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Author Topic: Strong Switcher supplies age/improvements Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 09-10-2004 07:59 AM                     I am looking at buying a few Strong switching single-phase xenon power supplies (1-3kW output) and am told by the seller that they are of approx. 1995 vintage, with a model number 628005. Can anyone tell me if this model/year had a number of defects/problems, i.e. should I avoid these?  |  IP: Logged Richard Fowler Film God Posts: 2392 From: Ft. Lauderdale, FL, USA Registered: Jun 2001 posted 09-10-2004 08:44 AM                     Warning Will Robertson, warning, warning  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-10-2004 11:39 AM                     The early Strong switchers would literally burn giant holes thru the circuit boards. Repair parts for them are not available anymore and Strong has a replacement/upgrade program detailed on their website.  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-10-2004 01:59 PM                       FYI, just found out that model # is the first-version of the switcher. Major parts no longer available, and Strong doesn't offer repair/exchange on it -- only upgrades to newer units. [edit] Sorry, Ken... that's pretty much what you just said!  |  IP: Logged Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 09-10-2004 02:51 PM                     OK, thanks all for the info...I did check out Strong's product bulletin # PB-041, dated 8/4/03...YIKES!!!! They are known as "version 0" and if something goes wrong, Strong will not exchange it for another version-0...they may repair it and return it (for a fee) if they still have the parts in question...an upgrade to a version-1 replacement would be $1200 direct to a retail customer like me, a little less if thru a dealer.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-10-2004 06:01 PM                     The power MOSFETS used in the VER 0 are long obsolete devices. That is whay they can't be repaired any longer. Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 09-11-2004 03:28 AM                     Thanks, all...I will likely go with a new current version-2 model.  |  IP: Logged Stephen Furley Film God Posts: 3059 From: Coulsdon, Croydon, England Registered: May 2002 posted 09-11-2004 04:02 AM                     Parts for something nine years old are 'long obsolete' Or has the seller gote the date wrong?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-11-2004 07:20 PM                     Justin, We have a ton of the new Strong switchers out there, some operating in pretty hostile power areas and we have had zero failures. What we do and what I can attribute to this is both the fact that they are VERY good supplies and that we install surge superssion devices in all the locations that have them. I would think that even for portable use these would be possible to have in the power line some place..... I highly reccomend them. Stephen, Even the obsolete semi houses in Asia dont have them any longer.... I've tried! Mark @ CLACO  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-11-2004 09:16 PM                       Has anyone used a switcher on a regular ol' Lumex? Does the no-load voltage get high enough to fire the igniter? Or, are there modifications that need to be made, so they will work together?  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-11-2004 09:48 PM                     Good point! Yes you might need to change the zener in there.... but there are thousands of Lum-Exs working on switchers both old and new in the form of the Strong Super Trooper. BUT... Strong has switched even the spotlights over to the newer DC ignitor in those and the ignition is still touch and go.... sometimes the HV arcs over to anything else but through the lamp itself and that anything else could be any number of other metal objects inside the lamphouse. Insulating the ignitor casing on the bottom with a thick piece of delrin helped alot of the rental spotlights at GTS as the HV also arced right through thhe casing and down the nylon mounting screws to the metal angle mounts which were bolted to the chassis. Hope I haven't confused you... Mark  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-12-2004 12:04 AM                       Will the switchers work with AC igniters (talking about the Lumex, with the neon tube PCB firing circuit), or are they designed exclusively for DC units? Is that Lumex igniter board even still supported, or was there an upgrade for that? Gettin' to be a long time being away from all this... I've forgotten a lot.  |  IP: Logged Ken Layton Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1452 From: Olympia, Wash. USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 09-12-2004 12:13 AM                     Hey Tim, They ought to work on the plain Lume-x lamphouses. The old High Recactance supplies Strong made for the Lume-x and Super Lume-x had 100 volt no load. The Switchers typically have 150 volts no load. That ought to fire just about any igniter.  |  IP: Logged Justin West Master Film Handler Posts: 271 From: Peoria, IL, USA Registered: Jul 2001 posted 09-12-2004 01:33 AM                     Hey, guys... I have found a fairly resonable source of new switcher supplies but I thought I would ask if anyone had a suggestion of a good source for used or refurbished newer-version switchers? My budget is so tight, saving some green will help give me some breathing room to get some used lenses for my 2 set-ups. Thanks, again, for all the input...verry interesting question there, Tim, as the Lumex is exactly what I plan to use!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-12-2004 09:26 AM                     Yes according to Jack Schmidt at Strong there can be problems and we did have exactly the problem reliably firing lamps with the older neon boards on Super Trooper ignitors. It has something to do with the voltage going too high too fast. At times it would fire once(and not light the lamp) then not fire again... you'd have to turn off the supply and wait for the supply to recover so you could get the 150 volt start voltage again.... the whole thing acted like a one shot circuit. This got quite annoying on rental units and installing the dc ignitor board and the plexi insulator under the ignitor housing cured all that.... Yes the DC ignitor board is interchangable with the old neon version and the same HV coil and box are used. Mark  |  IP: Logged

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