Source 4 Alignment Question

Erimac

Member
I have a question that I'm hoping you folks can answer. I'm working on the summer maintenance of our venue's Source 4s and I'm finding a I'm having a problem with some of my 36 degrees. They are showing what appears to be the clips holding the lens into the barrel around the edges and/or has a bad corona effect. When I endeavor to align them they only go away sometimes- even if I get the spot right in the center and it is perfectly flattened (or so it seems- it could be I'm not getting it right on the money I guess). I've checked the barrels but that does not appear to be the problem so I am guessing it is in the lamp socket or the reflector. Can anyone offer my some insight on this?
 
That means that the lamp was originally way out of alignment. Or someone is using a 26/19 degree lens in the position of a 36 degree lens. This will not work out. The only other problem may be that the rear 36 degree lens may be knocked out of alignment, open up the barrel and take a look. Other wise, it is probably in dire need of a good bench focus session
 
I agree with Lightingguy, you should check the lens placement/alignment inside the lens tube. You should be able to get the correct setup from ETC's datasheets on each and they are available on ETC's website. You should also check the reflectors, if they are cracked, dirty or loosing their dichroic coating that could also be casing you issues.
 
I have heard of this issue before with this specific lens type. Don't remember what the outcome was. Perhaps do a search into stagecraft website in finding (if it's working) the past posts on this subject. Very sure I have heard this before, just don't remember anything about it. Could also contact ETC on it, think it is a real thing and have dealt with it also at times by way of cutting extra rubber off the rubber lens holding clips.

Than again, as with the above both also sound possible.
 
What you see are the retaining clips holding the reflector. This problem is inherent with the 36 degree Source 4. I've talked to ETC about it and...get used to seeing the clips.

This is only something i've started to see recently... I didn't see it with any of our S4's at my school, but where i work now, having to focus 36 of them in a row i'm noticing that they really have a large amount of small defects around the edges...

(side note... these fixtures also have never been benched in the space... only 3 years but still...)
 
Which generation lense tube are they? There have been several revisions, some have more issues than others.

although the most common ive found was missalignment of the rear lense in cases like this. also, check the reflector, there is occasionally enough play in it to slightly turn off center, this can affect the optics, although im not sure this is your problem here.

best option is probably to fully field strip the lense tube (clean it while your at it) and reassemble.
 
Thanks for all the advice folks. I'll try the various suggestions today and let you know how it turns out.
 
Hmm well I did some experimenting. I swapped out barrels on various units (good to bad and reverse). It appeared to make no difference. I checked several of the bad barrels for lens and again everything appears as it does in the good ones. The reflectors all appear to be fine as well. I managed to get most of them to the point (by bench focusing them) that they only show the clips when the barrels are fully flooded- and then its only slight indents on the edge of the beam- though one or two are still pretty bad. The problem seems to be mostly in the lamp socket somehow...
 
Hmm well I did some experimenting. I swapped out barrels on various units (good to bad and reverse). It appeared to make no difference. I checked several of the bad barrels for lens and again everything appears as it does in the good ones. The reflectors all appear to be fine as well. I managed to get most of them to the point (by bench focusing them) that they only show the clips when the barrels are fully flooded- and then its only slight indents on the edge of the beam- though one or two are still pretty bad. The problem seems to be mostly in the lamp socket somehow...

"The problem seems to be mostly in the lamp socket somehow..."

Please further explain, got me interested given the above about lenses and lot numbers.
 
There shouldn't be any problem with the lamp socket unless you aren't seating the lamp all the way down into the socket and running the light. I still believe that it is a problem with the lens tube, in all seriousness, try taking another one apart that has your problem and make sure it is the right lenses in the right positions. It shouldn't be a problem with shutters or anything else at the gate unless the fixture has been opened up and the shutter assembly was put back together incorrectly. Retaining clips are usually out of the question because they are (especially if they have not been moved due to replacement of reflectors) since in a new fixture or one that has never been serviced, the reflector clips are never in line with the beam of light that leaves the reflector. The other problem may just be the reflector. How old are the reflectors/fixtures? If the fixtures are older than 5 years, chances are the reflectors are worn out and need replacing (dichroic confetti will be blown out of the fixture if you attempt to clean the reflector with a blast of compressed air).
 
I've also been having this issue, and no matter how much I bench it, or whatever, it never goes away. I can never achieve a soft focus, there's always a lot of flare with a sharp edge (R119 is your friend!) I'm beginning to believe that sometime before my time, they got a batch of new lenses and old barrels that didn't match. A big batch, because I'm also finding a lot that have a large 36 degree lens in a barrels 26 degree slot, because that's the only slot where it fits! The odd thing is that some of these 'bastard' barrels WORK (focus nicely, correct spread, etc.), but some don't. I try to fix 'em anyway.
 
Hey, It doesn't seem like the problem is in the barrel, almost definitely it's a bench focus issue. Bench focusing takes A LOT of patience to get it right. I can give you a few suggestions of things to look for though that may help (this involved delving a bit deeper into the inner workings of the cap).
-Make sure the small knob on the back actually works, sometimes the plastic knob comes detached from the metal piece that grips the bolt, allowing it to spin freely without making a difference
-Make sure the larger/outer knob moves freely and can do what it needs to do, sometimes this knob seizes up and doesn't move at all
-Makes sure there are no wires etc obstructing the retainer spring inside the knob (also make sure all the wires are routed properly)
-Change out the retainer spring in the cap- problems with the spring tend to cause the hotspot to 'drop' most often, but you never know.

Did you try swapping caps from fixture to fixture?

Dan
 
I also had problems with the 36 degree version, in my case it was one shutter always produced a double image when you tried to get a sharp cut. Spent hour swopping parts, talking with ETC and eventually realised after seeing the same thing on other batches of the 36 degree fixture it is a problem with the 36 degree fixtures. That was the day I finally realised the S4 is not perfect.
 
36s just have kind of ****ty optics. Some of the older tubes have an issue where you can see the tabs holding in the lenses. I've just accepted it as the nature of the beast.
 
I have a question that I'm hoping you folks can answer. I'm working on the summer maintenance of our venue's Source 4s and I'm finding a I'm having a problem with some of my 36 degrees. They are showing what appears to be the clips holding the lens into the barrel around the edges and/or has a bad corona effect. When I endeavor to align them they only go away sometimes- even if I get the spot right in the center and it is perfectly flattened (or so it seems- it could be I'm not getting it right on the money I guess). I've checked the barrels but that does not appear to be the problem so I am guessing it is in the lamp socket or the reflector. Can anyone offer my some insight on this?
Your lamp is to far forward, I say to the OP 7 years ago
 

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