troubleshoot

[Dreadpoet]

I need help troubleshooting an instrument. I have a lampbase for a 360q-6x12 from altman that is being snarky. It will light when I plug it in directly to the wall, but not when I try to plug it in to its 3 pin circuit or bing when plugged into a GAM check. I have checked the lamp and the connections to the 3pin. I would've checked the end going into the lamp housing, but it is masked by porcelin (the wires go directly into its porcelin housing). It looks like the posts inside of the lamp housing mabey a little "smokey." But I can't really clean these well.

Any solutions...other than just replacing it.

[zac850]

It works when you plug it directly into the wall but no other time?

First off, it seems to be a stagepin plug, how are you plugging that into the wall? Is this an edison outlet and your using an adaptor? Are you plugging directly into a dimmer? Are you sure that the power is on when your testing this on the cable?


To troubleshoot, I'd try checking the plug, since you may have kinked it one way that got it to work, but the cables are otherwise stripped or loose. In the cap, again, check for loose cables. To deal with the carbon buildup in the socket where you put the lamp, try using a pipe cleaner (go steal one from a pre-k kid).

[Van]

What Zac said, and in addition it's possible that the lamp base itself it toast. If it's "smokey" that might not be a problem, If the contacts down inside are severly eroded due to a long term fit problem then you lamp pins may be arcing this might cause intermittent outtages, which might render you wall vs. dimmer problem merely coincidental.

[Grog12]

It sounds like he checked the connector on the instrument. Follow zac's advice and double check the dimmer its plugged into. Plug something you know works into it. Is there cable between your instrumetn and where you're plugging it in? What about the female plug on the ciruit?

[Dreadpoet]

It was just using a female threepin to male edison to check the instrument against wall circuit instead of through the dimmer.

This is what I have found...
there are two problems on the instrument. One was a small amount of carbon buildup...probably due to someone using a lamp not rated for the instrument. (I found a bunch of FEL's in stock before I got here)

The second problem is due to the lamp not fitting into the base very well. When I would get it up into front of house it wouldn't work because the lamp would have wiggled loose by then. When I would get it down to the floor it would work much better...I'm thinking that there was a slight arc being created between the lamp post and the lamp housing. This is why the instrument was probably working better when plugged directly into the wall. I'm guessing.

My resolution is to try and find a way for the FLK lamp to fit and touch both posts without shifting when moved...the way Altman intended. I think this might have actually been a manufacturer error. But sense we've owned this instrument for 3+ years...I don't think they'll replace

[JD]

Also check that the ground and neutral are not reversed on the fixture. The lamp would light with an adapter in a properly grounded outlet, but might not if the ground path was bad. Needless to say, if this is the case you have a fixture that should be flagged, but may also have tipped you off to another problem. (bad ground path) Worth checking.

[icewolf08]

You could put a new lamp base in the lamp cap. They aren't expensive, and it should solve your fit and arc issues.

[Footer]

Originally Posted by icewolf08

You could put a new lamp base in the lamp cap. They aren't expensive, and it should solve your fit and arc issues.

I am a huge fan of the supersocket by Ushio (C3A order number) that production advantage sells. They list for about 15 bux. I have found that the lamp base usually fries before the lamp in some cases. The second a base starts going it takes a perfectly good lamp with it. I have had gamchecks give me a no go because they dont have to power to arc the lamp, which you obviously have when your hookup up to a 110 socket.

[ship]

JD, Very impressive thing to check as a concept. Not so infrequent a plug is mis-wired. Well worth verifying while the plug is open under preliminary inspection. Also tug on the conductors inside the plug to verify they have not been cut or broken both under the terminal and at the strain relief which would cause a intermittent contact issue.

A lamp that is fitting loosely within the lamp base, not holding by way of it’s pins or pressure fitting is a lamp in a bad lamp base. Doesn’t always matter if it’s charred, a lamp not supported inside the lamp base is a no good lamp base. And no, it’s not warranty either. This especially after FEL’s potentially have been in it.

Most likely if the lamp is loose within the lamp base, that’s the cause of your problem. In some positions the lamp has good or loosely good contact, in others it won’t. This by way of focusing or bumping the lamp or even expansion & contraction of metals could cause flickers etc. Potentially the 120v could be enough power to arc in working thru a bad contact.

To the best of my knowledge Altman has not recognized the C3A for use in their fixtures. Could be wrong in having time to have tested it & perhaps now saying it’s okay to use. While a often recommended lamp base for use in the fixture, check earlier postings on this lamp base for the why & the ones Altman does specify.