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Author Topic: WATNED: Someone to fix my power supply Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-02-2006 06:38 PM                     I have called National Cinema Service all day to get them to send a tech to fix my power supply, I called 5 times and they keep saying they have paged the tech but nobody has called me back. The best part is the tech only live like 30 minutes from my theatre, I have used him before (Steve Dorsch) & I think he does great work! But I just can't get ahold of him, so is anybody else in lower Michigan area that is availble?? Thanks-Josh- Bohm Theatre-Albion, MI  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-02-2006 09:33 PM                     Josh, If he is a good tech then he is worth waiting around for. There are not many other choices in that area any more. Mark  |  IP: Logged Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-02-2006 09:36 PM                     yeah, maybe you are right, I just hate to be down on a Friday with my biggest auditorium!  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-02-2006 09:38 PM                     Or worse yet all weekend. What type of rectifier is it? A competant electrician may also be able to repair it if you have spare diodes handy on site. Mark  |  IP: Logged Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-02-2006 10:08 PM                     IT is a Strong International Type 6101  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-02-2006 10:49 PM                     Josh, 61001's use a bridge assy. and its probably a shorted or open diode on the Bridge assy. The entire bridge is quite easy to change out, but its quite a bit more work to rebuild one. We stock rebuilt bridges if you really get stuck... We could send one tommrrow to you for Saturday Delivery...... Any qualified electrician can change this out... if he needed help we can work with him over the phone. Not a problem! Hard to believe that no one else here jumped in and offered to help you on such a common and simple problem . P.S. Another thing that could cause a sudden drop in current is a bad blocking diode. Its on the heat sink next to the bridge...a single 85 amp diode. These diodes can become intermittent and also just outright fail. A completely failed (shorted) blocking diode will make the lamp almost impossible to ignite. While an open one will not allow the high current part of the DC to pass through... all the lamp will do is to flash. Mark Mark Gulbrandsen CLACO Equipment And Service 1212 South State St Salt Lake City, UT 84111 801-355-1250 Phone 801-355-1259 FAX  |  IP: Logged Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-02-2006 11:18 PM                     MArk- What is the price on a rebuilt Bridge? If I don't get a call from the tech by morning, I think I will call you Friday and maybe you can go over a few things over the phone with me to determine if the bridge will fix my problem, thanks for all your help-Josh  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-02-2006 11:27 PM                     To be honest with you I don't know. I do very little of the pricing around there. I can say that its TONS less expensive than a new one from Strong! We also use much higher rated diodes than the factory does. Talk to you tommrrow... and in case I happen to be out ask for Vince. Mark  |  IP: Logged Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-03-2006 08:39 PM                     FIxed, A Diode connection had come undone, Steve Dorsch from national Cinema Service came and fixed it, great job!  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-05-2006 11:18 AM                       quote: I have used him before... I just hate to be down on a Friday with my biggest auditorium! Do you have a service contract?  |  IP: Logged Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-05-2006 12:04 PM                     no, What would be the benefits of that?  |  IP: Logged Tim Reed Better Projection Pays Posts: 5246 From: Northampton, PA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 02-05-2006 12:51 PM                       To prevent situations you just found yourself in, of course. If you don't have a contract, you can't really gripe about not being able to get someone to respond to your call in a timely manner.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-05-2006 01:26 PM                     quote: Josh Mitoska no, What would be the benefits of that? The real need of a contract depends on how much work you are already able to do yourself BUT do it properly. Also newer booths generally don't have many actual breakdowns while older booths might need more attention. I'm not a big fan of contracts muself because too many "Contract Customers" that experience breakdowns will just leave what ever breaks down till the tech shows up on the next scheduled trip, unless he is off screen! This is typical at large chains today and is part of whats ruining the theatre going experinece for everyone..... One thing to your advantage if you can become part of a tech's service run in a given area where he makes many stops it can also lessen the travel and milage charges per customer. When I go on a run and service say ten locations on one trip the total travel time and milage is totaled up and each customer pays his share based on how many hours I work on his theatre. Are all dealers this fair... I don't know..... Keep in mind that service contracts cant prevent failures of ALL sorts but they can help..... There are just things that a service tech isn't going be able to perdict, find, or prevent no matter what equipment you have.... predicting when your next lamphouse blower, or DTS drive is going to fail is like predicting when the next lightning bolt will strike a block from your theatre. If you can come up with a tech thats got alot of experience(good luck!), works quickly but thoroughly, and has the best equipment available to him then you've got it made. But in the last 25 years I'd have to say that most customers I've worked for are ahead both monitarily and technically by just scheduling regular service visits twice yearly(or more often as needs show)for their booths. Since many contracts limit the amount of time spent per screen going this route assures you of someone doing a much better job when he's there and not being limited by time constraints. A tech that does an exceptional job won't leave you many(or any)things to go wrong between visits. Some tips and bad signals(red flags) to look out for in a tech: In a hurry to get to his next stop.... More talk about the last football game than how's your theatre or equipment been doing... Doesn't have a decent(4-mic)Spectrum analyzer, scope or digital meter..... lacks other more sophisticated test gear to work on other problems.. no amprobe, no air flow meter. These are all BASIC pieces of test gear needed to do a through job at any site. No assortment of parts carried with him. Arrives in a compact Car...... He should have a well stocked van! Spends hours at the local bar before hand...... Afterwords this or a big dinner might be necessary! There is a tech I know of that stops work at 3PM eeach day to go to the local bar(where ever it is) for the remainder of what ever...... Re-curring problems(like failing diodes) that are never completely taken care of by him. If one diode fails they all SHOULD be replaced at the same time. Just my 10 cents worth.... Mark  |  IP: Logged Josh Mitoska Film Handler Posts: 59 From: Brooklyn, MI, USA Registered: Dec 2001 posted 02-05-2006 01:53 PM                     yeah, the tech that came is Steve Dorsch, I've known him for about 8 years, from back when I actually worked for a theatre. He has always done great work, National Cinema Charged me $300 for a service call, is that normal for other companies as well? It seems fair to me, after all it got me back on screen and that is the most important part.  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-05-2006 02:03 PM                     quote: Josh Mitoska National Cinema Charged me $300 for a service call, is that normal for other companies as well? Is that all they did while they were there, tighten a loose wire.....That may just be their flat rate emergency call fee. Some techs(or companies) charge an emergency call fee and some don't. Since you are not a "regular" customer of theirs and considering NCS has a reputation for being high priced and if he did at least give a quick check (15-30 min) of the other booth then that seems a reasonable fee if thats all inclusive including travel time and milage. I know at least a couple of other dealers that operate like we do and don't charge an emergency call fee to any customer new or not. Just the regualar per hour fee on site plus driving(at 1/2 labor rate) and milage. BTW: Some dealers charge that exhorbant fee just to get you to buy a servcie contract..... some will say its good marketing.... and I suppose thats true towards the dealers bottom line. Anyway, If all he did was make a simple repair and charge that fee than I would say you were ripped off.... BTW: nothing reflective here against Steve... he did his job. I don't know him from "Sam Hill" but I am well aware of how his company operates! Mark  |  IP: Logged

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