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Robe Clubsport 25CT Lamp Error


steve1981

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I have a Robe Clubspot 250CT and I am trying to get them working so that I can sell them. They have been in the loft for a little over two years now but could now do with the extra funds.

 

I have just fired one of them up and after the reset I am getting a HEAT error. I checked the TEMP setting under the menu options and its only reading 17 degrees. The lamp is not lighting and I cannot even hear it trying to strike.

 

The manual reads that if the unit was turned off and on within 5 minutes then this message could be displayed (as we know to protect the lamp, ballast, etc), however, the unit wasn't turned off and on, has a cold and working bulb fitted, and the fixture is cool. The manual also states that the lamp will be turned off if the unit reaches 68 degrees, but as we know, it was reading at 17, so this is also making me think that the temperature sensor is NOT faulty as it is reading 17 degrees ok.

 

Any ideas or anything to try as I'm trumped.

 

Many thanks,

Steve.

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If these are a similar build to the 250AT, (And the Ye Olde MH660's/250XT's) then the light sensor can be faulty.

 

Essentially it strikes the lamp "looks" for light from the lamp, but see's none due to the faulty sensory. and then throws up a HEAT error.

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If these are a similar build to the 250AT, (And the Ye Olde MH660's/250XT's) then the light sensor can be faulty.

 

Essentially it strikes the lamp "looks" for light from the lamp, but see's none due to the faulty sensory. and then throws up a HEAT error.

 

But the OP says the lamp does not light. I'd check that there is power getting as far as the igniter (is there a terminal block in the arm like a Mac?) and if so suspect the igniter.

E2A Do they have a thermal cutout in the head, also a la Mac?

Dave

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If these are a similar build to the 250AT, (And the Ye Olde MH660's/250XT's) then the light sensor can be faulty.

 

Essentially it strikes the lamp "looks" for light from the lamp, but see's none due to the faulty sensory. and then throws up a HEAT error.

 

Thanks for the reply but as below, the light isn't even striking. (No clicks or hums)

 

Plus I presume that it would be the other way around, as in if the HEAT error is present (because it's either too hot or just been turned off and on), the CPU won't allow the lamp to be lit to protect it from blowing. Is that right? So if that's correct, I need to find out what is throwing the HEAT error up. I know it can't be the temperature thermostat as it's reading 17 degrees according to the display (not enough to disable striking as mentioned above) so maybe the part that thinks it's been off and on??? Ohhhhhhhhh, I'm confoosed. I will check ignitor and wiring, I have two so will take parts from working and check in the other until I find out what it is.

 

Any more ideas???

 

Thanks. Steve.

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As you might guess I've got more experince of Martin than Robe but in the case of a eg. a Mac 300 the heat error is simply an assumption by the fixture that the lamp is hot because it has tried to strike it but no light has come out. It doesn't mean that anything is actually hot. That means that many things can cause a heat error like a duff igniter or a break in the lamp circuit.
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I understand. The HEAT error should really be a combination of the light sensor AND a temperature sensor then. Silly really as you have loads of things to narrow it down from now. I'll check it all then in case it's the same.

 

The Robes do have a lamp error code LaEr which occurs if lamp missing or damaged. Strange. I'll start at the bulb and work my back.

 

I've looked back through an old post from when I tried to repair it a couple of years ago before giving up and forgetting about them. The guy (very clued up) said that the thermo stat attached in the lamp head may be held open which can cause the HEAT error as it things it's not striking because it's hot. I'm presuming this is a mechanical type of trip/cut mechanism. Will investigate tomorrow.

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Right. It's in bits. ** laughs out loud **. I have confirmed the following...

- The thermo is showing continuity both when off and on so that shouldn't be cutting power to the bulb.

- there is no power going to the ignitor or in fact the thermo.

- next step I think is to trace the wire down the base, check it's continuity and measure the power source wherever that is to see if it's actually putting out.

 

Anything else?

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Right. It's in bits. ** laughs out loud **. I have confirmed the following...

- The thermo is showing continuity both when off and on so that shouldn't be cutting power to the bulb.

- there is no power going to the ignitor or in fact the thermo.

- next step I think is to trace the wire down the base, check it's continuity and measure the power source wherever that is to see if it's actually putting out.

 

Anything else?

The neutral will probably come straight up to the lamp from the mains. The mains live will likely go through a relay (which is another potential point of failure) then through the ballast, which is just a dead short as far as a continuity tester is concerned then up to the igniter. Check the ultra flexible wires up through the hub and also the terminations to the ballast (looks like a transformer but with fewer terminals!).

HTH

Dave

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I've had an f'ing nightmare. Here's where I'm at now.

Temp sensor ok. I measured voltage to the ignitor and nothing so ripped the arm shrowd off and followed the flex down the arm where it joins on a chocy block and carries ok down to the base. I checked voltage from the base to this block and measured a various voltage on startup from 240 and peaked at about 500v (I presumed this was because discharge lamps use higher voltage to ignite(I may be wrong)) I measured continuity on the black wire from the chocy to the ignitor and nothing. Neutral was fine. Bingo. Found the problem. Ripped the cable out from chocy to ignitor and found the black wire was cut in half. A little strange as a dead straight cut, not twisted as expected from ware. But still, I soldered it, heat shrinked and refitted. Checked continuity and all good. Put the bulb in, fired it up, the bulb struck up, was on for about 2 seconds and then went off and got my heat error again. I removed bulb and saw the dreaded glaucoma effect. (Was a bloody Phillips bulb that weren't that old. £80 down the drain!!!) I then measured continuity from chocy to ignitor thinking my work had blown again, and it's fine. Checked voltage at the chocy block from the base and now that's reading 0!!!!! Arrrrrrggggghhhhh!!!

 

Now for the advice please..

1. Should my voltage reading of 240-500v to the ignitor be that high or not?

2. If the above is no, what could cause this increase in excess voltage?

3. I'm presuming it's not meant to be that high and either the extra power has melted the wire somewhere in the base, or a fuse if there is one, or worse, the power supply to the ignitor (if there is one) I'm not sure on this part of the system and how it works. Maybe the excess voltage melted the initial cable causing the problem in the beginning.

 

I am so frustrated. I found the problem, fixed it, and now it's gone t1ts up!! Please help. :-(

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1. Should my voltage reading of 240-500v to the ignitor be that high or not?

 

2. If the above is no, what could cause this increase in excess voltage?

 

No, the voltage should not be higher than 240.

 

This is a pretty elementary question but have you checked what voltage the fixture is configured for? In a 150XT (and I imagine the 250 is the same) the supply for the lamp is taken from an autotransformer tapping on the mains transformer so if the transformer were set for 120V and you are running from UK mains then you would get a high voltage at the supply to the igniter. I'd be surprised if you hadn't cooked the motor drivers etc but certainly the high voltage at the input to the igniter is wrong. If you are measuring the voltage w.r.t. earth rather than across the choc block then this would also explain why the voltage started at 240 then went to 500.

 

Dave

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Thanks for your help Dave. I believe it is a 240 fixture. But you may have stumbled on something. When I measured the voltage I put the earth connector of the multimeter on the earth near the mains lead input switches and the positive on the black wire on the choc block that then goes up to the ignitor. Is that not correct?

 

I'm sorry you'll have to be patient with me, I know a little bit about electronics and general maintenance of lights that I've taught myself over the years but that's about it.

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Thanks for your help Dave. I believe it is a 240 fixture. But you may have stumbled on something. When I measured the voltage I put the earth connector of the multimeter on the earth near the mains lead input switches and the positive on the black wire on the choc block that then goes up to the ignitor. Is that not correct?

 

It's not correct but it would probably have given you a sensible reading if the unit was set for 240V. I am not working from a schematic of that unit - as I said, my experience is with Martin kit, for which I do have access to schematics. I think you need to get hold of the schematic for the unit you are working on.

 

I'm sorry you'll have to be patient with me, I know a little bit about electronics and general maintenance of lights that I've taught myself over the years but that's about it.

 

I think we have got to the point where you need to either get hold of proper service data or let someone who is more experienced in electronics, or at least that particular fixture, have a look at the unit. I had not realised, until you said that the wire had been cut, that you were working on a unit which had never worked. My advice to that point was related to repairing a failed fixture, not one which had been modified or otherwise sabotaged.

 

Also, the advice you have been given in the other thread is incorrect if this is a standard magnetic ballast - the elevated voltage of 380V - 400V quoted by contributors to your other thread would relate to an electronic ballast and as far as I know you are looking at a magnetic ballast.

 

Dave

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