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Author Topic: Bulb ignition issues Paul Looker Film Handler Posts: 83 From: Pittsburgh, PA/United States Registered: Sep 2009 posted 01-11-2010 02:29 PM                     Hello all, here is what I'm working with. Cinemeccanica Igniter Xetron Lamp house And Power Supply Bulbs are not even trying to ignite on their own. No click. No noticeable attempt of any kind. The panic button, I'm sure it has a proper name but I've never heard it referred to otherwise, will start the bulb right up. Instantaneous, doesn't even take a second. Is this an igniter problem? Power supply? Something in the lamp house? If it is the igniter are they even serviced any more? Our regular service tech one time suggested that they were not. How long will using the panic button work? I've also heard people talking in the past saying that eventually it too will burn out or stop working or cause some kind of damage. Any insight would be appreciated. Thanks  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-11-2010 02:36 PM                     the autostrike relay or the zenier diode that feeds it are the two probable culprits  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-11-2010 02:51 PM                     The Panic button as you call it, the red push button simply sends power to the DX3 transformer creating a spark gap between the + and the - of the lamp and and with proper voltage the lamp will start. If using the button starts the lamp then there are some things you need to check. First check whether you have two wires from the auto ignite board going parallel to the red pushbutton contacts which will give a small time contact to ignite the lamp (this can also be going on the terminal board of the DX3). Then you should check whether your start relay is working and that might need a change. When you start the rectifier, the first switch on should create a contact between pins which correspond on the push button which on DX3 terminal. This can be easily checked with a continuity tester. Have in mind that if this was working before, then the problem is on the auto ignition board and not on the actual igniter since the pushbutton ignites the lamp. How far experienced are you with electronics? Demetris  |  IP: Logged Paul Looker Film Handler Posts: 83 From: Pittsburgh, PA/United States Registered: Sep 2009 posted 01-11-2010 03:00 PM                     Unfortunately not terribly experienced with electronics at all.  |  IP: Logged Demetris Thoupis Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1240 From: Aradippou, Larnaca, Cyprus Registered: Apr 2001 posted 01-11-2010 03:24 PM                     For the time being use he red button to ignite it and call your service technician for a visit and explain the problem. Inform him that the lamp DOES ignite from the red button but not automaticaly so he will know what parts he will probably need. Demetris  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-11-2010 05:12 PM                     Ya..seen plenty of autostrike relays go bad...a simple "plug and play" setup. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-12-2010 12:52 AM                        So, what exactly is the advantage of having an auto-ignite circuit, given that you are standing right there and have to push the power switch anyway? The operator can easily just push a manual igniter switch to have the lamp light. Seems like an auto-igniter is a lot of circuitry for not much advantage and more stuff that can go wrong. It's a matter of how long the duration of the pulse (longer than what's necessary could shorten the life of the bulb perhaps?), so an auto-igniter can make the pulse exactly the same duration every time. But then there are mechanical spring loaded switches that could be employed which once pushed, would make a quick connection and then break regardless of how long the switch was held down by the operator -- again a simple thing that wouldn't require a more complicated circuit with parts that can fail.  |  IP: Logged Ian Parfrey Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1049 From: Imbil Australia 26 deg 27' 42.66" S 152 deg 42' 23.40" E Registered: Feb 2009 posted 01-12-2010 01:20 AM                     Frank I'd say the auto-ignition has it's main advantage as a re-striker in the event of a power glitch or for whatever reason and the operator is not by the lamphouse when this happens. This happened to me often at a drive in I worked at in the 80's. In that situation, the autostrike on the Strong X-60C's was a godsend- but I agree they are not an absolute necessity. Cheers Ian  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 01-12-2010 04:07 AM                     Autostrikes units were mainly used on AC igniters. STRONG X-90 consoles (the early ones) units uses an AC igniter that depends on the autostrike to control the igniter when the START relay in the automation latches to strike the bulb when the "RUN" button was pushed. It's when that relay fails out is when you then have to manually ignite the bulb when the lamp rocker switch was pressed since the autostrike assembly lost contact with the automation. Later consoles went to an absurd DC Piezoelectric ignition igniter that loves to fail unnoticed. Piezoelectric design is like those hand held gas BBQ grill starters - when you hear that click is when the device inside the starter compressing the material in which current is the result by the compressing creates the spark across a given gap and ignites the propane. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 01-12-2010 03:45 PM                        I have never seen a 400x lamphouse that came with an autostrike. Every one I saw had a homemade autostriker relay added. Simple really, one zener diode, one relay and socket. Tell your technician that the igniter is good; the red button does work, just as the factory intended. Louis  |  IP: Logged

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