ChromaQ MkII Fan Fire

[MattH]

Hi Guys,

 

Before I get stuck in, just want it to be known that I do not intend to harm AC Lighting business thorugh this post. I haven't known this to happen before, and do not know the full service history of the Scroller. However, I guess this is a matter of serious interest to this forum, so I'll leave it to the moderators to decide.

 

The Story...

 

English Touring Opera Autumn tour at the Marlowe Canterbury. 12 ChromaQ Scrollers originals and MkIIs, not being used for the particular opera in rep that day but nonetheless on. Half way through focus, 5 mins before lunch burning is smelt, originally assumed to be the comapany chippie drilling out rivets for a new flat screen case. 1 CQ ablaze in rig right next to border, never ran up a tallescope so fast!

 

I'm assuming that some gunk or debris clogged the fan, causing it to over heat and catch fire, looking in side the charred casing, only a hole and two cables exist where the fan once was. Someone did mention hearing a funny whirring noise before the fire. We now only turn the scroller PSU on when the units are to be used and there is an electrician on stage.

 

In retrospect despite the borders being inherent, a burning border would have been easily dealt with at the Marlowe, however in a Hemp House the consequences would have been much more dire.

 

Cheers to the lads at the Marlowe for a great week, making us feel most welcome, depsite this incident.

 

Matt

[richard]

I had heard issues about the Chroma Q scrollers, and something about the RSC taking issue with the things and removing them from service, however I know not the full facts of this.

[wodp]

Not really a fire thing but blocked fans have caused most of the mac250s + 300s in our club rig to throw up errors, or crash and require a restart. Now the fan vents of said units are all regularly hoovered out, and the covers taken off the head bits of the unit and them hoovered and cleaned on a less frequent basis.

 

Dave