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

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Strong Super Lume-x Lamphouse (UK)

Author Topic: Strong Super Lume-x Lamphouse (UK) Michael Harlow Expert Film Handler Posts: 170 From: Faversham, Kent, UK Registered: Jul 2002 posted 09-11-2012 01:29 PM                     Hi There, We have aquired a Super Lumex lamphouse from another UK cinema (now out of business) and have a strange question. All instruction books and the data plate say it is 115v Ac for the blower / ignitor, yet in the UK we use 240V. Do i assume that the cinema it came from was using some form of stepdown transformer? I have had a look in the lamphouse and cannot see any additional transformer etc. We will be using it with an Irem rectifier. Any thoughts please? Michael  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 09-11-2012 04:38 PM                        The output from the rectifier (23v at around 60-70a if I remember correctly) connects directly to the lamp, and so won't be affected by what goes to the strike unit and/or the lamphouse exhaust fan. If the actual strike unit and blower motor housings have plates on them that say 120v/60hz (the consumer AC power supply in the United States), then I would assume that they were supplied by transformers in their previous homes and that they'd also need either 230v/50hz (the consumer power supply throughout the European Union - reduced from 240v to 230 in the UK now) equivalents retrofitted to work in Britain, or a single phase US to UK voltage/frequency converter between them and the mains.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 09-11-2012 08:08 PM                        Strong rectifiers commonly had 240 to 120 volt transformers in them to run the lamphouse. Likewise the "output to rectifier relay" is 120 volt. In the US we used a small 120v relay to turn on the IREM. (240 relay)  |  IP: Logged Dave Macaulay Film God Posts: 2321 From: Toronto, Canada Registered: Apr 2001 posted 09-11-2012 09:37 PM                     The lamphouse was designed to be powered from a Strong rectifier, which supplies 120V for the lamphouse on wires 2 and 4 regardless of the rectifier input voltage. The rectifier contactor is also a 120V coil, the lamphouse sends contactor coil power back to the rectifier on wires 5 and 6 (if all interlocks are safe and the switch is on) to turn on the DC power for the lamp. The little circuit board behind the metal cover on the inside of the back panel is the autostrike unit (I think they made a DC pulse igniter model as well but I haven't seen one) which has different models (the zener diode voltage changes) depending on whether it's made for a switching or high reactance rectifier. The wrong one won't act quite right with the wrong rectifier.  |  IP: Logged Michael Harlow Expert Film Handler Posts: 170 From: Faversham, Kent, UK Registered: Jul 2002 posted 09-12-2012 11:16 AM                     Thank you all very much for your replies. You have confirmed my suspicions, this is 115V, I looked at the blower fan and ignitor circuit. So, obviously we have a bit missing. At least I did not blow the thing up !  |  IP: Logged Tony Bandiera Jr Film God Posts: 3067 From: Moreland Idaho Registered: Apr 2004 posted 09-12-2012 12:35 PM                     Michael, re-read Dave's post very carefully and you can easily figure out how to make that lamphouse work with ANY rectifier with just a bit of extra parts.  |  IP: Logged Michael Harlow Expert Film Handler Posts: 170 From: Faversham, Kent, UK Registered: Jul 2002 posted 09-13-2012 06:41 AM                     Hi Tony, Thanks. I have got my hands of a wiring diagram. following on from what Dave and Louis has said, i think i need to grab a 240v to 120v transformer to apply power to 2 and 4, then use a relay on 5 and 6 to power up the irem. there are loads (or were) of these lamphouses being used in the UK, it just seems no one will say how to do it. will see how i get on Michael  |  IP: Logged Pete Naples Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1565 From: Dunfermline, Scotland Registered: Feb 2001 posted 09-14-2012 03:23 AM                     You're right. There are or were loads of these lamphouses here, with good reason. On the subject of getting it to work, you just need to ask the right people Although all the info you need is up ^^ there.  |  IP: Logged Louis Bornwasser Film God Posts: 4441 From: prospect ky usa Registered: Mar 2005 posted 09-14-2012 08:24 AM                        INHO: that lamp and rectifier might be the very best combination ever. Reliable and bright with excellent bulb life. Louis  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

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.