Meopta Opemus 6 with Colour 3 head

[MamiyaJen]

I recently bought this enlarger and although I'm no stranger to darkrooms it's the first one I've bought myself and am a total stranger to fixing them. It came with what looked like a European plug so i changed it to a British one. When i plugged it in it blew the bulb along with all the sockets in the house. I changed the fuse to a 3amp and this time it only blew the bulb.

So, my question is do I need a transformer? I've managed to get hold of a manual for it but it's not at all clear and I'm not the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to this stuff so any help would be much appreciated

 

[MattKing]

Looking at this thread tells me that the colour head requires a dedicated transformer:

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

Hello !
You have got a nice piece of gear. I had one for years.
This particular one is fitted with the colour head, which use a 12Volts 100 W bulb. so now, you need a transformer and a new bulb... (maybe also a bit of wire if it suffered the try you've done)...
I bough mine new from RK darkroom in Finchley near London. They where, at the time, the UK importer of Meopta enlargers. They build and sold a transformer apt to run on Great Britain grid...
You can reach them here :http://www.thedarkroom.co.uk/content.php?section=2&page=2
You can also see in a light fixture store if they've a transformer for a 12 V halogen bulb. And of course devise the plug ... If you go the transformer for an halogen bulb way, try to avoid the electronic kind because I can't tell it will have the start curve you want.
Try also to ask the seller of the enlarger if he did not forget to deliver one or two parts....

 

[MamiyaJen]

Thanks for your answers folks, I spoke to someone else who has the same enlarger and he's pointed me in the direction of where he bought his transformer from so I'm going with that.

One thing though, even with the transformer will I need a 100w bulb? It's just that the highest wattage bulb I can find in the shop is 50w for that shape/type of bulb.

 

[GeorgesGiralt]

Yes, you need the photographic grade bulb (colour temperature higher, and better IR filtration) they are normally available in photo stores or at the site I gave you earlier. (it will work with the household grade bulb, but it will run the negs hotter, the exposure time will be much longer and the colour filtration will be extreme)

 

[MamiyaJen]

Yes, you need the photographic grade bulb (colour temperature higher, and better IR filtration) they are normally available in photo stores or at the site I gave you earlier. (it will work with the household grade bulb, but it will run the negs hotter, the exposure time will be much longer and the colour filtration will be extreme)

Thank you! Never knew that tbh

 

[perkeleellinen]

I had a similar issue here: (there was a url link here which no longer exists)

There are two transformers that will work; the TR100 and the RK100.

 

[Raphael]

Bulb reference

Hi all,

@MamiyaJen,

As you had understand from your experience and the previous posts, this funny plug is not an euro continental one, but rather a totally proprietary 12V plug (should I say a "meoptian" (meoptanian ?) one ), designed precisely for *NOT* fitting it in a wall socket...

I see increasingly on the second hand market Opemus enlargers with Meograde or Color 3 heads without there dedicated heavy "Trafo" transformers, so beware !

For the bulbs, you're not tied to a photographic reseller for finding them, any industrial or specialized lamp retailer can have it. These lamps are used in some video projectors and nightclub spotlights.

A reference you can use :
OSRAM XENOPHOT 64627 12V 100W Halogen

There is other references in other brands, I can find them for you if interested.

I bought recently two of them, brand new, on the *Bay for less than 6 euros...

Welcome to the Meopta Opemus user club !

Regards,

Raphael