V35 too bright

[Petzi]

Well if you use a 6 volt bulb in a 12 volt device, it is usually going to be very bright. But only for a very short time...

 

[Shelly Grimson]

V 35 too bright..

Hi there:
I have an early prototype that is in 220 from Germany and there doesn't seem to be a switch for changing the voltage to North American rating. I began to blow out bulbs very quickly after changing to the new mount and bulb type when the old style bulbs became extinct. The solution for me was perhaps a little different since I had to use a transformer to amplify the voltage to get to 220. The transformer was not some expensive precision unit so the voltage would peak over the limit for the newer bulbs. I took the whole enlarger in to a guy in Toronto who sells bulbs of all kinds and he looked up the bulb limit load which I believe was 13 amps. We then put in a simple line reostat with a dial and dialed it up to just UNDER that number and marked it's position. As long as didn't exceed 13 volts the bulb should last for years. If it got to 14 or 15 the bulb longevity goes down to less than an hour! If you put in a reostat you can dial down as much as you want and avoid the hassle of filters in the housing or below it. I have the same probem of too much light for Agfa Mcc and Ilford MG IV so I know how frustrating it is. However for Forte or older papers that I have it is nice to have the increased illumination. This gives you a choice by just dialing in your desired amount. But take care to record settings for this. After writing down all my original exposure times for 2 years, it is a pain to have to do testing all over again for base exposure times especially since I spit-print! So mark it or tape it to the proper setting with a voltmeter and get back to work...
Shelly