Want to Buy WTB: ilfospeed 400c controller

thereal10 · Feb 2, 2021

Hello everyone.
I just acquired an ilfospeed 400hl and I badly need the 400c controller to get that bad boy to work.
Does anyone have one they could part with or know of a source to find one?
No luck on the ‘bays right now

It would be very much appreciated.
Thanks

thereal10 · Mar 24, 2021

Bump-

alanbradford · Mar 25, 2021

thereal10 said:
Hello everyone.
I just acquired an ilfospeed 400hl and I badly need the 400c controller to get that bad boy to work.
Does anyone have one they could part with or know of a source to find one?
No luck on the ‘bays right now

It would be very much appreciated.
Thanks

alanbradford · Mar 25, 2021

Loads of Ilford MG500 stuff heads /controllers/PSU's probes but 400 MG parts are not so easily available. Persist in your researches , as these are great systems.

thereal10 · Mar 25, 2021

Thanks for your encouragement Alan. I’m hopeful to find the controller. I have the head and mixing chambers for 35mm ,MF, and 4x5. So this would be an excellent source for my 45V-XL.
Keep me in mind if you see one on the web somewhere.
Thanks !

Lachlan Young · Mar 25, 2021

Here's a hint: if you can find the controller that offers the modes for the 500 HLZ head for the Focomat 1C, you can adapt the 400 head to run on the MG500 controller/ transformer - I'm not going to get into more detail as it does require some practical electronic/ electrical knowledge, but it is quite obvious what needs done once you have seen the schematics.

thereal10 · Mar 25, 2021

Oh wow really!?
I’m pretty electronic savvy. I’ll have to take a look into that!
Shoot me a pm if you know any more about it. I have an electronics degree and also an electrical degree.
Thanks for the lead!

mpirie · Mar 26, 2021

Could you use an RH Designs Stopclock 500 in place of the 400c controller?

https://rhdesigns.co.uk/product/stopclock-500/

It was designed for the 500, but dropping them a line may find out if it'd work on the 400.

Mike

thereal10 · Mar 29, 2021

Thanks for the link Mike. I’m not sure about that but I will look into it.
In the mean time I will keep looking for a 400c unless I can rig up an alternative such as you and Lachlan have suggested.
Mostly I just want to get the head operational and be able to adjust the grades without having to use filters. That’s my hope.
Thanks for the lead. I appreciate it.

mpirie · Mar 30, 2021

The 400's do pop up occasionally on the auction site, but there are far fewer of them than the 500's.

I use a 500 system and wouldn't be without it.

Link sent to OP.

Mike

Lachlan Young · Mar 30, 2021

@thereal10 The problem with the 400C controller is that it also contains the power supply, thus you can't simply plug in the RH Designs controller as @mpirie suggested. I'd need to go and work through the MG500 schematic to see how it carries out voltage control/ limiting - if it's onboard in the power unit, that opens up a choice of controllers & means you don't have to track down a specific control pad. The MG400 head itself is pretty basic - as long as you can supply 30V to both of the 80w bulbs with suitable timing control you can get the full contrast range in a splitgrade manner - there's no mechanical controls inside the head - one lamp has full magenta filtration, the other full yellow.

thereal10 · Mar 31, 2021

Ohhh Ok that makes a lot of sense. So if I can control the dimmability of each bulb then I can create the proper ratio of yellow to magenta to achieve the desired grade?
And since it’s two 30v bulbs then PWM should work.
Got it.
That sounds like a viable route if I can’t obtain the actual 400c controller.
Thank you Lachlan that is extremely helpful.

Lachlan Young · Mar 31, 2021

thereal10 said:
So if I can control the dimmability of each bulb then I can create the proper ratio of yellow to magenta to achieve the desired grade?
And since it’s two 30v bulbs then PWM should work.

Yes, that's about the sum of it. In fact, making your own controller may make the grades more understandable than with the 400C because at the time it was produced maximum magenta would deliver Gr.4 with the then Multigrade emulsion, but today it'll give Gr.5 or more. so the '4' on the 400C really means '5' or a little more.

mpirie · Apr 1, 2021

thereal10 (OP): I sent you a PM with a link to a unit for sale on the auction site.

Mike

Want to Buy WTB: ilfospeed 400c controller

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