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 Post subject: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve? Also can you help?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 8:38 am 
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What's the exciter lamp all about? Also can you help with a problem with my ELMO 16-CL. I have lost the tension on my film to the point that it never makes contact with the front roller. When it reaches the sound head it loosely runs through creating a distorted sound. When you apply upward pressure with your finger removing the free play it sounds fine. How can I adjust the tension?


IN THIS PHOTO THE FILM IS NOT RUNNING.


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Last edited by Roger Cathey on Tue Apr 16, 2013 11:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 9:23 am 
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It provides the "excitement" of having sound films.
No, pardon the pun Roger, it is a separate lamp that shines through the sound track area of the film to enable the sound to be reproduced. It's called an Exciter Lamp because it "Excites" the photocell used to detect the variations in light intensity of the sound track and re-create the original sound waves.


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 11:05 am 
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If the lamp blows will that cause the volume to decrease and become distorted or do I have another problem? My lamp is not working at the moment but if I push up on the film the sound improves but volume is not gained.


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 11:16 am 
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You say that your "lamp" is "not working at the moment"... but that you have sound? Three questions...

What projector are you talking about?
Which lamp are you talking about?
Is the film an OPTICAL sound film or a MAGNETIC sound film?


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 11:51 am 
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Elmo 16-cl - lamp BRK - Not sure about film. It's a Castle Films short.


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 2:01 pm 
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If you have sound then the exciter lamp IS working.
If the lamp is not aligned properly, then volume will be reduced. A mis-aligned lamp is not likely to cause distortion, but an incorrectly threaded film probably will... and pushing it with your finger may make it better.
But it is difficult to be sure what is happening with so little information, especially as I do not know the specific machine. Perhaps someone with personal knowledge of the 16 CL can help here?


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve?
PostPosted: Tue Apr 16, 2013 3:30 pm 
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The exciter lamp automatically lights when power is given to projector. It was working but no longer does so I assume that it is blown. I just ordered one from ebay and will see what happens when it arrives and is installed. I would appreciate any info that might help correct this issue from anyone that is familiar with this model.


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve? Also can you h
PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 2:03 pm 
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It provides the "excitement" of having sound films.
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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve? Also can you h
PostPosted: Sun May 05, 2013 11:06 pm 
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Once you install the new lamp you shouldn't have a problem as long as you get the right replacement. 'Exciter' means it activates the sound head. Either solar cell whick is more for 35mm, or Cadmium Sulfide Photocell which causes a certain amount of electricity to pass through the cell based on the amount of light hitting it which is 16mm. On your model, opening up the main lamp will let enough light to bleed through the soundhead to activate the sound head to a certain extent.
Also, other than very few experiments, magnetic film has never been a standard on 16mm and no projectors have been built commercialy to show it. So it pretty much doesn't exist.


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 Post subject: Re: what purpose does the exciter lamp serve? Also can you h
PostPosted: Tue May 28, 2013 4:50 am 
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