Dicro 45s fan question

[RichardH]

I have a Beseler Dicro 45s that I am thinking of disconnecting the fan. It has a little vibration that I can feel when it runs. I have cleaned the blades and put a little oil on the motor bearings but it still has a little vibration when I touch the outside with my hand.
I don't expose it for very long times and between exposures it might sit for 5 minutes. I would think that would be long enough for the lamp to cool down enough to not worry about heating the insides up.
I thought I might also put a switch on the side or front to turn the fan off when I need to make the exposure. From what I can tell, the electronic circuit board is just for controlling the lamp voltage.
Has anyone tried this idea before?
Any ideas maybe without buying another fan motor.

Thanks
Richard

 

[George Nova Scotia]

If I recall the fan is mounted on isolation blocks like this. In the 45S head I picked up a year ago the blocks where hard and cracked. I don't think the 60km drive home in the back seat of truck did them any good either. You might look into replacing them. The switch idea is interesting another alternative would be an external fan of some sort.

http://www.vibrationmounts.com/RFQ/VM01003.htm - no knowledge of this company beyond google. Electronic parts suppliers may also be a source.

George

 

[RichardH]

If I recall the fan is mounted on isolation blocks like this. In the 45S head I picked up a year ago the blocks where hard and cracked. I don't think the 60km drive home in the back seat of truck did them any good either. You might look into replacing them. The switch idea is interesting another alternative would be an external fan of some sort.

http://www.vibrationmounts.com/RFQ/VM01003.htm - no knowledge of this company beyond google. Electronic parts suppliers may also be a source.

George

Thanks George
The external fan was a thought but since I don't expose for very long and a good time between exposures, I think I might try the switch idea. Just one more thing to remember but habits of turning on and off are do-able. I could make a time delay circuit to turn off , say for a few seconds before exposure, and then trip the lamp to turn on. Then it would reset and turn the fan back on.
Just thinking here.

Richard

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I have my 45MX enlarger with the dichro 45S enlarger with the upper part of the frame connected with a bracket to the wall. Another trick you might want to try is possibly mounting a shock absorbing ring where the head meets the enlarger. That way, the head sits on the foam ring, not on the enlarger. No matter what you do, don't disconnect the fan. You'll fry the bulb.

 

[wildbill]

the fan is there for a reason.

 

[RichardH]

Thanks fellows for the info.

Wildbill, your website is great. Very good stuff there. You are very talented with the camera.

Richard

 

[RichardH]

View attachment beselermod for fan replacement.pdf

I found something on the internet that someone had done. I think I'll go this route.

Richard

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Great detailed instructions. I'm a bit of a chicken in taking apart my color head. I would try to isolate the whole head by putting a vibration dampening rubber collar placed between the head and the enlarger.

 

[ic-racer]

View attachment 54621

I found something on the internet that someone had done. I think I'll go this route.

Richard

I'm a little surprised to see that older style fan in the Beseler. All the Omega 4x5 dichroic heads have the more modern compact fan like shown in the modification. Looks like a worthwhile project to upgrade the fan.

 

[RichardH]

Great detailed instructions. I'm a bit of a chicken in taking apart my color head. I would try to isolate the whole head by putting a vibration dampening rubber collar placed between the head and the enlarger.

Hey
I have been pretty handy building, changing, taking apart, putting back together about all my life. I make and restore radios, electronics stuff, and anything that I want to know how it works. Sometimes I have success, sometimes I don't.

I've built drag cars, radios, photo parts and gadgets, and other stuff when I can't find what I need to replace or repair something. One of my other hobbies is Amateur radio and I build a lot of the radios and things that go with it.

So, I think I can tackle this job OK. I do have a few fans stored that came out of some old computers that I have junked.

On this project, I think I'll buy a new fan since they aren't that expensive. The one he did was using a low voltage fan and I'll get one that is setup for 120 volt. I am a retired electrician and I hope I can wire this back right.

Thanks for replying to this thought.

Richard

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

Hey Good luck! Hope you have a vibration free head. I was concerned years ago. I did a test with high magnification enlargement and a grain focuser. It seems that the grains didn't jiggle nor wobble. My enlarger head is good enough for government work The instructions are excellent and I might muster up enough courage to take change out the fan. The Dichro 45S is a good head that served me well for decades. I had to change out the optio isolator because there was a slight delay after pushing my timer button.

 

[jcoldslabs]

Here's a mod for that same 45S head that uses a remote venting fan to dampen vibration:

http://www.philipmorgan.net/external-enlarger-cooling/

Jonathan

 

[David Brown]

It has a little vibration that I can feel when it runs.

Can you see it in your prints?

 

[RichardH]

Can you see it in your prints?

Hey David
My eyes are not what they used to be but I can't see any softness or anything wrong in the print. I just happen to feel the neg. carrier and it has a vibration. It won't get any better, so I figured it was time to repair before it gets any worse. From what I gathered when I bought it used, it was used in a university darkroom and I am sure it has seen a lot of useage.
I am not very critical of what I print but I want to feel I am making the best image of what I am printing.
I have downsized to strictly 35mm now and when I blow up those small negatives, I want it to be sharp and clear.
While I rework the head, I have a 23cll that I am going to use. It has also started to show a pause in the lamp start circuit and I am now looking at the opto isolaters to replace. Haven't had much luck in finding the components yet since I can't find a schematic but the part number is still showing and maybe I can find a substitute for them.

It seems like the older I get the more " fix and repair " things happen. I am retired so I have plenty of time to play.

Richard