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Topic: Help needed with Xetron

Scott Balko
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 136
From: Redwood Falls, Minnesota, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 04-17-2001 08:56 PM

I have an XH-2000 lamphouse and an N3-X50 power supply. Is the power supply sensitive to the placement of the 3 phase wire? Also, what voltage needs to go to the local switch terminals? Does this also need to be 3 phase for the magnetic switch? The local switch on mine must have been removed for automation. Is there a way to use the lamphouse to switch the power supply on and off? Anything else I would need to know would be appreciated.

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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man

Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000

posted 04-17-2001 11:21 PM

More information is needed, but I can tell you that Xetron had a goofy way of doing things. One was to extinguish the lamp, they simply dumped the blower, and let the airflow interlock open to shut down the power supply. Why it was done that way, I'll never know. If the airflow switch stuck in the closed position, (which might be more common that you think), you just fried your lamp. I have seen it happen.

It has been a while, but if I recall correctly, the contactor coil in that power supply wants 208/230 volts. The lamphouse interlock also uses a 208/230 volt loop. The lamphouse blower wants 120 volts. Also, if I recall correctly, the lamphouse blower is on the same line as the Elapsed Time Meter.

If this is true, you can still modify the system and put the automation in-line with the interlock circuit, and hot wire the lamphouse blower to a 120 volt source. The use of one leg of three phase power is OK, but if you have three phase closed delta, BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE THE WILD LEG.

Hot-wiring of the lamp blower presents another problem. Since the ETM is on the blower motor circuit, the ETM will run all the time! Therefore, more modifications will be necessary. An auxiliary relay (with a coil voltage of 208/240 volts) across the main contactor coil could act as a switch to turn on the ETM.

Another way is to bridge the ETM across one phase (load side) of the main contactor in the power supply to ground. Since neutral and ground are connected to the same point in most three phase power panels, this should work ok for you.

But check your schematics to make sure you have what I think you MIGHT have before you do anything.

It has been 10 years since I had to tackle a problem like this, I have no schematics on hand to verify every significant detail.

Good luck!

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 04-18-2001 11:26 AM

N3-X50 sounds like an IREM power supply, which makes sense because Xetron had an agreement with them.

It does not matter which 3-phase leg goes on which terminal. Every IREM power supply I've seen has a relay with 3 (sometimes 4 for an cooling fan) contacts to power on the rectifier. Because the power supply is made in Italy, the relay coil is 220volt. There is already power at that switch; the switch was probably replaced with a relay contact from the automation. Usually, there is a series connection that goes from the IREM power relay, through the lamphouse safety interlock switches (door and fan) and through the automation. Any of those open up, and power is removed.

I'm pretty sure you will find a schematic for the N3-X50 and the XH-2000 in the manual section here at Film-Tech. There are several different ways people have wired these things, so be sure you've traced everything out. There's some serious power in there so be careful.

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Scott Balko
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 136
From: Redwood Falls, Minnesota, USA
Registered: Apr 2000

posted 04-18-2001 07:30 PM

Thanks guys!! I have a feeling of more confidence now. Bob Maar also emailed me and put me in contact with a tech at the company, so with all of your information, I may just be able to get this thing going!

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John Walsh
Film God

Posts: 2490
From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way
Registered: Oct 1999

posted 04-19-2001 09:14 AM

Bob Marr!? Oh, don't listen to that guy. If you do, the next thing you know is; you are in a bar in New York, you're not sure how you got there, it's 3AM, you're talking about theaters and having too much fun....

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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)

Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 04-19-2001 09:18 AM

I have been known to tip a "Maartini" or two.

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Joe Schmidt
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 172
From: Billings, Montana, USA
Registered: Apr 2001

posted 04-19-2001 12:31 PM

New York????? I've heard of that place, but wouldn't want to go there, not since someone told me that "Serpico" actually portrayed the better side of it.

But tv is safe. There is going to be a special on the NY UPN station about the B'way musical "The Producers" this coming Sunday at 8PM EST. I'm definitely gonna catch this.

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Bob Maar
(Maar stands for Maartini)

Posts: 28608
From: New York City & Newport, RI
Registered: Feb 2001

posted 04-19-2001 12:44 PM

"Serpico" went into the witness protection program. I understand he was sent to the suburb call "Big Sky Country". Where ever that may be.

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