Durst L184 / CLS1840 / EST1000N Question

I have a Durst L184, with a CLS1840 Head and an EST1000n Power Supply. I am trying to get this to work using a Gra-Lab 450timer.

When I power everything up... the fan in the head turns on. When I switch the timer on, I hear the shutter in the head open and close, but I am not getting any light. None, Nada, Nyet, Nichts, etc...

I swaped out a spare head (CLS1840) and a spare power unit EST1000N and get the same results. I have checked the cable connecting the Power supply to the Head using an OHM meter and it indicates that I have no resistance - leading me to believe that the cable is good.

I have checked the bulbs and replaced with new bulbs - no change

I have the equipment connected in the following manner:

Timer (Gra-Lab 450) is plugged into the wall outlet
Timer is connected to Power Supply (EST100N)
Power Supply is plugged into the wall
Power Supply is connected to the Head (CLS1840).

I am stymied and wondering if I have missed something. I have swapped all items (CLS1840, EST100N and bulbs) and the quipment behaves identically. The only thing I din't swap out the cable, but I checked it with an (analog naturally) OHM meter. :confused:

Help!!!!

Steve

Steve,

I’ve removed my head temporarily and installed a cold light, so I don’t have the enlarger operating to compare, but I’ll try and trouble-shoot from memory…..

Steve_7x said:

When I power everything up... the fan in the head turns on. When I switch the timer on, I hear the shutter in the head open and close, but I am not getting any light. None, Nada, Nyet, Nichts, etc...

Click to expand...

My first comment is the fan—it should not come on until the timer signals on. Are you sure the lamp is not on? Remove the top vent cover so you can actually see the lamp. You say you hear the shutter, but can you actually see the shutter blade open? Remove the mixing box and look up into the head and watch the shutter blade.

When the timer switches on, the lamp lights and the fan starts, and then the shutter opens. When the timer switches off, the shutter closes, the lamp extinguishes, and then the fan stops.

Steve_7x said:

I swaped out a spare head (CLS1840) and a spare power unit EST1000N and get the same results.

Click to expand...

If I read this correctly, you have a spare CLS1840 head, and a spare EST1000N power supply. The only part you don’t have duplicate is the power supply to head cable. If so, it sounds like the head to power supply cable is bad. Perhaps a pin is bent, or contact corroded, or maybe one wire is broken. The fact that both the shutter and fan work would seem to indicate the timer is interfacing properly.

Steve_7x said:

I have checked the cable connecting the Power supply to the Head using an OHM meter and it indicates that I have no resistance - leading me to believe that the cable is good.

Click to expand...

There are 20 pins in that cable, and I thought at least one pair was a cross-over. Did you check continuity on each pair?

Steve_7x said:

I have checked the bulbs and replaced with new bulbs - no change I have the equipment connected in the following manner:

Timer (Gra-Lab 450) is plugged into the wall outlet
Timer is connected to Power Supply (EST100N)
Power Supply is plugged into the wall
Power Supply is connected to the Head (CLS1840).

Click to expand...

I think you have all the cables connected properly. The timer plugs into the wall, and the switched outlet on the timer plugs into the socket on the EST100N.

Steve_7x said:

I am stymied and wondering if I have missed something. I have swapped all items (CLS1840, EST100N and bulbs) and the quipment behaves identically. The only thing I din't swap out the cable…..

Click to expand...

If all else fails, call Jens Jensen at Durst-Pro-USA. He may have some suggestions. If that doesn’t work, I can loan you a cable to test your system. PM for details.

That is a great enlarger, and once working properly should last a lifetime. Good luck!

Thanks Eric

Eric,

Thank you for taking the time to respond!

To clarify... I turn the timer and power unit on and all is quiet

I then turn on the timer (either as a timer or focus unit) and the shutter opens (verified as you describe) and the fan comeson.

The shutter closes when the timer turns off. Though the fan continues to run as if it were still cooling the bulb.

I have verified with the cover off that the light does not come on.

You are correct I have two heads and two power units... but alas only one cable :-(

Your are correct that the cable has 20 pins on one side and 20female sockets on the other. I rechecked with my OHM meter. I have no resistance. I opened the connectors, and yes - one wire connects across three (3) pins/sockets. There are also 6 pins that have no wires soldered - if I remember right three on each side. I checked each of the bridge, checking all 3 pins and sockets.

I sourced the head and power unit from two diferent places but the net result is the same (fan on, shutter works but no light) which would lead one to believe that the cable should be the culprit. Unfortunately the OHM reading indicates that the cable is okay. My next step would be to plug the cable in and check the OHM reading from inside the head to inside the power supply seeing if there is a common break after the cable etc... - just seems highly unlikely.

I will see if that works when I return from my trip this weekend.


If that doesn’t work, I can loan you a cable to test your system. PM for details.

I will try a couple more things - but I may take you up on that kind offer. It certainly would validate or disqualify a potential issue.

That is a great enlarger, and once working properly should last a lifetime. Good luck![/QUOTE]

Yes... A friend had one with a Pavelle Color head. The light unit was marginal - but with the CLS1840 I know that once it is working I am going to be very thrilled!

Cheers!
Steve

Steve, I do not have your enlarger but this is what I would do to check this out further.

With the componants all connected, take your meter and check for voltage at the lamp socket. It is likely that the bridged pins are the common leg to the shutter, the lamp socket, and the fan. There will be three additional pins beyond the bridged pins that will be the second leg to the fan, shutter, and lamp.

It sounds like you are missing the second leg voltage to complete the lamp circuit. It may be at several sources that this is missing. You will just need to trace it back from the lamp wires to the power supply. There apparently must be a relay in the power supply to switch the load of the lamp and the timer is only going to provide the relay coil voltage. It may be that you have a defective relay in the power supply...either the contacts are burned or the relay coil is defective.

This is what I would do in checking this out if it were my situation. Good luck.

An Update

I finally got another crack at checking out the heads and power supply and the cable.

The cable has NO resistance from all points. I tested this form each wire end, then through the connecters, and then from the wires inside the Power Supply and the wires in the head.

I checked all wires within the power supply, no resistance

I checked all of the wires in the head, again no resistance

I ohm tested the fuses and the bulbs... all good

Then tested for voltage and got ~60 volts at the bulb... aha... I should have 120v to fire the bulb.

So does this mean that both power supplies are under performing? I called Jens and he said I need 250v going into the Power supply and it reduced to 110... hmhhh I had been told that that the power supply runs off of 110v.

Eric can you confirm that you used 250v in your set-up? I would like some confirmation before I invest in running 250v to the Darkroom. Jens has a modified EST1000N, and a special bulb that runs on household current, but would set me back $1600. I have a stash of bulbs and I think I can power up for a lot less by running 250v.

Cheers!
Steve

Well... I embarrassed to report that indeed this power supply requires 250v to activate. 250v was installed and voila the light came on. In speaking with Jens Jenson... the bulbs are no longer available, and he has a kit for $1600 that would run on 120v. Well I found 6 bulbs (love the internet) for about $75, and installed 250v and I am good to go. Thank you all for you help.

Steve

Steve_7x said:

Power Supply is plugged into the wall

Click to expand...

Power supply (EST1000N) is usually plugged into the back of the EPU1000 which the L184 does not have. The EPU1000 feeds 220V into the EST1000N. So if you are going to just plug in to the wall, you need 220v.

Looks like you got it all figured out. Hope you are still using it 4 years later.

Saw my old post re-surface. Yes I got it all figured out and yes I am still using it. Mostly using my 4x5 enlarger as I had smaller negatives... but that project is almost done - and I have a pile of 5x7, 6x17 and 4x10 negs that need to be printed. Looking forward to printing with it during my vacation in December