Can you help me troubleshoot this X-Rite 810 Densitometer?

I've got yet another attempt to buy a densitometer on ebay that hasn't worked out. This time the seller told me to throw it in the bin, so I'm at least going to poke at it and see what I can figure out. The video I'm including shows me flipping it on and demonstrating the problem but that's just so I can show that the passes the self-test. When the unit is properly warmed up before trying anything, things go wrong even faster. As you can see, the readings gradually climb the entire time the read button is held down. When you enter the transmission calibration routine, you can see it throws a Error #6 Read Lamp code as you take the first reading. The manual says Error #6 can be either a bad read lamp or a bad reflection circuit board. Read lamps are $505! However, since it's doing any sort of reading at all, that makes me think that the read lamp must be working at least somewhat.

Any idea what's really going wrong here?

Wow looks like all the cheap ones have had the bulb removed...

Better make sure you have the bulb in the top.

What does it do in reflection mode with the reflection standard? Are you setting the right mode? I can't see the readout too well.

Gave it a test in reflection mode as asked. Results are the same: the value continuously climbs. For that matter, measuring the white reflective patch, the values started above 2.5 and went up. That's a pretty non-reflective white!

Can you get to the upper light bulb, seems instructions to access it are easy to find. Maybe you'll be lucky and it's just a broken wire that a friend could solder for you... or it might be that $500 wonder bulb. Can't believe it. My Macbeth uses an easy to source halogen and my Marshalls uses an ordinary light bulb.

That sample strip you got with the unit might be the most valuable part of the bundle...

Hope you get to the bottom of the mystery... seems like a burned out bulb to me from the symptoms you described.

It looks like it lights up but I tend to agree it may need a new bulb. The bulbs are usually around $300 until one comes up on ebay. One place had them for $50 once. You have the manual so you could take it apart and look at the bulb and make sure the head is clean. The top button pops off with some difficulty and can break so pry carefully from both sides.

Had the same issue with an 810 some time back and wasn't able to repair it. My suggestion would be to keep it for parts (mainly the bulbs).. Definitely keep the standard, that is the most hard to find piece... I ended up using a bulb from my bad 810 in an 811 and I still get the #6 error on start up but it calibrates and is stable despite the error... Keep your eyes out and press your patience button and you'll come across another 810/811 at a good price at some point. When you want something it cost twice, when you don't it cost half.

On a related note, I picked up an Eseco Speedmaster T-85cd (transmission only) for next to nothing and was able to obtain a manual directly from their service manager who was willing to answer questions and send the manual via email. High praise to Eseco for continuing to support their old products when companies like X-Rite don't or want big money for reflection standard or something. I recommend this unit if you only need transmission readings.

If anyone needs a piece of film (step wedge) calibrated to serve as a standard , I'd be more than happy to do so ... Just shoot over a PM.

I don't think it's the lamp as the reading is too low to be a lamp. It seems to me that the densitometer has the same signal whether you have the film in or not as it gave the same readings.