my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Need quick answer about lamphouse bulb compatibility (Page 1)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Author Topic: Need quick answer about lamphouse bulb compatibility Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-23-2009 06:47 PM                        A neighboring theatre has a blown bulb and no spare, and wants to know if we can sell them a bulb....they have a Xetron XH Series YXL lamphouse and we have a Christie CL20 (2000w). Can anyone tell me if our bulb would work in their lamp? EDIT Sorry I posted this in the wrong forum inadvertently - if a mod spots this could you move it to FHF? Thanks!  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 06-23-2009 07:23 PM                     Need to know more about the Xetron lamphouse; there are several different adapters to allow different bulbs to fit. I couldn't find a CL20 lasmp on Christie's web site. The CXL20 has a threaded cathode end; most but not all Xetrons tended to use a non-threaded bulb.  |  IP: Logged Jim Cassedy Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1661 From: San Francisco, CA Registered: Dec 2006 posted 06-23-2009 07:25 PM                     Generally speaking, a 2000Watt bulb is a 2000watt bulb. (remember, I said "generally") I'm not familiar with this particular lamp or lamphouse, but the main problem they might have is in mounting it. I've got several different types/vintages of lamphouses and on several of them, the negative end has to screw into a mounting bracket or a wire with a threaded socket on the end. This type requres that the "tit" on the cathode end has threads on it. On a couple of my other lamps the negative end is held in place by a current carrying clamp. Same thing on the positive side. Some bulbs clamp the positive end into a "live" curent carrying clamp. On other lamphouses, the clamp is insulated &the bulb must get the positive voltage from a cable attached directly to the anode end of the bulb assembly. The long and short of it is that in a pinch, I've been able to get any 2000W bulb to work in any of my lamphouses until a proper replacement can be obtained. In the end, it all may depend on the level of creativity and experience of the guy who is installing the bulb at the other theater. If he's a good tech he can probably make it work. I know this doesn't directly answer your question, but it's "my two cents worth" of advice.  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-23-2009 07:31 PM                        John W - Sorry I mistyped -- ours is indeed a CXL20. I don't have any more info on the Xetron lamp -- these are brand new people in the business and that's all they gave me so far. They don't have a tech yet from what I've been able to find out. Supposedly they ordered a new bulb from some distributor in the eastern US via "overnight" shipping and it did not arrive today. They are hoping to open Transformers tomorrow night and they are in panic mode. (I already told them they should have ordered TWO bulbs so as to have a spare.)  |  IP: Logged John Walsh Film God Posts: 2490 From: Connecticut, USA, Earth, Milky Way Registered: Oct 1999 posted 06-23-2009 07:41 PM                     The theater will need to look on a bulb or if they still have a box left over. Their bulb could be a 'long' or a 'short' 2000 watt, with a threaded end or not. In the manuals section, there is a lamphouse manual with a chart showing the different adapters. A quick check is to look at the cathode end. My guess you will find that their cathode end is not threaded. Since yours is, they are not interchangable.  |  IP: Logged Brad Miller Administrator Posts: 17775 From: Plano, TX (36.2 miles NW of Rockwall) Registered: May 99 posted 06-23-2009 08:33 PM                     I concur with John. I don't think it will work. Regardless, I do hope they understand that a xenon bulb is not like an ordinary light bulb. It would be bad if they were handling the glass and being rough with it when they put it in, or if they didn't know how to properly focus the light and end up blistering their print. Edit - you said they were going to be playing Transformers. Crank that light down!!!  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-23-2009 09:45 PM                     Nope...a CXL-20 isn't going in a Xetron anything. It has the HTP cathode...Xetron/Neumade can only take either the CXL-20R or the CXL-20SC, with suitable adapters. And not all 2K sizes are created equal at all. Generally, the HS versions are more light efficient with the right reflectors. Steve  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 06-23-2009 10:02 PM                        fyi; many General Cinema Xetron systems did take the CXL-20 style bulbs. Many are still in service and remain "uncon verted" to normal Xetron (non threaded) standards. We can always ship same day if ordered by 4 pm and credit is approved. Louis  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-23-2009 10:27 PM                     You need to ask them what the negative pin on their lamp looks like Mike. If their's is straight and not threaded then your lamp won't work in their lamphouse. It's that simple... You take the CXL-20 lamp with the 13mm(?) threaded end. Mark  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-24-2009 12:13 AM                        Found out a while ago that their bulb does not have a threaded end and they have no adaptors of course, so I'm not able to help them. Thanks all for the quick responses, it's appreciated. I think Claco has a tech in the area so apparently they are attempting to hook up with him to get this resolved before tomorrow night. If I were them I would have had a "soft" opening with some less-blockbusterish movie, but they're determined to make a splash with Transformers - hope they can pull it off.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 06-24-2009 03:33 AM                     Agree with Steve. Be the standard 20R, or the XBO-2000W of Osrams. ..what we burned in our XETRON XHC-35 consoles back with MANN Theatres ...  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-24-2009 06:45 AM                     I know of many Xetrons that want the CXL-20HS (XB02000HS)...never saw an adapter for HTP style ends for a Xetron but I'll take your word for it Louis. About all I've seen that made adapters for HTP style lamps for their lamphouses are Kinoton...their focus rack is set so far back that they have the room to make adapters for most ANY lamp style work. Though an HTP type lamp in an adapter, unless it has a collet, doesn't thrill me from a connection standpoint. At least on the 1000s and 1600s, the threads are more aggressive, have the pins to get more leverage on and also top out at 75A...with an HTP style lamp, you may have a 7KW lamp in there runing over 165A. Steve  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-24-2009 07:22 AM                     Theaters all over Wyoming with Xetron lamphousess all take CXL-20's. Mark  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-24-2009 05:00 PM                     I stand corrected...Xetron/Neumade most definitely has offered HTP fittings for their lamphouses/consoles for quite some time, as it appears (checked old and newer manuals). Even going back to the dreaded front spider assembly...there as a version to accept the CXL-20 anode. Never seen any configured like that in this area but clearly HTP has been popular in other parts. Steve  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 06-24-2009 09:38 PM                        I guess the Montana Theatre in Miles City was able to help them out with a bulb. So hopefully they are currently showing Transformers to a packed house.  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 2 pages: 1  2

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.