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» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » How "Hot" Should A Projector Motor Get? (Page 1)

 
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Author Topic: How "Hot" Should A Projector Motor Get?
Don Furr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 509
From: Sun City, Ca USA
Registered: Nov 2002


 - posted 07-02-2011 09:47 PM      Profile for Don Furr   Email Don Furr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I just finished running a 140 minute feature and the motor is too hot to hold you hand on it. As long as I've been running projectors I've never paid any attention to how hot the motor got.
How about some motor "heat" guidelines here.

Thanks...
Don

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Bernie Anderson Jr
Master Film Handler

Posts: 435
From: Woodbridge, New Jersey
Registered: Apr 2000


 - posted 07-02-2011 10:05 PM      Profile for Bernie Anderson Jr   Author's Homepage   Email Bernie Anderson Jr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
What's the projector set up?

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 07-02-2011 10:11 PM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
...could have a bearing starting to get hung up a bit...they should be warm to the touch..

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Don Furr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 509
From: Sun City, Ca USA
Registered: Nov 2002


 - posted 07-02-2011 10:38 PM      Profile for Don Furr   Email Don Furr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
This is a Century JJ and a R3 sound head. I think I'll take the drive belt off and just let it run with no load. That should tell me if it's the bearings or a bind in the pulley/belt/sound head drive train. However it does turn very easy when I'm setting the shutter to thread.

Don

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Randy Stankey
Film God

Posts: 6539
From: Erie, Pennsylvania
Registered: Jun 99


 - posted 07-02-2011 11:08 PM      Profile for Randy Stankey   Email Randy Stankey   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Isn't the maximum temperature of a motor supposed to be 25ºC above ambient or something like that?

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Sean Weitzel
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 619
From: Vacaville, CA (1790 miles west of Rockwall)
Registered: Dec 1999


 - posted 07-02-2011 11:26 PM      Profile for Sean Weitzel   Email Sean Weitzel   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
The motor driving my JJ-3 gets hot to the touch after a feature. I probably have personally put 1800 hours on the machine since I got it and suffered no ill effects.

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Monte L Fullmer
Film God

Posts: 8367
From: Nampa, Idaho, USA
Registered: Nov 2004


 - posted 07-03-2011 12:18 AM      Profile for Monte L Fullmer   Email Monte L Fullmer   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Okey ... maybe working a bit more pulling that wider gauge film through the machine.

what about 35mm operations - gets hot as well?

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Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011


 - posted 07-03-2011 12:20 AM      Profile for Frank Cox   Author's Homepage   Email Frank Cox   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
A few years ago I walked into my projection room toward the end of the show and the soundhead motor was on fire. (The first clue was the fact that the room was full of smoke.)

I'd say that was a bit too hot...

The timing was not too bad, though, as it was just at the changeover to cyan dye soundtracks, so I got a new soundhead while I was at it.

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Lindsay Morris
Expert Film Handler

Posts: 233
From: Darlington, WA, Australia
Registered: Sep 2002


 - posted 07-03-2011 02:53 AM      Profile for Lindsay Morris   Email Lindsay Morris   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have often wondered about my Century CC drive motor temp but after looking at the nameplate on it there clearly to see is 40C temp.
During the summer season on some quite hot nights in a NON airconditioned bio box the motor is almost too hot to touch at the end of the show. But given that the ambient in the bio is probably around 30C I guess a bit more than that is well and truly normal.
Never any smell of really hot windings and it is still going well after 5 quite hot summers.

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Richard May
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1057
From: Floral Park, NY USA
Registered: Aug 2004


 - posted 07-03-2011 09:05 AM      Profile for Richard May   Email Richard May   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
I have a simplex with the same problem. It is very hot after each show. Been that way for 15 years and no issues.

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Frank Cox
Film God

Posts: 2234
From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada
Registered: Apr 2011


 - posted 07-03-2011 12:50 PM      Profile for Frank Cox   Author's Homepage   Email Frank Cox   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Richard: Is your Simplex soundhead a direct drive or a belt drive? My soundhead that burned up was a Simplex direct drive and it always ran hot. The replacement was a Simplex belt drive and it never ran as hot as the direct drive did.

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Don Furr
Jedi Master Film Handler

Posts: 509
From: Sun City, Ca USA
Registered: Nov 2002


 - posted 07-03-2011 03:35 PM      Profile for Don Furr   Email Don Furr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
As promised I removed the drive belt and began running the motor with no load 40 minutes ago. The motor housing is already heating up. I would suspect the insulation on the windings is breaking down allowing additional heat to escape to the motor housing. This is a vintage motor. I'll check it again after an hour but I'm betting is just gonna get hotter!
I'll post the results in a bit.

Don

***UPDATE***
After 1 hour 10 minutes the motor was red hot again. To the warehouse tomorrow for another motor!!!

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Tony Bandiera Jr
Film God

Posts: 3067
From: Moreland Idaho
Registered: Apr 2004


 - posted 07-03-2011 03:55 PM      Profile for Tony Bandiera Jr   Email Tony Bandiera Jr   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Ok, here's the skinny on motors:

A motor rated 40deg. C means that in can safely get as hot as 40 deg C ABOVE the ambient temperature of it's surroundings (within limits.)

A motor can operate safely at temperatures too hot to hold your hand on.

If there are no other problems, like excessive current draw, humming louder than normal or buzzing, smell of hot insulation/burning, or visible smoke or flames, then there is no need to worry.

If you are really concerned get one of those IR thermometers (or use a regular one taped to the motor shell) and get ACTUAL temperature readings. Anything below 195-200 degrees F is safe.

When in doubt, the best indicator is to throw an ammeter on the motor and check the current draw against the nameplate.

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Louis Bornwasser
Film God

Posts: 4441
From: prospect ky usa
Registered: Mar 2005


 - posted 07-03-2011 06:10 PM      Profile for Louis Bornwasser   Author's Homepage   Email Louis Bornwasser   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
btw: some motors will destroy themselves if run for long with no load. Louis

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Richard May
Phenomenal Film Handler

Posts: 1057
From: Floral Park, NY USA
Registered: Aug 2004


 - posted 07-03-2011 06:56 PM      Profile for Richard May   Email Richard May   Send New Private Message       Edit/Delete Post 
Frank, it's a belt drive with 5 star soundhead.

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