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Author Topic: Strong Switcher with low current Cameron Andrews Film Handler Posts: 29 From: Rexburg, ID 83440 Registered: Apr 2009 posted 09-30-2010 11:21 AM                     Hi everyone. I have an unusual problem I hope someone can help me with. I have a strong switcher 62-00017 hooked to a Big Sky Lamphouse running a 4200 Watt bulb. I can only get 109 Amps out of it. The electrical connection is a delta 3-phase getting 245 across all legs. I switched the supply out for one that was tested in a shop and worked fine (on a 3-phase 230V connection). I thought maybe there is an over current protection circuit that steps it down if the voltage is too high, but its rated for 240 so is 245 really too high? I tried running it on single phase 245 and it actually improved (by about half an amp, but hey, it's improvement). I tried putting in a step-down transformer to get it down to 230V. The low legs of the delta were at 230, but the high leg was at 260V. The result... 109 Amps. I'm out of ideas. Any insight from someone who knows more about switchers than me would be great. Thanks guys! Additional info: The bulb has about 400 hours on it and when it was removed from the old lamphouse it worked fine at 140 amps.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 09-30-2010 12:30 PM                     Have you tried a different bulb? And obviously all connections are super tight? Is that switcher hard wired or have the MS plug on it? Are the lamp leads rather on the warm side heading into the lamphouse? I'd stick with the 230VAC input since the input voltage has nothing to do with amp output since that's all controlled by the "volume control" pot...which in itself could be bad in not allowing you to 'crank up' the amperage. In the "Manuals" section, there is a page for this switcher with some helpful info for one to look at... Some areas for starters .... good luck-Monte  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-30-2010 01:53 PM                     Cameron, there is an internal trimpot on the main board which allows you to set the maximum current output...it may be that it was never set from the factory (or someone had reset it for whatever reason). The manual shows the location. (Page 14 of manual, page 17 of the file here). It is VR1, just to the left of the dip switches. You have to remove the gazillion screws holding on the cover to get to it. Set the adjustment pot on your lamphouse to max, and carefully turn VR1 up until you get the max lamp current for the 4.2k bulb (or the max you want to run the bulb at). Or it could as Monte suggested be loose leads inside the unit, which has been a problem of late from Ballenswine. Their QC has never been that great but they seem to go thru fits of problems. If you open up that switcher, wait at least 10 minutes after you power it off (at the breaker panel, or undo the twistlock input otherwise the internal breaker will still be live on one side) and be very careful what and where you touch. Things can be very warm or still have enough juice to give you a shock. I have two of the switchers that, brand new, will frequently light a 2k bulb and hang up at 27amps. After you turn it off and back on again they'll come up to normal.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 09-30-2010 05:13 PM                     quote: Tony Bandiera Jr I have two of the switchers that, brand new, will frequently light a 2k bulb and hang up at 27amps. After you turn it off and back on again they'll come up to normal. I had one (small gray case) that would do that too. I never could figure out why it would do that or for that matter how it was able to ignite the lamp and keep it lit at ~27 amps (yes the light output was dim). At first I thought it was a the amp meter hanging up, but like you I would power it off and back on and it would come right up to the normal amp output. Alas, its no longer in service since the screen was converted to digital.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 09-30-2010 05:18 PM                     ..and if their V.1 compacts suitcases (the one with the 8 LED's and black case),they're dinosaurs for a repair/exhchange. I think that STRONG still does repair/exchange on V.2 (grey case with the 4 LED's), but don't know for how long.. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-30-2010 05:49 PM                     Jeremy: Can you get the serial number off it and post here? I am curious if it is of the same "lot" or production run as the ones I have. Monte, the ones I have (and I think the one Jeremy has) are the current production units. I kinda miss the older ones with the more extensive diagnostic LEDS on them...IIRC the current models still have the spaces on the boards for the full LED set. Anyone from Strong still on here care to explain WTF is up with these things? Why are they hanging up at 27 amps of all values?  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 09-30-2010 11:57 PM                     What does the rectifier list as its output range  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 10-01-2010 01:13 AM                     I'll get that SN when I go back Monday. One other thing I remember about that switcher is that I got buzzed when I touched the case when trying to do some trouble shooting. My upper arm was touching the console (Super Highlight (1988)) and when I grabbed the switcher to move it over I got zapped pretty good. I could put a volt meter with one lead on the switcher case and the other grounded to the console and get 120v reading. Strong told me to make sure the switcher ground strap was connected to the consoles earth ground lug. After that I had no further shocks, but the intermittent 27 amp output problem still occurred.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-01-2010 09:30 AM                     SN isn't needed but the output rateing is the shock issue is interesting since it is an aluminum case so there should be nothing inducted to it I think one of the devices has shorted to the case inside also for there to be a potential difference between the console and the rectifier case means that one of those two devices doesn't have a ground in its main connection  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 10-01-2010 12:48 PM                     Gordon, the serial number is needed in this case as I am trying to find out if his p/s is in the same range as the ones I have. I want to know how widespread the problem is. As for the shock issue Strong's switchers have always had what Strong calls "high leakage current" and the early consoles with switchers had labels in them near the grounding lug that said something like "Warning: High leakage current, console MUST be grounded." And Cameron's supply is supposed to be good for up to 5,000 watts according to the manual.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 10-01-2010 02:13 PM                     Leakage currents still should not be an issue if both devices had proper grounding on there mains as well  |  IP: Logged Cameron Andrews Film Handler Posts: 29 From: Rexburg, ID 83440 Registered: Apr 2009 posted 10-01-2010 10:57 PM                     Sorry, I haven't been able to get back to respond! I don't think it is a problem with the switcher because it was tested off-site on 230V and worked just fine. I am definitely going to try changing the trim pot inside. The fact that I get the same output with single phase and 3-phase suggests to me that there is some current limiting going on somewhere. I'll try that first and let you know. It is rated for 3-5k and can run on 208/240 single or 3-phase. The leads are not warm and connections all appear to be tight, but the connection on the negative side of the bulb is a beast to access in the big sky units. I have also tried it on another bulb (CXL-40SC) with the same result. All in all, I'm still very happy with this Big Sky though. Quick testimonial for Big Sky: I switched from an ORC 4500 console running 4200W bulb. This unit with its problems is only giving me about 3000W and the light output is many times better than the old system. I can't wait to see what it will do at 4200W. Thanks for the help. I'll let you know what I learn. P.S. I have a strong switcher on a 2K unit at the indoor and it occasionally hangs up on 27 amps too. Shut it down, turn it back on, and all is well. Guess that's another argument to use again supporters of remote/timer starts!  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 10-01-2010 11:19 PM                     Thanks for the update Cameron. Keep us posted. And if you get a chance get the serial number of the 2k that hangs at 27 amps..I sense a major trend. To Cameron, Jeremy and anyone else with the "27 amp hang" issue, please respond on THIS THREAD. Oh, and properly designed electrical equipment should NEVER have a "high leakage current" as part of its design. I am curious as to how Strong got that past UL and other testing agencies.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 10-02-2010 02:47 AM                     quote: Tony Bandiera Jr I am curious as to how Strong got that past UL and other testing agencies. ..lol, why do you think that they get the nickname "Wrong International" from some of the tekkies... I bet some of the tekkies can pool a large collection of stories, combine them into a novel and it'd be on the best seller's list.  |  IP: Logged

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