Beseler/Minolta 45A repairs?

Dani · May 29, 2021

I got a nice Beseler 45V-XL and came with a 45A. I plugged the 45A and nothing came on. I figured it was dead. I left it on for a couple of minutes and after that I got a funky smell out of it. Not quite burnt electronics but still a smell. I suppose burnt electronics, just not the smell I was used to.
Long shot but I'm wondering if anybody repairs those? It looks so compact and nice and I really want to try it out.

btaylor · May 29, 2021

I don’t know about repairs. I got one of these heads with an enlarger I got in a darkroom lot. It seems to work, but I found the focusing tube had failed- apparently it is often the first to go- I haven’t installed the new bulb to continue. I did however follow Paul Howell’s advice and bought a couple of spare systems for back up and parts, they were cheap. For simplicity’s sake I have been using the earlier dichro head.

Dani · May 29, 2021

Thanks! I'll keep an eye for an earlier dichroic head or a cheap 45A.

ic-racer · May 29, 2021

Not sure if this is current:

Dani · May 29, 2021

Thank you so much! Worth a try for sure

Dani · May 29, 2021

A quick search gave me this

I've had two since the late 90s. It's a very intuitive system as you add what's needed. Need more red, add more red. I never used the probe. I found I was always where I needed to be within 2-3 test strips. The most annoying part of the 45A is the focussing. It has a separate flashing focus tube that is limited to 30 seconds or so. So every time you focus you feel the pressure to get your negative focused before the flashing stops. If you hit the focus too many times you can overheat the system. As Brian mentions Darryl Nicholas is the guy for this system. His company is Colorbat and its still in business although they no longer focus on the 45A.

http://colorbat.com/search.php

From here https://www.largeformatphotography....a-color-head&p=1014881&viewfull=1#post1014881

The search continues!

btaylor · May 29, 2021

Ed Sawyer was the resident 45A guru at LFPF, not Mr Howell, my apologies.

glbeas · May 29, 2021

Have you tried the reset button on the front? Accessible with a paper clip wire in the little hole in the front of the control panel.
I do have a 45A stashed in my darkroom with spare tubes that still works. Not my favorite head to use.

Kino · May 29, 2021

I have a 45A system I am wanting to try when my darkroom is done; soon I hope!

I like the additive color system; much more intuitive than subtractive IMHO.

Beseler/Minolta 45A repairs?

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