Getting Zone VI Timers Repaired

[Bruce Barlow]

I have not one, not two, but three Zone VI Drydown enlarging timers that have been zapped by lightning strikes to the power line. They're oldies but goodies, and I routinely have two hooked up to different enlargers.

Does anyone know who might be able to repair them?

Thanks.

Bruce

[Renato Tonelli]

I have had mine repaired by Calumet (main branch in Illinois). The turnaround time was good. The only sure solution to lightning damage is to keep electronic equipment unplugged when you are not using it. Hopefully it's just the power supply.

[Bruce Barlow]

Thank you! I'll call them tomorrow.

[John Bowen]

Bruce,

You lost 2 more timers to lightening strikes? Just hope the compensating timer is OK. Time to invest in some surge protectors for the darkroom!

[Ted Harris]

As an added caution, inexpensive "surge protectors" the kind that are supposedly built-in to strip outlets won't necessarily do the job. A decent UPS will.

[Bruce Barlow]

Generally, I unplug everything, but this was a student who left it plugged in, and that evening before I got down there to get her prints out of the washer, ZAP!

I lost the Compensating Developing Timer the first time. We were videotaping "Large Format Basics" in the gallery space when the flash and boom came out of the radiator along the hallway wall (behind me at the time). It fried the timers, a computer modem, and two old stereo receivers. Lightning had struck the Hickory tree across the driveway, and traveled into the house and to the hot water heating system. Exciting at the time.

We follow Mt. Washington protocol these days: if we hear thunder, everything vulnerable gets shut down and unplugged, including phone lines to computers (have fried two modems here at Honey Hill in the past, too).