Mac 550 Lamp Error

Colin Bishop

ValleyPoint Church AVL Tech
So I've got a Mac 550 that stopped working. The lamp has all been blacked out on the inside. I swapped it for a new lamp and that lamp didn't come up either in the fixture. I tried the same new lamp in a different fixture to make sure it wasn't defective and it isn't. Does this sound like the ballast or the igniter in the 550 and does anybody have any leads for parts or suggestions for me?
 
I would disconnect your cables from the ballast and meter it to see if you have any voltage coming out of the ballast. Also check the fuses in the ballast to see if they all have continuity and have not blown. If that works I would meter the in coming current of the ignitor card, the end that comes from the ballast. DO NOT METER THE OUTPUT OF THE IGNITOR CARD THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE LAMP, that can be dangerous. If everything is working after you have done that I would recommend swapping the ignitor card with a known working one.
 
I would disconnect your cables from the ballast and meter it to see if you have any voltage coming out of the ballast. Also check the fuses in the ballast to see if they all have continuity and have not blown. If that works I would meter the in coming current of the ignitor card, the end that comes from the ballast. DO NOT METER THE OUTPUT OF THE IGNITOR CARD THAT GOES DIRECTLY TO THE LAMP, that can be dangerous. If everything is working after you have done that I would recommend swapping the ignitor card with a known working one.
Any idea what the voltage coming out of the ballast would look like?
 
Alright, here is my new predicament.

With another 550 today, I had a lamp go out on me. Replaced the lamp as it had go bad, bubbles on the bulb. Now however, unlike my other 550 the lamp will strike, but then after about 5 or so minutes the lamp will go out. So the lamp is able to ignite and maintain being on for 5 or so minutes. It will even come backup with another strike, but the still go out. With my other 550 with the ballast that was bad, it wouldn't come up at all. With that said, I do not want to spend the money on a other ballast/parts unit at this point. I have one parts unit with the ballast that went bad on me, is there any way to persay combine this half working ballast with the broken one? Could it be a power supply issue as well?
 
Sounds like a temp sensor in the second one not the ballast.
 
Sounds like a temp sensor in the second one not the ballast.

So I ended up replacing some fand that seem to have failed in the light, they were not spinning, the fans next to the lamp. It is still cutting out however, after just lamping in on a few times I was able to get the light to stay on, but it's a new day now and I don't want to have to rely on lamping on a bunch of tines to get it going. Any ideas how to fix a temp sensor?
 
Can’t fix it. Replace it.

Fans are need to dissipate heat. You should replace that first. The temp sensor might be fine and working as intended to stop the guts from overheating.
 
Can’t fix it. Replace it.

Fans are need to dissipate heat. You should replace that first. The temp sensor might be fine and working as intended to stop the guts from overheating.
So I've replaced the fans and the thermal sensor next to the lamp.
 
Well then fire it up and hold ur breath.

I've only just started now seeing DOOR errors. I think my lamp access door switch has slowly been going bad. This does not look like a fun part to replace. Any success just bypass the switch with a wire nuts or something? The manual doesn't list what header the switch connects too
 
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You would have to take a picture of it. But if the switch is at the door just jump it to test and replace if it is the cause.
 
I don't remember specifically on the 550s, but we pretty frequently jump the door sensors as part of the testing process to make sure that isn't a problem. It is extremely important you don't leave it that way, it is a pretty important safety feature.
 
I don't remember specifically on the 550s, but we pretty frequently jump the door sensors as part of the testing process to make sure that isn't a problem. It is extremely important you don't leave it that way, it is a pretty important safety feature.
Ant suggestions on how to do it?
 
It looks like the switch should be very accessible after you pull the lamp out. I don't think that has quick connects, but you can just pull the whole switch out and take a look. Shouldn't be too hard to follow the wires back to the board where they go in.

Edit: I should have added, be *extremely* careful with this. With that switch bypassed, you could strike the lamp while it is not in the fixture. It is hot, it could explode, you're dealing with very high voltages. Unfiltered UV light from the lamp is extremely bad for your eyes.
 
Like I said take some pictures if you are unsure. It’s been a while since I was inside a 550. “That’s what she said?”
 
It looks like the switch should be very accessible after you pull the lamp out. I don't think that has quick connects, but you can just pull the whole switch out and take a look. Shouldn't be too hard to follow the wires back to the board where they go in.

Edit: I should have added, be *extremely* careful with this. With that switch bypassed, you could strike the lamp while it is not in the fixture. It is hot, it could explode, you're dealing with very high voltages. Unfiltered UV light from the lamp is extremely bad for your eyes.

I will, it looked like the screws holding the switch in are in a really hard spot for a screwdriver to get too and are really tight..
 

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