I tested this on my own setup. I have a Zone VI compensating timer that's connected to a Beseler 45S head in which I installed a sensor. If I disconnect the sensor, my timer behaves as your timer behaves.
I tested this on my own setup. I have a Zone VI compensating timer that's connected to a Beseler 45S head in which I installed a sensor. If I disconnect the sensor, my timer behaves as your timer behaves.
When the last pictures were taken, the Compensating Enlarger Timer, Zone VI Control Box, and the Zone IV VC Light Head were separated, in order for me to take pictures of them. When the items were assembled on the Beseler 45, their electrical circuits were properly attached. The light head and control box worked as they should. The compensating enlarger timer failed work properly. It will not count down or produce any sound that shows it is working.
I just finished inspecting the male 3 prong timing plug socket that is inserted in the top of the light head to connect with the light diode located inside the light head. The wiring was secure and it does not appear that anyone has ever modified it. This is easy to get too. This is where this currently stands.
You could test the head separately by plugging the cord that normally goes into the timer into a wall outlet. If it goes on and then off when you unplug it, you have confirmed that the issue is with the timer or the timer/enlarger connection.
Keith Pitman
Keith and Neil, I am still working on Neil's theory about the socket connection in the light head. As I just mentioned the prior response, I just finished inspecting the male 3 prong timing plug socket that is inserted in the top of the light head to connect with the light diode located inside the light head. The wiring was secure and it does not appear that anyone has ever modified it. This is easy to get too.
The next step seems to be to the internal timer connection of the 3 prong plug. If that appears secure and nothing is loose. I will have to decide whether or not to try and inspect the wiring attached to the diode inside the light head (I may not want to tackle that as I may not have the proper hex wrenches to get inside of the light head.)
Keith, I plugged the head in and tested it with the Zone VI Control Box, by doing the test you just recommended. That is why I think the problem is with the Compensating enlarger timer as it is the only piece of the puzzle that is not working. I am taking a further look at the timer now. If I find nothing there, I will try to visually inspect the light head diode.
Luther,
It sounds as if you may have a faulty sensor. Even if the wiring is in good order, a faulty sensor (i.e., not sending and current) would give you the results you are experiencing. In that case, you'd have to replace it. Maybe someone here knows the a source for the proper replacement.
Best,
Doremus
Doremus,Originally Posted by Doremus Scudder
I thank all of you for staying with me through this ordeal. Are you stating the light head may have a faulty sensor or would you surmise that the faulty sensor would be on the Compensating Enlarger side?
When I bought the compensating enlarger timer, it came with an extra L702 Photocell & Receptacle (light sensor). I completely disconnected the light head from the compensating timer. I checked the compensating enlarger timer's wiring of the light sensor receptacle that normally attaches to the light head. The wiring was intact, however, because I have no schematic, I do not know whether or not the wiring may have been reversed at an earlier date.
Assuming that the wiring was correctly attached, I plugged the extra light sensor into the compensating timer's light sensor receptacle, I set the timer's right hand side timer dial to 5, turned the sound button up to max, plugged the timer into an ac outlet, turned on the timer, and shined a flash light on to the fresh light sensor. The timer emitted a whistling type sound, but did not do a count down, so I assume something is wrong with the timer's sound count down mechanism that prevents an audible count down. Before I did this experiment, no sound whatsoever emitted from the timer, when it was connected to the light head.
Next, I re-assembled the compensating enlarger timer, light head, and the light head's controller box. I tilted the light head sideways enough to observe the light coming from the light head. This time, I set the timer's right hand side timer dial to 1, turned the sound button up to max, plugged the timer into an ac outlet, turned on the light head, then the timer. The timer emitted no sound. However, I used the stop watch on my cell phone to time the time from when the light came through the light head to when it cut off. The light did cut off, after approximately one minute. So, there is some communication between the light cell in the light head and the enlarging timer.
The timer still will not allow me to press the red start/stop button or use the foot switch to stop the timer. It just keeps going until the time is up. In this case, it is one minute. So there is no way to interrupt the timer, unless you use one of the main cut off switches located on the right hand side of the timer or the right hand side of the light head. Also, it is impossible to set the timer incrementally, by 10ths of a second or even by seconds, or any amount of time less than a minute. This is a crucial problem when making an exposure. The fresh new light sensor did not remedy the incremental timing issue. There is communication between the light head sensor in the enlarger head and the enlarger timer, because the light grid is shutting off at the time set. The problem is that the time canot be set incrementally in units of less than a minute.
There are two observed problems with the timer, the inability to properly emit a count down sound, and the inability to properly set the length of time on the timer. After two days, I am giving up and returning the enlarging timer. If someone knows where I can find and buy an extra L702 Photocell & light Receptacle (light sensor), I would be thankful as I still have an Aristo VCL4500 Light Head that I wish to use with a compensating enlarger timer and I will need the light cell.
The current extra light cell that I have came with the faulty compensating enlarger and the seller may want to keep that one. So if any one knows where I may find a light cell, please contact me. I thank everyone for coming forth to help. This forum has some really kind and helpful members. I hope I may offer someone else as much help in the future.
Sincerely,
Luther
Luther
Let's start with the extra light sensor. Sounds as though you got a continuous tone. If so, it could be that the flashlight was so bright and the timer so out of calibration that all the beeps ran together as one. You should try doing a calibration. Do you have instructions? Neil P posted some here:
http://www.largeformatphotography.in...r-instructions
As far as getting a new photo sensor, this is doable too. Not much to this circuit. You will need a photo diode. You'd like to find one about the same area as what was intended. Zone VI used 2 x 2 mm sensors last time I saw one, but you can check by looking at your sensor. There should be a small shiny square in there (if it is like the one I saw). It might have a light blue filter over it. See what size it is. Either 2 x 2 mm (0.08 x 0.08 inches) or half that would be most common. You don't need to be too accurate. Here's an example, albeit a different shape than the one you have. The one you have is probably from Hamamatsu.
Let's see what happens with this info first.
EricW
my picture blog
ejwoodbury.blogspot.com
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