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Author Topic: Help building a timer for xenon fans David Ingalsbe Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Eagan, MN, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 06-10-2004 02:38 AM                     I did a search but could not find anything specific. I am looking for a way to build a cheap timer for the fans that cool the xenon lamp house of my Strong Hightlight II. The counsols get shut off ever night by the Breakers on the front of the unit. One of the breakers is only for the squirl cage blower on top and the roof exaust. This is a 20 plex so cost is a big concern . Thanks  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-10-2004 02:48 AM                     Hmmmm...At the 6 I work at now we kill them from a breaker box on the wall which also shuts down everything for that house along with the exhaust fan. At the 13 I worked at the fans were connected to a programmable unit installed by TRANE which also controlled the A/C's for all 13 screens and the booth. I doubt this would be any help, but it's worth an idea I suppose. G'luck!  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 06-10-2004 02:48 AM                     Does each projection station have a separate stack blower on the roof? If cost is a major concern, just simply wait until at least 10 minutes before you shut the station down after the last movie dump. Cheapest way to go.  |  IP: Logged David Favel Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 764 From: Ashburton, New Zealand Registered: Feb 2002 posted 06-10-2004 04:52 AM                     Actually the finish times will be staggered so the most you will have to wait is 10 - 15 mins. perhaps turn off the last xenon, do a quick clean/check/log book then turn off. I use those minutes to shift movies to the appropriate platters.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-10-2004 05:38 AM                     I install a time delay relay, set for 15-20 minutes. This way when the projectionist is powering off, he kills the selected breakers and throws the switch off to control the relay. It prevents impatient projectionists from killing the power the second the film tails out and greatly extends the life of the xenons. Grainger has everything you need. Your electrician can hook it up quite easily. It's no big deal at all.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-10-2004 09:09 AM                     I usually wire a seperate switch for the exhaust with a bathroom rotary timer in parralell to it so you set it for 15min and then turn the switch off 15mm later the fan shuts down Intermatic makes the ones I buy and are rated for 1/4hp I buy them from the local electrical wholesale  |  IP: Logged David Ingalsbe Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Eagan, MN, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 06-10-2004 12:13 PM                     Thanks guys, I have a manager operator so when I'm not there they want to leave asap. also last night while i was waiting to power down the floor staff left. We work in a crappy part of town and I don't like leaving alone . I started trying to figure out a timer because we got most of the people to just leave fans on all night. now they want everything shut off and they don't want to pay the projectionist to stay.  |  IP: Logged Steve Kraus Film God Posts: 4094 From: Chicago, IL, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 06-10-2004 05:30 PM                    I went the bathroom timer route at my screening room, with a switch in parallel. Switch on while in operation. If leaving before adequate cooldown one gives the timer a twist to 10 minutes before flipping the switch to off. I control both the overhead extraction blower and the internal lamphouse blowers this way. ::double take:: There are bad parts of town in MN?  |  IP: Logged Alexander Smith Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Registered: Jun 2003 posted 06-10-2004 07:37 PM                     FWIW I just wait that extra 10 minutes after the last lamp is extinguished, before shutting down the fans and leaving at the end of the day. I _know_ the other projectionists here do the same. We only have six screens, so it's not such a big problem for us. Alex.  |  IP: Logged David Ingalsbe Film Handler Posts: 31 From: Eagan, MN, USA Registered: May 2004 posted 06-11-2004 02:47 AM                     Steve, I know I am a wuss. Born and raised in sububia I don't know was I would do in a city like new york. About a year a go we had something rather scary happen while I was on duty. I can't mention any details (corp stuff) But it was enough to make anyone scared and to mandate that ALL employees be escorted out. To all thanks for the ideas. I am going to start looking in to some bathroom timers.  |  IP: Logged Bill Mantz Film Handler Posts: 91 From: Plano, TX Registered: Feb 2001 posted 06-12-2004 01:31 AM                     Instead of using a timer Have you thought of using a thermostat. Has anyone tried this? By using a thermostat you can set it to turn of the blowers off when the lamphouse reaches room temperature, instead of guessing how long it takes the blowers to cool down the lamphouse by using a timer. This would be a great option if manufactures to install on a lamphouse that it shut down the blowers well the lamphouse cools down to room temperature as well as monitor the in the temperature lamphouse when it is in use, it would be able to use variable speed blowers to increase the speed of the blower when the rises, temperature well as telling you if the temperature in the lamphouse is getting to hot to maintain the proper temperature the bulb is rated for.  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-13-2004 07:05 AM                        The ORCs we have do just that, well, almost. The fan speed is not controlled by changes in temp, but the shutoff is. When you turn the lamp power switch off, the fan remains on until a safe temp is reached and then it goes off. Problem is, this is too easily by-passed if the shut-down procedure is simply to turn off all the breakers and the operator can't be relied on to remember NOT to turn off the fan/lamphouse breaker that is temp or time controlled. In fact, any fail-safe system which uses a delay timer or a thermostatic shut-off will require that the breaker which supplies power to the lamphouse fans be left on. So ultimately you have to rely on at least a modicum of intelligence on the part of the operator. He's got to NOT turn all the breakers off and skip the one powering the fans....the one you've painted with red nail polish. But I am with Paul on this one, the best solution is the easiest -- wait the damn 10 min; is the booth THAT noxious that they have to run screaming out the door the second the last frame rolls thru? If the staff wants to get out of the theatre ASAP, they certainly can't leave BEFORE the last patron in that last auditorium exits, even if they followed behind right out the door, this can't be appreciably SOONER than 10 minutes after the last frame leaves the machine in the last auditorium, can it? Seems to me 10-15min is certainly not too long to wait for the projectionist to come down. The other solution (while still maintaining the Paul's "wait 10 minutes -- we don't need no stinking timer switches" concept), is to arrange to have the projectionist leave on his own, perhaps by way of an emergency exit door that locks behind him, so he can leave whenever it is appropriate. Oh, and BTW, quote: David Ingalsbe I don't know was I would do in a city like New York FYI, New York is ranked 23 out of the 50 states for safety, certainly not the crime-ridden hellhole that is its reputation, and it's only a few points away from MN which is ranked 16th. Safest? North Dakota; most dangerous? Nevada.  |  IP: Logged

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