8mm Forum: New member with Bolex 18-5 problem

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Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 06, 2016, 08:38 PM:

Greetings all and thanks for the add to your site. I'm hoping someone can enlighten me on a issue I'm having with my 8mm Bolex. The other night we were watching old home movies and after reloading another movie the projector lamp wouldn't work. motor runs fine belts are new so I figured the bulb must of went so I purchased 2 new correct bulbs and figured I was good to go, nope no lamp. Cleaned all surfaces with emery paper
tried 3 different bulbs and nothing. Could it be the switch has a problem? Any help and direction would be very helpful. Thanks Tom

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 06, 2016, 10:44 PM:

As good and reliable the 18-5 projector is, their weak spot is the switch. Unfortunately, I know of no simple fix. The switch problem, when there is one, invariably is related to the lamp, just as in your case.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 07, 2016, 03:41 AM:

Hi Tom

I have one doing the exact same thing at the moment [Frown]

however I don't feel all is lost and will have a look at the switch etc when I have more time later next week.

I am sure I can work something out to bring it back to life, will get back to you next week.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 07, 2016, 09:20 AM:

That would be great Graham, I did take off the switch housing and was peeking around it but wasn't sure how to proceed from there so i put it back together. I figure there must be something a person can do so I'm holding out hope for your success. Thanks for your replies guys. I finally happened upon about 200 movies my grandparents and my folks made from the late 50's and early 60's and it was great watching them before the bulb issue. I really love this old Bolex so I may have to watch Ebay to see if I can find another working one. If I can't figure out the problem,
Thanks Tom

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 07, 2016, 10:34 AM:

Tom, the Bolex 18-5 is a superb 8mm projector. I have had mine for 40 years now and it still performs flawlessly, and has never scratched a frame of film. Beautiful rock steady projection and a very sharp picture. Even the control knob handle still glows in the dark! It is the only projector which I entrust with my 60 year old Kodachrome home movies.
If you can't fix that switch I would definitely get another 18-5.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 07, 2016, 11:18 AM:

I agree with Paul about getting another one. Since you have the power cord, you may be able to get one for a reasonable price on Ebay. Many of them sold there are without the cord.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 07, 2016, 05:46 PM:

I'm currently watching a few on Ebay right now, but just trying to see which one looks the best. I might even check out the super 8 models because i have a few old Castle horror films to watch as well.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 08, 2016, 10:38 AM:

If you find a super 8 model you like, ask the seller if it is the newer model with the halogen lamp or the older model with the "Spaceman" lamp. You would want the newer model as the lamp for the older model is VERY expensive and becoming hard to find. It is not made anymore. It is not the same lamp as the one that you have in you 8mm.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 08, 2016, 11:04 AM:

Good info Barry is there any way of looking at the pictures to tell if it's the newer model? Another question Barry is there another good super 8 model you would recommend? Maybe even a good sound one. I'm still going to grab another 18-5 I really like them
Thanks Barry

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 08, 2016, 07:25 PM:

Tom, you need to see a picture of the projector with the lamp housing cover off. If the lamp is in the projector, it will be very obvious. If the lamp is not there, the older projector will have a socket showing at the base. The newer one will have two wires connected to a white ceramic two pin connector that would be plugged into the back of the newer lamp. You can search this forum for suggestions about the best projectors. For recommendations, what price range are you looking at? I am very partial to the Sankyo 2000H as it runs both regular 8mm and Super 8mm without changing out parts. They also make sound models. I have a 700 and like it. Elmo is also a very good choice for a sound projector. If you get a projector on ebay, it is a crap shoot. I have had pretty good luck, but at a minimum you will likely need to replace some belts. Ask before you bid. If you don't see mention of a power cord or a pic of it, ask if it is included. Ask if it has been tested with film. Most of the sellers pick the projectors up at sales and will say they have no film to test it with. Many write narratives that are intentionally very vague. Plugging it in and "hearing the motor hum" tells you very little about the condition. Also, if you are planning on bidding on a projector, go to donsbulbs.com and enter the make and model in the equipment search box. Determine what type of lamp it takes. There are a number of Bell & Howell and other brands that use a very expensive lamp. You can check Don's prices which are about triple what you would pay elsewhere, but if you Google the three letter lamp designation you will be able to go to sites and ebay and see what the lamp sells for.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 08, 2016, 07:48 PM:

Right now I'm thinking I will look for a dedicated Super 8 and than down the road invest in a sound machine. I just would like to find one that is pretty much trouble free or easy to work on if need be.. So far all the Bolex 18-5L supers on Ebay have the old spaceman bulbs in them but i'm waiting to hear back from a couple sellers. As far as my price range goes i suppose a couple hundred dollars give or take for a good Super8. I didn't find any Sankyo 2000 on ebay at this time to look at.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 08, 2016, 10:39 PM:

If you don't have one, you should get a digital multimeter. With it you could test continuity of bulbs and also measure voltage to your lamp socket. Also useful for dozens of other things.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 10, 2016, 09:04 PM:

I do have a couple meters Barry so I will do some checking. Right now I'm waiting for a gentleman to get back to me on a 18-5 i enquired about, but I did pickup a Bolex SM8 that I'm looking forward to get and try it out. Price was very reasonable so I thought I would give it a try. We will see how it performs.
Thanks

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 11, 2016, 07:43 PM:

Hi Tom

Well that was an easy fix [Big Grin]

Tom what I did was to remove the three little screws that hold the switch in place and on the back.. the electrical side.. there are two "large red" wires. One comes from the transformer to the switch and the other to the lamp itself. Using an ohm meter I checked across the switch and it was fine.

Anyway, even though I had cleaned the lamp holder base I had not cleaned the solder part of the lamp itself.

I used some 320 or 400 grade wet and dry emery paper giving both the lamp and the lamp holder a good polish up this time and that did the trick...bingo the lamp works [Cool]

While I still had the switch pulled out, I sprayed CRC Contact cleaner a number of times directly into the electrical side of the switch at the same time rotating the switch a number of times...giving the contacts a real workout.

On the safety side of things, make sure the mains lead is removed altogether from the projector when you are doing any of this work, also make sure contact cleaner in given plenty of time to evaporate.

Tom my feeling is that if you again clean the contact side of both the base of the lamp, and polish up that flat contact strip on the lamp holder with emery paper you might just be back in business.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 11, 2016, 07:51 PM:

No end to the expertise and help you get on this forum. [Smile]

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 11, 2016, 10:38 PM:

Good catch Graham. I didn't think to mention that. It is amazing how a bit of corrosion can put lamps out of order. It is especially true of the newer halogen lamps with the two small pins. Something that should always be checked first.
Tom, if you don't have the User Manual for the SM8, I have a PDF of it.

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 13, 2016, 01:14 AM:

Barry

I totally agree regarding those pins. I have had the odd new spare lamp, and because I have had them a while in storage the pins have corroded away, which makes the lamp useless.

I did buy some Osram lamps lately, and they are much better looking in the pin department, so I am now totally sold on Osram [Smile]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on April 13, 2016, 05:26 AM:

Always your best bet Graham! [Smile]

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 13, 2016, 05:45 PM:

Thanks for the help everyone, I will give the emery paper another try maybe I didn't do it good enough. Plus I will test the 3 lamps tonight but I wouldn't think all 3 were bad. Of coarse my luck you just never no.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 13, 2016, 08:45 PM:

Well I cleaned up everything real good. Tried checking the bulbs but I'm not getting any continuity on the 3 bulbs. I even gave them a little touchup. Is there a trick to checking these or am I missing something? Maybe I do have 3 bad lamps. What are the chances of that. Lol

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 14, 2016, 12:16 AM:

Hi Tom

Did you remove the lamp to check its continuity? did you check your meter first, and that its working by making contact by touching both the probes together? lastly if it is the lamps you can put your meter across in the lamp holder one being the strip that makes contact with the base of the lamp with your "positive probe" the other probe onto the earth that's "anywhere" on the metal holder itself you should getting a reading of 8 volts "AC"

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 14, 2016, 01:27 AM:

Hi Ritchie,

Yes I removed the lamp from the holder and was checking for continuity that way. ( Oh meter is working) Last I checked for voltage with projector running. i had probe on strip that makes contact with bottom of the lamp other on the lamp holder. It reads 9 volts. On my meter.I hope Im doing this right seems logical to me. Im not a electrical wiz.
Thanks Tom

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 14, 2016, 03:17 AM:

Hi Tom

Skip the Ritchie bit...its Graham [Smile]

Tom if you are getting the 8 volts AC, then without doubt its your lamps. I am surprised you have three duds on your hands, but it certainly sounds like it. Can you still get them?

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 14, 2016, 08:57 AM:

That was my next question Graham. What is the best place to pick up another Lamp? These were all Phillips (stock lamps) off EBay.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 14, 2016, 09:52 AM:

You can check the continuity of the lamps with your multimeter.
Top Bulbs in the USA sells the CXL/CXR lamps, and they have a 30day guarantee on them. The CXL is the 'Robby the Robot' lamp, and the CXR is a more conventional lamp with an internal elliptical reflector. They are interchangeable in the 18-5 projector, and as far as I can tell they give about the same screen illumination. They are not cheap, but mine seem to last a long time, and I have never had a problem with Top Bulb:

http://www.topbulb.com/cxl-bulb-50w-8v-6-25a-t8-incandescent-cxl?___SID=U

Posted by Maurice Leakey (Member # 916) on April 14, 2016, 10:03 AM:

Tom
Are you sure that the contacts on your lamps have not corroded?. Do they have a white coating?
Lamps that have been in storage for a long time often get that way. The corrosion can be removed by gently scraping with an item such as a scalpel.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 14, 2016, 10:48 AM:

Everything looks great. What is the best way to test the spaceman bulb. Checking to see if my method is right.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 14, 2016, 11:47 AM:

Set your meter to OHMS or CONTINUITY. Place one probe on the center contact of the bulb and the other probe on the bright metal barrel part. You should get a reading of some kind, which indicates that the filament is ok. No reading- then contacs are corroded or filament is broken.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 14, 2016, 12:09 PM:

Just what I have been doing. Looks like new lamp time. Called them and I was informed they were out of stock. Darn
Thanks

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 14, 2016, 12:36 PM:

Double check that you have your meter set right, and the probes in the right sockets, by placing the probe contacts together. You should get a continuity indication from the meter.

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 14, 2016, 12:40 PM:

Most meters will beep when there is continuity. Pretty odd that all three lamps would be bad.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on April 14, 2016, 12:58 PM:

I agree Barry, the chances of purchasing 3 bad lamps seems extremely remote. But of course we don't know where he bought them, maybe from some unscrupulous seller on ebay.
I am wondering if there is a failure scenario on the transformer, where it is capable of delivering 8 volts on an open circuit voltmeter check, but cannot deliver enough current to drive the lamp to illumination?

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 14, 2016, 03:44 PM:

That's possible I guess, but there is so little history of failures with these little projectors, I have never heard of that with them. First, Tom has to get a lamp that is absolutely known to be good. If it does not work in the projector, then further analysis is needed.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 15, 2016, 12:04 AM:

I tested the lamps with 2 different meters a digital and a analog. Nothing. 1 lamp was the one that came with it and went after 10 films the other2 I picked up of Ebay for 25 bucks. So I ordered 2 new lamps tonight from another source that guys on the forum recommended. I will keep my fingers crossed! Thanks for the help and bearing with me.

Tom

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 16, 2016, 05:40 PM:

Tom

Just a thought when your new lamps arrive don't fit them until you first check them with your ohm meter....just in case.

Posted by Tom Riley (Member # 5341) on April 18, 2016, 02:09 PM:

Let there be Light!! I received the new lamps today and as Graham said check them for continuity. Did that and they did slipped her home and were back in action. Hard to believe they sent me 2 burnt out lamps. I will try emailing him and see if he will honor them. Again thanks for all the help and ideas. I have about 200 out movies to check out now!! I love success!
Tom

Posted by Graham Ritchie (Member # 559) on April 18, 2016, 02:55 PM:

Fantastic news Tom [Smile]

glad things have worked out right in the end [Smile]

Posted by Barry Fritz (Member # 1865) on April 18, 2016, 03:38 PM:

Good to hear!

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