Saunders LPL 4500 ii 120V Power Supply Alternative

Hello Fellow Photrio Members,

I am posting in the general "Darkroom Equipment" forum, but please forgive me if this is not the correct forum to post on - I am new and still learning to navigate the forums.

I am thinking of purchasing a second-hand Saunders LPL 4500ii model for $600 which I am told is a great price for this enlarger. The only issue is that it does not seem to come with the power supply. I thought it best to ask the forum on any guidance they can provide in sourcing the power supply? If that's not possible due to the enlarger not being in production for some time - perhaps alternatives that can be worked through to get the enlarger working until I can source a replacement.

Any suggestions, guidance, food for thought would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you!

Grayjohn900

Grayjohn900 said:

I am posting in the general "Darkroom Equipment" forum, but please forgive me if this is not the correct forum to post on - I am new and still learning to navigate the forums.

Click to expand...

You're doing fine!

Personally I would consider $600 a reasonable price for a relatively modern second-hand 4x5" enlarger in complete and working order. Of course, the bandwidth on market prices for such equipment is huge, so YMMV. Your location is listed as LA, which I expect is a relatively rich hunting ground for second hand darkroom equipment (as US metropolitan areas often are).

What would be included in this particular setup; e.g. what kind of head, other accessories etc? Is the power supply missing, or is it defective?

In terms of a power supply, if it only powers the bulb, you could get a generic DC switch-mode power supply (eBay, AliExpress etc.) with adjustable output voltage and a sufficient power rating. Simply wire this to an AC plug and plug it into a timer of your choice. You could build a case for it (ensure proper ventilation) for safety & aesthetics. This is probably cheaper & quicker than trying to find the dedicated power supply. The unit may end up being physically smaller as well. A generic power supply that would work for this setup can be had for around $50. Add a few bucks for wiring, a plug and finishing (boxing it up).

KHB Photografix in Canada sells refurbished power supplies for LPL 4x5 enlargers. They’re not inexpensive, however, and they’re now having to tack on an additional 40% charge to cover the US tariffs. That puts the power supply at nearly the same cost as your enlarger. But it’s an option if you can’t find one at a more reasonable price…

I wired my saunders lpl 6700 up with a 12v mean well switch mode power supply which was straightforward. The confusing part is that seemingly the enlarger shipped with a different bulb depending on location. Apparently US models use a 12v bulb while the rest of the world used 82v. I suspect an 82v bulb would be harder to work with given the lack of off the shelf power supplies at that voltage.

thinkbrown said:

I suspect an 82v bulb would be harder to work with given the lack of off the shelf power supplies at that voltage.

Click to expand...

Fortunately, SMPS units with adjustable output voltage are quite common and very affordable.

I agree with Koraks that 600 is a bit much for what is essentially a very large paper weight.
When the original power supply on mine died, I cobbled up a substitute with a dimmer to get the correct 82 volts. It served me well for a few years until I found a replacement original at a good price.

It's been awhile since I owned a 4550XL, but IIRC, the stock USA power supply was not an LPL product, but rather, a small and lightweight Saunders-branded box made in the USA. I never bothered to open it up, but the size and weight seemed consistent with a simple constant-voltage power supply. I'm sure you can get an SMPS to work, but I don't know how consistent your exposures will be.

If the power supply is to only power the bulb and it's of low voltage like 12 or 24V then something like the meanwell switching power supply would be good. It's efficient and hold the voltage steady.

I think the common configuration is a 200 or 250 watt 82 v bulb, the XL version uses the 250 watt bulb. The fan operates at 120 volts. There is one cord from the head to the power supply carrying the wires for the lamp and the fan.

Some Beselers and Omegas used 24v 200 watt power supplies, 24v supples seem to be much more common. It’s probably possible to adapt the enlarger to use 24v power, though the fan might be a challenge.

bdial said:

the fan might be a challenge.

Click to expand...

I'd just run that directly off of 115VAC if the enlarger is used in the US anyway. Be sure to include a fuse in the circuit.