Overheating Ilford 500c head?

Hi all,

have just fired up my new (2nd hand) besler with the ilford 500c head on it after getting a different (used) transformer. I had some problems a while ago with long exposure times. Tried new bulbs but the problem stayed... so I picked up a couple of different transformers. I had the enlarger on for a while focusing a neg (the green light makes things difficult) and the head got super hot! Is this normal? I've been using a leitz focomat (the white one) and it never gets hot. Any suggestions?

Also, the image does not sit directly under the head, but the easel has to be quite forward overhanging the baseboard to fit the image onto it, making it hard to use a focus finder for the centre of the image. How do I set the height of the enlarger (top focus before bottom focus?) and have the image directly under the head?

I've been looking on the net as I don't have any instructions with this piece of equipment.

Thanks,

P.

Maybe the wrong Transformer

I Had a 500 outfit in my darkroom with a Durst enlarger. I had no problems but there was an exposure limit of 99sec with the 500 control timer. It does get very hot and you should hear the sound of a cooling fan inside the head once the bulbs are turned on. The fan usually stays on until the the cools down enogh. It may be that you don't have the right transformer, that turns the fan on, or maybe the cooling fan is dead.

This was my favorite enlarger. It was so easy to print with and very sharp.


Chris