Control/Dimming Frank Adams: Luxtrol PC24WB

[spicer]

We have a Frank Adams Light Board 1950 Vintage and one of our auto tranformers burnt. I have been able to pull and clean all the 30 plus Luxtrol Variacs, new brushes, etc. But this little auto transformer has been a hard to locate. PC24WB.

If I can find a way to download the pix, I will.

 

[STEVETERRY]

I think that is a variable resitor and not an autotransformer. What is the material of the core that the wire is wound on?

ST

 

[spicer]

I was told by a Material Science Professor at Johns Hopkins Univ. is was bakelite. The paddle, over the years of use,
severed the wound wire. From testing the two others we have on the board it goes from 0-440 ohms. I am not a lighting guy,
so when an electrician told be it was an autotransformer....I believed him. We have four great stage lighting establishments here
in Baltimore, but none can help me with anything that's over 20 years old. Thanks for the help, I need all I can get. WE have 12 big
prodctions in that fall and this resistor controls the remote variacs for the white house lights.

 

[derekleffew]

Did Frank Adams typically use Luxtrol parts inside?

spicer, you might try contacting Steve Margison at Tivoli Theatre Tour Stage who has an earlier Frank Adams board. Also try Steve Short at Lite-Trol. And since it appears only guys named Steve can help you, SteveB.

Oh, and please post pictures! We love pictures around here.

 

[spicer]

I really don't know what Frank Adams typically used, but this Luxtrol gear seems to be pretty good stuff. It has held up for 60 years and if the old guy who had been repairing the board had just trained someone else on how to repair rebuild things before he died.....would have made my life easier. Thanks, I will contact them.

 

[STEVETERRY]

It should be possible to re-wind this resistor. You will need to determine how much power it is dissipating by measuring the current flowing through one of the working units.

If you are concerned with functionality only, and not restoration correctness, and assuming the resistor is being used in a DC voltage divider setup, you could use a lower power modern potentiometer feeding a power transistor in an emitter-follower arrangement. Other arrangements are also possible if it is AC control, but you will need to make a schematic of the setup. Do you have drawings of the switchboard?

ST

 

[spicer]

ST-
Originally I was going to have it rewound, but left it in the board until I had time to drive it over to the place. In the mean time an "electrician" came in and told the boss he could fix it "no problem". He broke the bakelite the wire is wound around into three pieces, told the boss he was sorry but he couldn't do anything and left (we got a bill for $95.00). I can order a new post, cut it down to size and then have it rewound, but I would hoping someone out there had a few of these resistors laying in a corner they pulled out of an old board. I have had two lighting companies in (its AC) and both want in excess of $2000.00 to redo the three resistors in series. They all want to replace the cloth covered wires going back to the variacs, plus the 50s vintage 30 amp fuses. Something about liability.

 

[spicer]

I wish to thank everyone for all their assistance. Steve @ Lite-trol set me up. He not only has several used, but a couple NOS. Thanks again.........

 

[derekleffew]

Great news! Thanks for letting us know.

 

[ship]

Might try contacting Ken Hansen at Vara-Light/Dimatronics/Hub Electric co. (815)455-4400. Used to work for that Frank Adams company and where he currently works both stocks parts for and services the "Major" gear as with other old gear. This is the final end result for the Frank Adams brand / Major as with other brands for parts and service in often buying out the parts for discontinued lines of gear. (Nothing against the above recommendations of course in also no doubt doing good work.) Century and other pats as with Kliegl dimmer parts. Really great person 'old timer' to talk to but you had at best know your stuff as he is an old timer in the industry. But nice in no doubt helpful if you don't know your stuff yet sufficiently.

 

[spicer]

Might try contacting Ken Hansen at Vara-Light/Dimatronics/Hub Electric co. (815)455-4400. Used to work for that Frank Adams company and where he currently works both stocks parts for and services the "Major" gear as with other old gear. This is the final end result for the Frank Adams brand / Major as with other brands for parts and service in often buying out the parts for discontinued lines of gear. (Nothing against the above recommendations of course in also no doubt doing good work.) Century and other pats as with Kliegl dimmer parts. Really great person 'old timer' to talk to but you had at best know your stuff as he is an old timer in the industry. But nice in no doubt helpful if you don't know your stuff yet sufficiently.

Thanks, we actually had a catastrophic failure of our house lights (controlled by three stacks of 5000 watt remote variacs), I called Ken Hansen and he thinks he may be able to help us. He seems to be a terrific gentleman.

 

[spicer]

Might try contacting Ken Hansen at Vara-Light/Dimatronics/Hub Electric co. (815)455-4400. Used to work for that Frank Adams company and where he currently works both stocks parts for and services the "Major" gear as with other old gear. This is the final end result for the Frank Adams brand / Major as with other brands for parts and service in often buying out the parts for discontinued lines of gear. (Nothing against the above recommendations of course in also no doubt doing good work.) Century and other pats as with Kliegl dimmer parts. Really great person 'old timer' to talk to but you had at best know your stuff as he is an old timer in the industry. But nice in no doubt helpful if you don't know your stuff yet sufficiently.

Thank you. I called Mr. Hansen and he has been invaluable, we could really use someone with his experience here in Baltimore. Thanks again.

 

[ship]

Thank you. I called Mr. Hansen and he has been invaluable, we could really use someone with his experience here in Baltimore. Thanks again.

More details - this is a totally sleeper company and a old timer that I agree with in usefulness. So what thoughts did he have and or parts available? Flesh this fix out for us in what he helped with? Chatted with him once and a great source but on another subject.

And in above note Steve @ Lite-trol also set you up. Compare, contrast and note both sources few on the forum have used before in type of help - this given both were invaluable no doubt. See both as very useful what did you learn from them and how is either or shop equipped for supply or knowlege and service?

Say old dimmer contact both? I know ETC services dimmers no matter the brand as with most main lighting companies and dimmer makers. All can service the gear, but for really old dimmers, it would seem you tapped two very old sources for them. Thus the interest.

 

[spicer]

More details - this is a totally sleeper company and a old timer that I agree with in usefulness. So what thoughts did he have and or parts available? Flesh this fix out for us in what he helped with? Chatted with him once and a great source but on another subject.

And in above note Steve @ Lite-trol also set you up. Compare, contrast and note both sources few on the forum have used before in type of help - this given both were invaluable no doubt. See both as very useful what did you learn from them and how is either or shop equipped for supply or knowlege and service?

Say old dimmer contact both? I know ETC services dimmers no matter the brand as with most main lighting companies and dimmer makers. All can service the gear, but for really old dimmers, it would seem you tapped two very old sources for them. Thus the interest.

We have remote stack dimmers that I have cleaned, changed brushes on, etc. but we had some wires fry in the Lighting Loft and jumped off of their slide resistors. With no surviving wiring diagrams................It seems the Stack Variacs are AC but the motor that turns them is DC with a melted coverter in the middle. Ken Hansen was very patient and talked me through a couple of fixes, he had diagrams which were a big help. Well, everything works fine and I am indebted to Mr. Hansen for all his assistance. As soon as we can save up $20,000 I am going to get the lighting in our stage and auditorium updated.