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Topic: Booth Operator Blows.................Fuses

Jim Spohn
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 05-20-2004 12:40 PM

Please help me figure out what is happening. Last night at a dressed rehearsal, the booth operator (newly trained, this will be first show since training) called me on the intercom and told me that lamp #1 would not strike an arc (carbon). I went to the booth to find him running the carbons together and nothing was happening. I looked at the control panel and told him that it would really help if he turned on the rectifier. He turned on the rectifier then told me it still wouldn't strike. I checked the fuses and one of them, was blown, I replaced it then checked the lamp several times to make sure it was working properly. It was. I have never in nine years had any problem with this lamp. A while later exactly the same thing occurred. Is it possible that the operator is forgetting to turn on the rectifier and running the carbons together, finding no arc strike remembers then to turn on the rectifier, turns on the rectifier (WITH THE CARBONS RUN TIGHTLY TOGETHER) and pops the fuse. Kind of like the in-rush surge of a locked-rotor motor sort of thing? Any thoughts? Later that same night after everyone was gone, I used that lamp several times and it worked fine. ... Jim

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Robert E. Allen
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1078
From: Checotah, Oklahoma
Registered: Jul 2002

posted 05-20-2004 01:02 PM

I think you may be right and I trust you have instructed him (again) how to do it properly. If he doesn't get it I'd find someone else for your booth.

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Jim Spohn
Film Handler

Posts: 95
From: Bakersfield, CA, USA
Registered: Jan 2003

posted 05-20-2004 01:14 PM

Thanks for your thoughts Bob, I showed him how to do it again but he seems timid of the lamp, I suspect that all he can think of is turning that big red knob and forgets the rectifier. I now have a bag of 12 fuses and so I think I'll try to recreate what I think is happening and see if that blows the fuse. I have to get to the bottom of this as the show runs tonight, I'll be the operator as I can't have any screw-ups for this gig. ...Jim

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John Pytlak
Film God

Posts: 9987
From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922
Registered: Jan 2000

posted 05-20-2004 02:56 PM

Sure sounds like that's what happened. Be glad it's only a fuse that blew. Hopefully, with more training, your new operator will get the hang of it. But watch the situation carefully until your are sure they do. [Roll Eyes]

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James Falloon
Film Handler

Posts: 72
From: Wigram, Christchurch, New Zealand
Registered: Oct 2003

posted 05-20-2004 09:15 PM

I suspect you may have answered your own question. Are the fuses on the primary or the secondary side of the rectifier?

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