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Author Topic: Component Engineering failing to be safe Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 08-26-2000 10:39 PM                     I've been having some issues with one of our C.E. fail-safes. Twice now, we have narrowly avoided disaster by catching a problem in its early stages. A new projectionist, or one in a hurry, will forget to set the platter to take-up, and when the movie starts, the film comes out the bottom of the projector, into a messy little pile on the floor. Rather than shut off, our fail-safe continually senses motion and presence, and keeps the machinery moving. I have recently replaced both the cue sensor and the motion/presence sensor on the failsafe, both with no results (not that the cue sensor would do anything anyway). We have two of these fail-safes in our theatre, and only one has issues. Is there a sensitivity adjuster on those things? Any help would be great. ------------------ "Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" - Homer Simpson  |  IP: Logged Greg Pauley Expert Film Handler Posts: 173 From: Huntington, WV, USA Registered: Jun 2000 posted 08-26-2000 11:27 PM                        Chad: Are these FM35 hooked up to a TA10 automation? If so, you might want to check the bypass switches inside the automation. Sometimes if the FM35 is dirty and not detecting motion people will flip the bypass switch in order to temporary fix the problem, and then forget to switch them back. We have 15 FM35/TA10 and most of the problems we have are due to lack of detecting motion. A proper cleaning takes care of most problem with motion. We have the takeup arm on the platters wired into the TA10 as a secondary failsafe along with our tension failsafes.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 08-27-2000 12:40 AM                     Assuming there isn't a defect in the unit... Physically move the failsafe forward or backward. If the failsafe is in that "sweet spot" below the holdback sprocket, it will push film straight through it and trip the sensors.  |  IP: Logged Bill Purdy Expert Film Handler Posts: 139 From: Seattle, WA Registered: Oct 1999 posted 08-28-2000 10:13 AM                        Both of the above bits of advice are very good. You say that you have replaced the sensors so I am assuming that you mean within the last year. If so, you should see an 8 pin IC mounted on the sensor board and there will be a small red dot on the outer end. Also, the roller will have "Vee" shaped reliefs below the sensors themselves. You don't say if your automation is the TA-10 or someone else's. If it is not a TA-10 there is a good chance that the motion sensor is not connected as most other automations don't have a way to deal with this information. Please feel free to contact me or our tech service guy, Don Olson, by e-mail or phone. Our phone number is printed right on the unit.  |  IP: Logged Chad Souder Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 962 From: Waterloo, IA, USA Registered: Feb 2000 posted 08-28-2000 10:04 PM                     It is a TA-10 automation, but I'm not understanding the "sweet spot" reference, or what you are exactly meaning to move back and forth. Thanks for the help thus far. ------------------ "Asleep at the switch? I wasn't asleep, I was drunk!" - Homer Simpson  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 08-28-2000 11:03 PM                     That "sweet spot" is the positioning horizontally of the reader toward the screen as opposed to away from the screen. You can loosen a couple of screws on the mounting bracket and slide it back and forth.  |  IP: Logged Rick Long Jr Expert Film Handler Posts: 211 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Jul 2000 posted 10-10-2000 09:09 PM                     Chad, we use these systems in all our new builds here in Canada with good results for the most part. Something that one of my Quebec counterparts suggested, and that I tried seems to help with this problem. On the lower roller directing the film back to the platter try positioning the keeper roller directly underneath the main roller, as opposed to the side. The idea is that if the take-up quits the film being spit out of the projector will be forced to stop by the keeper roller. If it is at the side the film could continue to pass between it and the main roller and then onto the floor. I know it sounds nuts, but it seems to work.  |  IP: Logged

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