Christie 2210 lamp brightness

[Ryan Gallagher]

We have a Christie CP4220, 11 years old now, running a CDXL-30SP, and have been struggling somewhat on getting light on screen for Scope, screen is just shy of 27 feet wide on Scope, I keep doing an Auto Lamp LOC alignment to tweak some extra light out of it, it came up from 9.3fl to 10fl on my light meter today, although the power doesn't seem to want to go above 2700 watts, I don't know if there is a limiter or similar somewhere stopping me running at the full 3000 watts. I'm wondering how much more light a new reflector would get me and if that's the answer as I don't think the CP4220 can take bigger lamps than 3000w can it?

Is this variation observed with new lamps too? Typically you should not have to redo light loc frequently unless there is significant drop off due to lamp age. What hours are they at? Is this a single screen or do you have other CP4220 screens to compare it to?

As for better lamps question...

If the problem is not determined to be elsewhere, one thing to consider is alternate lamps. 3000w is indeed the limit for the CP4420, but there are a few 3k lamp choices available. The 30SP advertises 19000lumens in the CP4420. Where the 30SUP (Superior Performance) advertises 2200lumens in both the CP2200 and CP4420.

There is also the lamp overdrive feature to investigate. Depending on the lamp in use, it may allow you to push it another 10% for more brightness (but possibly voiding lamp warranty). I know our CP2200 supports it, but not with the 30SP installed (what we use as well).

[Neil Roberts]

It's just a Single Screen so we have nothing to compare it to, we're at just over 800 hours on our current lamp, and I generally try to run them until around their 1900 hour Warranty time before changing them. It's only something I've noticed in recent weeks so haven't installed a new lamp recently to check what light that would output. I'll have a look into the 30SUP lamp, I wasn't aware it existed, thanks a lot for the idea.

[Ryan Gallagher]

It's just a Single Screen so we have nothing to compare it to, we're at just over 800 hours on our current lamp, and I generally try to run them until around their 1900 hour Warranty time before changing them. It's only something I've noticed in recent weeks so haven't installed a new lamp recently to check what light that would output. I'll have a look into the 30SUP lamp, I wasn't aware it existed, thanks a lot for the idea.

Yeah I feel like 800 hours is too soon to see an appreciable difference that would justify LightLoc adjust with that big of a jump in brightness. Something else may be going on as discussed in this thread... especially if this is a new problem, I wouldn't rush to the more expensive lamps without locating the cause.

[David Rivero]

Hi，

Im having a similar issue with a CP2215 using a CDXL-18SD. I can appreciate how the starting power needed and after 150h, 450h, 750h, etc. has increased quite a bit compared to our lamp last year. A new lamp would require 74% power to reach 14ftL, now 79%. A lamp used around 120-150h would require a power of 79% a year and a half ago, while now its around 84%. Last year I would need 94% power at around 800h of life, now that's needed at 600h.

Could this be an issue of one lamp (we only have records since last year, but the previous year was quite similar to last one)?
Or is it possible that it is a deflector issue as commented here? An engineer commented me that maybe the dust in the reflector could be another cause.
I keep the glass, lenses and filters clean, but I wouldn't know how to clean the dust off the reflector properly. Also, I tried turning the lamp 180 degrees to see if that would get me more brightness but it's getting me quite some flickering in the light output, so it doesn't seem to be a solution.

I would appreciate any help or comments on how to proceed! Thanks

[Gordon McLeod]

we have also had issues with the fold mirror loosing its coating

[Sarah Homer]

The reflector replacements did improve the light on the screen, especially in darker films. Not to the original brightness when the projectors were new, but substantially better.

[Hong Sung Hyeok]

Christie's Solaria One-based products: CP2215, 10, 09, 08.

The defining characteristic of these products is the issue of rapidly dropping brightness.
Of course, this varies depending on the installation environment, but since they are designed to be compact, they are often installed in cramped, fixed booths rather than standard projection rooms.
In places where the booth lacks internal cooling, the brightness performance drops disastrously.

These are the models I hate the most. Optical cleaning and things like that are useless with these.

[Steve Guttag]

The CP2210 and CP2215 are NOT Solaria-1 products. The Solaria-1 are defined by their S2K (.69") DMDs and related lensing and optics. They are inherently less light efficient owing to their smaller aperture (needing smaller arcs).

Now, they have a similar chassis, for sure but optically, the CP2210/CP2215 (.98" DMD) suffer less than the Solaria-1 stuff.

Changing out the reflectors are going to get you a substantial part of your light back. If you were to get your light pipe and relating optics cleaned, as well as the prism assembly, you'd get the rest of your light back. Despite having two filters (Main and LAD) you are still blowing some dust onto the DMDs. Over time the prism and DMDs are going to get dirty too. So, some of your loss is there. The reflectors get the dirtiest air, are nailed with high UV and IR light...get wiped down (hopefully) on lamp changes and suffer the most wear...hence they are the first spot on getting light back on an older projector.

[Armand Daiguillon]

Thanks to everyone for your helpful comments! After reading through them all, I went ahead and got a price on a replacement reflector. Christie currently has them on backorder, so it’ll likely be the end of the summer before I receive it. I’ll be sure to update this forum once everything is installed.

Dont do it .....if you have a mutil screen theater, swap the part with another before going through the great expense of a replacement. I have the same issue you do with a Solaria one. Swapping the reflector with its "twin" projector did not fix the problem. I still have not found a solution - i'm swapping out part by part but still have not found the cause. And thats the bigger issue here - there are SO many things that could impact light levels - replacing each one needlessly until you find the right one is not a good way to go. (unless you have lots of cash to burn)

[Steve Guttag]

Did you swap a reflector set with another aged reflector set, of similar vintage and use?

[Ioannis Syrogiannis]

[...]I still have not found a solution - i'm swapping out part by part but still have not found the cause.[...]

Does that mean that you went ahead with the light pipe swap you were mentioning here?
https://www.film-tech.com/vbb/forum/...sues#post55361
I was wondering for some time now.

[Armand Daiguillon]

Does that mean that you went ahead with the light pipe swap you were mentioning here?
https://www.film-tech.com/vbb/forum/...sues#post55361
I was wondering for some time now.

I tried adjusting the integrator rod - no affect either. The rest of the assembly is "complex" I haven't figured out the issue yet. I'm trying bit by bit hoping to not break anything. I tried calling in local techs but no availability any time soon.

[Armand Daiguillon]

Does that mean that you went ahead with the light pipe swap you were mentioning here?
https://www.film-tech.com/vbb/forum/...sues#post55361
I was wondering for some time now.

So i finally did do the light pipe swap - as soon as I took it out it was very clear what the issue was. The "crystal" was sticking out of the other end of the pipe by about an inch, (should be flush) so at the other end it was not in place to take in the light properly.
I swapped it with a spare and all is good.

Here is a pic of what caused the problem.
pipe.png

[Ioannis Syrogiannis]

I am not sure how what you show came to be.
Was it that there was an integration rod that moved at some point?
Shouldn't that be visible when you tried to adjust it?
If it was from before, since when, do you rekon?
Some replacement on the past?

Do you mean that the rod was not broken, but the light that was coming from the cold mirror was just not focusing on the proper face of the cuboid (and, hence, loosing light)?
I can't imagine what force would move the rod, but not destroy other parts of the optical system. Really weird!

[Armand Daiguillon]

I am not sure how what you show came to be.
Was it that there was an integration rod that moved at some point?
Shouldn't that be visible when you tried to adjust it?
If it was from before, since when, do you rekon?
Some replacement on the past?

Do you mean that the rod was not broken, but the light that was coming from the cold mirror was just not focusing on the proper face of the cuboid (and, hence, loosing light)?
I can't imagine what force would move the rod, but not destroy other parts of the optical system. Really weird!

Nope it was not broken - although trying to push it back into the correct place i'm told CAN break it. I have no idea how it happens ...but it's apparently very common.
It should be flush at both end of the pipe - it being off by that much did not allow it to capture the proper amount of light.
At least it's good now