8mm Forum: Bauer T 600 question

This is topic Bauer T 600 question in forum 8mm Forum at 8mm Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
https://8mmforum.film-tech.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=009229

Posted by Clay Smith (Member # 4122) on June 17, 2014, 01:23 PM:

I've had a Bauer T600 for over a year now and it's been great. I run it 4-5 times a week.
I've had to replace the lamp once in that time. Last week I was screening a film and the lamp hesitated a second or two before coming on. Last night the lamp didn't come on at all and I assumed it had blown. I replaced it with a spare I thought was new and it didn't come on. Running light, sound, everthing else was fine. I inspected both bulbs and I couldn't tell if they were blown or not. I ordered some new ones this morning from the UK but I'm wondering if there might be a different problem I'm not aware of. Not an expert on these things, I appreciate any advice. Thanks, Clay

Posted by Dominique De Bast (Member # 3798) on June 17, 2014, 01:43 PM:

It may be the bulb holder. You can, but carefully as we're tlking about electricity, try to move slowly the bulb into the holder by moving it. If it lights, the problem is the bulb holder.

Posted by Clay Smith (Member # 4122) on June 17, 2014, 05:00 PM:

I went ahead and tried both bulbs as you suggested Dominique but no flicker, no lights. I'll cross my fingers and wait for the new bulbs to get here and hope that it's something as minor as that. That replacement bulb was part of a batch of bulbs I received last year so maybe it was bad. One other note. I always run the Bauer on soft light but last week I ran it on the brighter switch because of a lackluster print. I wonder if that might have anything to do with it? Anyway, thanks Dominique for the help. I'll switch over to the Eumig and catch up on some silent films for the next week or two while I wait. - Clay

Posted by Maurizio Di Cintio (Member # 144) on June 18, 2014, 02:56 AM:

You should try cleaning the lamp holder with some contact spray cleaner: have the fluid get all the way into the sockets and after a few seconds, put something metallic inside them and rub the inner contact gently (mains not connected of course!!!!).

Wait for the holder to dry up and try lighting. Let us know.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on June 18, 2014, 03:37 AM:

I, only last week, as posted on here, had to replace my lamp holder on my Beaulieu 708el stereo.They do need replacing periodically as the contacts expand and oxidize after many years of use and you find you just keep on getting an intermittent bad connection and lamp starts to dim and flicker at times due to bad connection.This isn't doing your lamps,transformer or switch contacts any favours whatsoever due to power surges from the arcing. Try checking you have voltage (15VAC) across the terminals and if you have noticed an intermittent bad connection, it is well worth changing out for a genuine new spare anyhow. These are available for the Bauer from FFR Filmtechnik among other places.

On the Bauer, Elmo and Beaulieu models, this is a fairly easy task to change the lampholder and leads out for new, right back to their original transformer and switch terminal points.
No need to try and repair existing lampholder as they are riveted together and arn't worth trying to repair. Much better to change out for new.

[ June 23, 2014, 05:00 PM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Clay Smith (Member # 4122) on June 20, 2014, 02:05 PM:

Thanks for the input Maurizio and also Andrew. I did end up cleaning the lamp holder contacts as suggested but that rogue bulb still wouldn't light. However, a set of the new replacement bulbs from Washington state (I found a closer distributer this past Tuesday) arrived this AM and.....to the delight of all, that's what it turned out to be.
Now we can screen that Casablanca print this weekend (thanks Ernie). While we were waiting, we did get to watch the silent "The Extra Girl" (1923 w/ Mabel Normand) on the Eumig. Light comedy but somewhat interesting look at early Hollywood.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 20, 2014, 02:55 PM:

This bulb doesn't do very well in sockets that only touch the pins on two sides.

Does the Bauer enclose the pins 360 degrees?

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on June 20, 2014, 03:31 PM:

pretty sure they are a "ferrule" (as in bootlace ferrules) type of grip Steve,in other words should grip entirely around the pins when new, but as I said previously, they do expand into a sloppy fit over time and cause poor contact with the pins eventually arcing due to the poor contact. When using these lamps the ceramic base and lamphouse in general does become very very hot indeed on most machines.

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 20, 2014, 05:40 PM:

Even worse is the socket in some Elmos: it grips like a thumb and finger closing on opposite sides of the pin.

-very convenient for changing lamps but forcing all that current through such a small contact area makes for a lot of heat and oxidation. (I changed mine to a ferrule style last year.)

Sockets are cheap and not hard to change: when in doubt, change it out!

Posted by Clay Smith (Member # 4122) on June 20, 2014, 07:30 PM:

It was a good lesson for me. I've contacted FFR Filteck to see if they have any in stock.

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on June 23, 2014, 12:36 PM:

Plenty of other places Clay if they are out of stock, for example Kinotechnik Rinser, Wittners etc etc

[ June 23, 2014, 05:00 PM: Message edited by: Andrew Woodcock ]

Posted by Steve Klare (Member # 12) on June 23, 2014, 01:01 PM:

Plenty Stateside as well. It's pretty common to find them sold by websites that also sell the lamps, and very often they can provide you assistance picking one out.

I remember paying something less than $10 for mine.

UBB.classic^TM 6.3.1.2