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Author Topic: IREM remote ignition question Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-11-2012 01:39 AM                     Hey gang, I've got an IREM N3-X75DM rectifier that won't start up on it's own. The specific symptom is the big 3-phase relay immediately after the 3-phase input terminals doesn't engage. The circuit from the ON switch closes perfectly as soon as the lamphouse fan is up to speed and the connection to the relay is good and solid. Manually pushing down on the top of the contactor so the contacts meet strikes the lamp right up. It's just not doing it on it's own. So, does this mean I have to replace this relay/contactor? My supplier hasn't been able to get ahold of any IREM rectifier parts lately for some reason. So will a contactor like this one from Grainger suffice? Thanks in advance for the help!  |  IP: Logged Steve Guttag We forgot the crackers Gromit!!! Posts: 12814 From: Annapolis, MD Registered: Dec 1999 posted 01-11-2012 06:41 AM                     The IREM contactor, if it isn't modified, is a 4-pole contactor, not 3-pole. The coil voltage is 220V, not 120. Are you measuring 200-240 across the coil when the lamphouse is requesting the rectifier to pull in? -Steve  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-11-2012 01:20 PM                     Let's look at the simple first: Check ALL of your lamphouse interlocks...doors, fan airflow, stack airflow, first. Nine times out of ten that is the real problem..and will be revealed if as Steve suggested you are NOT seeing the voltage at the contactor coil. If you have the correct voltage at the contactor, then yes, the contactor coil is bad and needs to be replaced. What model lamphouse are we talking about here?  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-11-2012 05:40 PM                     All the safety's are closed properly -- the only one that wasn't hacked out and bypassed at some point in the past seems to be the sail switch for the airflow actually. I think I've got it now. There's 120vac going to the coil when the switch is flipped because one leg of the 3-phase is jumpered to one side of the on/off switch but there is no second leg nor ground going to the other side of the coil. Weird.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-11-2012 07:13 PM                     Have you checked the rated coil voltage of the contactor if you are seeing only 120 vac across the coil and it is a unmodified irem then the control end of the circuit has a issue If someone changed out the contactor to 120vac coil ( have been there done it sorry no video) then all bets are off as to how the rectifier is wired  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-11-2012 10:34 PM                     quote: There's 120vac going to the coil when the switch is flipped because one leg of the 3-phase is jumpered to one side of the on/off switch but there is no second leg nor ground going to the other side of the coil. Weird. So you're saying there is no physical wire connected to the "other" side of the coil? Electrically "impossible" for it to have ever worked. Dominic, we need to know what make and model lamphouse. Did this come on suddenly? BTW, if you have an open leg of the 208/220/240 going to the contactor, and are using a digital multimeter, you CAN still read 120 volts at the coil even with an open leg. It is called phantom voltage, and the only way to confirm it is or isn't is to use a solenoid style tester (commonly known as a "wiggy") to confirm the actual reading present at the coil. IIRC on IREMS it is common for one side of the coil to be attached to one of the incoming legs of the rectifier power, and the second leg to the contactor is fed from the lamphouse. The fact you mention that some of the safeties have already been hacked/bypassed still tells me that you have an open safety issue somewhere. Pictures would help here too. Take one of the contactor clearly showing all wires and one of the lamphouse connections.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-12-2012 03:10 AM                     Heh. This lamphouse is a nightmare of safety issues. I strongly believe "the show must go on" but I personally hate when something isn't complete. I digress. The coil says 110vac on it. In either case I think the switch is just hooked up wrong. The unit was a salvage to replace that blown orc I had in this screen. When it was pulled from service the contractor was cut out for some reason. Im going back today so will have more details. Its in an old cinemechanica console with a maxi 8 automation.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-12-2012 02:27 PM                     Got it going. The lamphouse neutral wasn't connected to the other side of the coil. the other unit like this that I was looking at for reference had been hacked goofily. the neutral on that one was going straight to the coil bypassing the barrier strip on the rear panel of the rectifier.  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 01-14-2012 06:26 PM                     Glad to hear you got it going and thanks for updating us!! Next time I'm heading up North I'll shoot you a PM, maybe I can come in and do a PM call for you.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 01-14-2012 06:45 PM                     That sounds like a pretty good idea since a certain tech friend in the area is relocating to join the Jedi alliance... Working or not film-techers are always welcome to visit!  |  IP: Logged

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