8mm Forum: NT-0 Exciter lamp: should it be on with a silent film (It's not.)

This is topic NT-0 Exciter lamp: should it be on with a silent film (It's not.) in forum 16mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

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Posted by Dan Peterson (Member # 4545) on December 18, 2014, 09:15 AM:

Hi All,
Thanks to RC in the USA, I replaced all the belts on my recently acquired Eiki NT-0.

I also replaced both the exciter lamp and the projector lamp, as well as the projector lamp housing, since the replacement bulb was not lighting up and the original housing had corrosion (I replaced it with this, and not a factory OEM Eiki housing: http://www.replacementlightbulbs.com/lampsocketqlv1.html.

The projector now projects silent films just great! Yay!

I do not yet have a sound 16mm film to test the audio. I do notice, however, that the exciter bulb is not on during normal projection operation (when the exciter lamp cover is removed).

Should the exciter lamp be obviously lit up when I'm projecting a silent film? It's not. I have double-checked that I have the belt on the correct pulleys for sound projection...
Any ideas?

Posted by Paul Mason (Member # 4015) on December 18, 2014, 10:28 AM:

Hello Dan,
The exciter lamp comes on when the amplifier is turned on as it is not needed with the amplifier off.

Posted by Dan Peterson (Member # 4545) on December 18, 2014, 10:58 AM:

Doh! I had not turned on the amp...Oh, brother! I'll try it when I get home. Thx!!

Posted by Jim Schrader (Member # 9) on December 18, 2014, 11:28 AM:

Welcome Dan,
another Minnesotan [Smile]

you probably will not want the amp on when watching a silent (double sprocket) film it sounds like a machine gun going off.

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on December 18, 2014, 02:36 PM:

The amp switch is on the volume control.

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on December 19, 2014, 01:52 AM:

Dan, if you try a sound film one day, remember to change the position of the belt to put to set the projector at 24fps ; 18 fps is for silent films.

Posted by Dan Peterson (Member # 4545) on January 05, 2015, 09:34 AM:

Thx to everyone. Sorry for the late reply!
And a shout-out to fellow Minnesotan, Jim! Old film and film projectors are a great fit as a hobby for the frigid winters up here. [Smile]

I finally got my hands on an inexpensive 16mm sound featurette from eBay. I'm happy to report that, after turning the amp ON, the exciter lamp lit, and I have a functioning sound projector!

Cheers!

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