Zone VI Cold Light Head question

I picked up a Zone VI Cold Light head for a Beseler 45MX as part of a darkroom garage sale and had a few questions that I can not track down on the internet.

1) Is there anyway to tell via the attached photo what lamp is installed?
2) Anyway to identify the model / age of the cold light? There is no external componets just two wall plugs one for the lamp and one to keep the lamp warm.

Thanks in advance.

Todd

Todd,
Check with Voltarc Technologies re: Aristo products. If she is still there talk with Louise Kessler.

http://www.jeffreyglasser.com/

The best way to tell is to turn it on; the standard 'cold light' is quite blue and the V54 VC head looks considerably more greenish white. You can use the colder light with addition of few yellow color correction filters but I never did, it just shifted the contrast scale over so that I needed to use a 1/2 or 0 filter to get to a 'normal' grade 2. I replaced mine with a V54 and the contrast shifted back up.

Todd Barlow said:

I picked up a Zone VI Cold Light head for a Beseler 45MX as part of a darkroom garage sale and had a few questions that I can not track down on the internet.

1) Is there anyway to tell via the attached photo what lamp is installed?
2) Anyway to identify the model / age of the cold light? There is no external componets just two wall plugs one for the lamp and one to keep the lamp warm.

Click to expand...

I realize this is subjective without past experience with which to compare, but if the lamp glows distinctly bluish-green (aqua?), it's likely a more modern V54 lamp intended for direct use with multi-contrast filtration (like the Ilford set). The coloration is pretty distinct.

If it glows more bluish-white, it's likely the original V45 lamp, which can also be filtered, but is a little more demanding when doing so, as the contrast grades are far less evenly spaced than with the V54.

The V54 is the preferred lamp. Compatible new ones should still be available from LCD Lighting (who purchased Voltarc, who purchased Aristo, I believe). Click here for the specific tube (D2-HI Replacement Lamp) I believe you would need. It's the same one I purchased as a replacement for my own Zone VI Cold Light head.

Jeffrey's advice is the way to go. Search the archives here for Ms. Kessler's email link. There should be dozen's of instances. She is the one who spearheaded the manufacturing resurrection of these replacement lamps. But I am not certain if she is still working, or if she may have retired.

Ken

Didn't these setups have a voltage regulator and/or a compensating timer? They also weren't able to be used with some digital timers because of inductive load.

Zone VI Cold Light

Thank you all for your responses.

The unit does not have any other componets other than the Compensating Metronome. Not sure what is contained in the head itself as it is quite heavy.
The light to my eye was like a typical cold white flouresent bulb, I did not pick up on any hint of green and very little blue.

Thanks

Todd

Cold light was made by Zone VI. Age is hard to tell I would have to open it up. Will have the blue graded paper bulb.
The silver plug on the right is for the photo cell. that you can attach a Zone VI Stabilizer to or the Zone VI compensating timer.

Indeed they do. Without the voltage regulator (mine has intensity and drydown adjustment, I assume they all do) you don't have a consistent source of light. Mine won't stabilize above about "G" on the intensity dial (about 1/3 full intensity) regardless of how warm it is. This could be a function of the age of my bulb, maybe.

Wonder how the voltage regulator got separated from the rest of your system, I can't think of another use for it off-hand.

Zone VI Cold Light Head methods of use combinations

Here is what I understand... please let me know if I am getting this wrong.
Thanks
Todd

Method of use number 1:
The Zone VI Cold Light head alone - has limited use due to poor repeatability due to fluctuations in intensity of the lamp (correct?)


Method of use number 2:
The Zone VI Cold Light head + Zone VI Compensating Metronome (TikTok) - not stabilized however the Metronome (TikTok) will adjust the time between beeps based on feedback from the sensor measuring the intensity of the lamp.


Method of use number 3:
The Zone VI Cold Light head + Zone VI Compensating Metronome (TikTok) + Zone VI Cold Light Stabilizer (with Lamp Intensity Dial + Dry Down Dial) - stabilized to reduced fluctuations and improve repeatability


Method of use number 4:
The Zone VI Cold Light head + Zone VI Compensating Enlarger Timer (with Timer + Dry Down Dial)

You can't use number 3. The cold light head photo cell connects to either the stabilizer or metronome not both. You will need to use an additional timer with a stabilizer. I use a Beseler Digital timer with no problems. Make sure the timer can handle a cold light head. I also use the metronome on a larger cold light head. You will need the foot switch for easy operation. This works fine for me and I like it better than a timer for doing test strips. Only problem is using slow papers and keeping track of the count.

Method one works print density will vary a little most photographers do not notice the difference.

Method two works but you have to keep count print density will not change Metronome plugs into the cold light and adjusts the time intervals to the light out put.

Method 3 will not work you can only plug one unit into the cold light at a time. The Stabilizers is easier to work with.

Method 4 is the best.

As to the voltage regulator. Cold light do not need then. Its not he power that causes the problems it the light bulb its self.

The metronome, Stabilizer and the compensation timers, all hook up to the the photocell and make changes to the out put base on the light it is seeing.

This is interesting. If the voltage regulator is not needed, then what is its purpose?

It still regulates voltage, which does the cold light head no harm. But neither does it do any additional good, at least as far as light stability is concerned. Perhaps it was simply left over from the pre-cold light incandescent head, where it would have been much more useful?

Ken

The use of a voltage regulator will reduce the life of the cold light transformer.
The place where a voltage regulator is needed is when color printing with a color head.

My bad, confusing stabilizer with regulator.

Richard T Ritter said:

The use of a voltage regulator will reduce the life of the cold light transformer.

Click to expand...

I'm curious to know by what mechanism this happens. If a transformer, or any electrical device, is designed to optimally function correctly at an input voltage of, say, 110-volts, and a supplying voltage regulator regulates the input voltage to that device to exactly 110-volts, then all other things being equal, where is the anomaly?

Or are all other things somehow unavoidably not equal?

Ken

Todd Barlow said:

Zone VI Cold Light Head methods of use combinations

Here is what I understand... please let me know if I am getting this wrong.
Thanks
Todd

Method of use number 1:
The Zone VI Cold Light head alone - has limited use due to poor repeatability due to fluctuations in intensity of the lamp (correct?)


Method of use number 2:
The Zone VI Cold Light head + Zone VI Compensating Metronome (TikTok) - not stabilized however the Metronome (TikTok) will adjust the time between beeps based on feedback from the sensor measuring the intensity of the lamp.


Method of use number 3:
The Zone VI Cold Light head + Zone VI Compensating Metronome (TikTok) + Zone VI Cold Light Stabilizer (with Lamp Intensity Dial + Dry Down Dial) - stabilized to reduced fluctuations and improve repeatability


Method of use number 4:
The Zone VI Cold Light head + Zone VI Compensating Enlarger Timer (with Timer + Dry Down Dial)

Click to expand...

Referring to Method 4, it that means the Zone VI Cold Light Stabilizer is not required.; just connect the Cold Light Head directly to Compensating Enlarger only? I just acquired Zone VI Cold Light Head, Zone VI Cold Light Stabilizer (with Lamp Intensity Dial + Dry Down Dial), and Zone VI Compensating Enlarger Timer (with Lamp & Dry Down control dial).

you can use that light as it is alone. one wire is for the heater, the other wire is the lights power line to tye timer. that head has another small socket that is connected to the internal photo cell... that will get hooked up to a special timer that can compensate for the lights brightness.

when you first start getting ready to print, turn the light on for about 2 minutes to wam it up. once you have warmed it up, its pretty stable after that. the internal heater will keep it ready to go. besides, you'll have the light on while focusing so that actually warms it up before each exposure.

I have the dry down version and it came with a ballast which was housed in a black metal box.