Durst M605 Color Enlarger Glitches

I have a Durst M605 Color enlarger that has been acting up. It's been in storage for about 6 years (worked fine for years before) and I just finished setting up my darkroom again. I first had a Time-O-Light timer connected to the enlarger with a ground to non-ground adapter (US three prong to two prong). It started off working just as it used too. Then, for some reason when I would push the print/time button on the timer it would flicker and the time switch would not turn on the light. The light would flicker and the timer would make buzzing noises but it wouldn't hold for the time set on the timer. I couldn't reproduce this consistently and would only do it 1 out of every 4 exposures. Then it would get worse and then better... I assumed it was the timer switch in the old Time-O-Light because when I would flip the enlarger (focus) switch on the enlarger turned on as expected. I thought maybe because of a non grounded adapter or something may have interfered with it. So I picked up a nice clean GraLab 505. I wanted to upgrade to a more accurate timer anyway so it was a good excuse.

Things are better but every once and a while the same thing happens. I push on the Expose/Hold button on the timer and get the same behavior. The timer buzzes a little and the light flickers and nada. When I switch the enlarger (Focus) switch on the timer to turn on the enlarger there isn't any issues.

So, I am thinking maybe my bulb is acting up? Maybe a short somewhere in the enlarger? If anyone has had this experience and can help me trouble shoot I would appreciate it.

Thanks,
Derek

Sounds like either the bulb is on its way out, or the contacts on the bulb socket are corroded - or both. I'd start by removing the bulb and cleaning the socket contacts as well as possible, although it would be even better to just replace the socket.

Thanks Koraks. I did a quick cleaning of the contacts on the bulb and the socket and it seems to have fixed the issue for now. Of course it will probably do it again once I get some paper under the lens...

D.

Excellent, fingers crossed the problem stays away!

Derek Lofgreen said:

Thanks Koraks. I did a quick cleaning of the contacts on the bulb and the socket and it seems to have fixed the issue for now. Of course it will probably do it again once I get some paper under the lens...

D.

Click to expand...

You may need to replace the halogen bulb socket - it's 12V so an easy DIY and you should be able to find the socket at the local hardware store.

edit: Perhaps I should say that mine was a 12V bulb powered by an external transformer box. I don't know if they made native 110/220V versions so best to check.

That's how I fixed mine many years ago.