is 115v Ac for the blower / ignitor, yet in the UK we use 240V.
Do i assume that the cinema it came from was using some form of stepdown transformer? I have had a look in the lamphouse and cannot see any additional transformer etc.
We will be using it with an Irem rectifier.
Any thoughts please?
Michael

Posted by Leo Enticknap (Member # 534) on 09-11-2012, 04:38 PM:

The output from the rectifier (23v at around 60-70a if I remember correctly) connects directly to the lamp, and so won't be affected by what goes to the strike unit and/or the lamphouse exhaust fan. If the actual strike unit and blower motor housings have plates on them that say 120v/60hz (the consumer AC power supply in the United States), then I would assume that they were supplied by transformers in their previous homes and that they'd also need either 230v/50hz (the consumer power supply throughout the European Union - reduced from 240v to 230 in the UK now) equivalents retrofitted to work in Britain, or a single phase US to UK voltage/frequency converter between them and the mains.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-11-2012, 08:08 PM:

Strong rectifiers commonly had 240 to 120 volt transformers in them to run the lamphouse. Likewise the "output to rectifier relay" is 120 volt.

In the US we used a small 120v relay to turn on the IREM. (240 relay)

Posted by Dave Macaulay (Member # 813) on 09-11-2012, 09:37 PM:

The lamphouse was designed to be powered from a Strong rectifier, which supplies 120V for the lamphouse on wires 2 and 4 regardless of the rectifier input voltage. The rectifier contactor is also a 120V coil, the lamphouse sends contactor coil power back to the rectifier on wires 5 and 6 (if all interlocks are safe and the switch is on) to turn on the DC power for the lamp.
The little circuit board behind the metal cover on the inside of the back panel is the autostrike unit (I think they made a DC pulse igniter model as well but I haven't seen one) which has different models (the zener diode voltage changes) depending on whether it's made for a switching or high reactance rectifier. The wrong one won't act quite right with the wrong rectifier.

Posted by Michael Harlow (Member # 1353) on 09-12-2012, 11:16 AM:

Thank you all very much for your replies.
You have confirmed my suspicions, this is 115V, I looked at the blower fan and ignitor circuit.
So, obviously we have a bit missing.
At least I did not blow the thing up !
[Smile]

Posted by Tony Bandiera Jr (Member # 2365) on 09-12-2012, 12:35 PM:

Michael, re-read Dave's post very carefully and you can easily figure out how to make that lamphouse work with ANY rectifier with just a bit of extra parts. [thumbsup]

Posted by Michael Harlow (Member # 1353) on 09-13-2012, 06:41 AM:

Hi Tony,
Thanks. I have got my hands of a wiring diagram.
following on from what Dave and Louis has said,
i think i need to grab a 240v to 120v transformer to apply power to 2 and 4, then use a relay on 5 and 6 to power up the irem.
there are loads (or were) of these lamphouses being used in the UK, it just seems no one will say how to do it.
will see how i get on
Michael

Posted by Pete Naples (Member # 761) on 09-14-2012, 03:23 AM:

You're right. There are or were loads of these lamphouses here, with good reason.

On the subject of getting it to work, you just need to ask the right people [Wink]

Although all the info you need is up ^^ there.

Posted by Louis Bornwasser (Member # 3063) on 09-14-2012, 08:24 AM:

INHO: that lamp and rectifier might be the very best combination ever. Reliable and bright with excellent bulb life. Louis