Beseler810

[Angiedarkroom]

Hi there, I need some technical advice guys/girls.
I've bought a second hand Beseler 810 cold head enlarger. I've replaced the bulbs.
It has a 65w step-down transformer. (this enlarger previously used in a studio in sydney and so I presume it was working before)
Input 230/240V AC
Output 115V AC 65 VA
1 Amp glass fuse replaced.

As soon as I plug in the cables and switch on the enlarger head, the light comes on for less than a second and goes off and the fuse is blown.

I'm confused as this enlarger has been used previously in australia. Do transformers a have limited life.

Any advice on where to go to from here would be much appreciated as I'm dying to use it!!

Angie

[Kevin Crisp]

You're using it on 110 or 220 input? Can't tell from your profile where you are.

Beseler is still in business you could contact the company.

[ic-racer]

Hi there, I need some technical advice guys/girls.
I've bought a second hand Beseler 810 cold head enlarger. I've replaced the bulbs.
It has a 65w step-down transformer. (this enlarger previously used in a studio in sydney and so I presume it was working before)
Input 230/240V AC
Output 115V AC 65 VA
1 Amp glass fuse replaced.

As soon as I plug in the cables and switch on the enlarger head, the light comes on for less than a second and goes off and the fuse is blown.

I'm confused as this enlarger has been used previously in australia. Do transformers a have limited life.

Any advice on where to go to from here would be much appreciated as I'm dying to use it!!

Angie
What is the stepdown transformer for? Why only 65 W? Where is the fuse located? The inflow for a coldlight 'ballast/power transformer' might likely exceed 1 amp.

[Racer X 69]

When a circuit blows a fuse it means there is a short somewhere. Fuses are included in the current path to protect against fire or electrocution, and damage to the electrical circuit.

What you need to do is examine the wiring from the fuse to the light socket and back. Look for frayed, exposed or damaged wiring. If you find a place where the wire is shorting to the metal of the enlarger then repairs will be required.

Also look at the socket to see if there is any damage there that would result in a short.

A test light or a voltmeter such as a Fluke 88 DVOM (I use one of these, great tool) can be used to check for ground faults.

[old time photo]

You should have this checked out by a pro.
Maybe someone in your area who is a electrician
or as someone noted that bessler is still in business.
Also there is potential injury if there is a wiring fault.

[EdSawyer]

blown fuse doesn't necessarily mean a short. it could just be drawing more current than the fuse is rated for.

[Angiedarkroom]

Hi Kevin,
thanks Kevin our power input here in Aus is 240w. I've contacted Beseler a few times now with no reply to date :(

[Angiedarkroom]

It was used with a 1 amp fuse with the same transformer at a local studio which has now closed down. All I can think of is that the transformer may have seen its day? but I don't want to go out and buy another one.

Originally the lamp housing had 4x39w lamps and I've replaced them with 4x36w lamps which is all I could get but I don't think that would be the problem. The lamp housing asks for a 1amp fuse. ??

[Angiedarkroom]

hi IC-racer
the 65w stepdown transformer came with the enlarger as it's 250 watts 120V (american I guess) and we are 240 watts. The 1amp fuse is located in the transformer itself. When you say the inflow 'ballast/power transformer' might likely exceed 1 amp. Do you think I should try something larger? The transformer stipulates a 1 amp fuse.

[Bill_4606]

Unfortunately, something doesn't make sense with your description.
You describe that you have four lamps in your enlarger. That is a total of about 150 W. A 1 Amp fuse at 120 V is too close to being borderline for what you're asking the system to deliver. Also using a 65 W transformer to supply power to your system is under sized. You indicated that the system was working when you bought it. The specifications as stated don't add up. I suggest that contacting a competent electrician in your area to physically examine your system will be the shortest path to solving your problems.

[Eric Woodbury]

Bill is right. It doesn't add up. You can't run 150W of lamps on 120W of fuse. Another question is what is the time rating on the fuse. Fuses come in fast blow, slow blow, and in the middle. For this, you'll want a slow blow, since tube will pull more current at turn-on. Don't exceed what the transformer calls for in current with your fuse. You might take a few tubes out and try to start with fewer tubes, just to see how it goes. If you find the slow blow doesn't help or you were already using slow, then to run all tubes, you might very well need a bigger transformer.

[ic-racer]

Pictues? Won't guess as to what you have for risk of potentially harmful information. The cold light head should have only one bulb or perhaps two if it is a multigrade cold light head.

[Kevin Crisp]

I am not in front of mine (Beseler with relamped Aristo head) but as I recall it wasn't that hard to plug it in wrong (head to transformer) and it made a loud buzz and quit right away. Especially if you have a timer in the loop. A picture or two would certainly help.

[Eric Woodbury]

Some Beseler 810s didn't have coldlights, they had a series of fluorescent tubes. I just tested my 12x12 ARisto v54 coldlight. It is 85W with a cold start. It got to 90W after some warm-up. I know that some coldlights can be around 200W.

[Kevin Crisp]

I thought cold lights were florescent tubes. The ones I've accidentally broken were.

[ic-racer]

I thought cold lights were florescent tubes. The ones I've accidentally broken were.

Similar but the enlarger "cold light" is more like a neon bulb. It uses higher voltage and does not need a 'starter.' Both will have a ballast, but the coldlight has the 'ballast' function built into the power transformer (frequently a ferroresonant, current limiting design).

[Angiedarkroom]

Dear All,
Worked it out! The transformer is/was not large enough to do the job. When the enlarger was sold to me the guy gave me the transformer which I believed was the one for that enlarger. But it was A transformer and wasn't suitable for my 8x10 Beseler. So forked out another $100 for a new transformer. Thank you all for your input and I apologize if I was a bit vague. Technical things are not my forte, Just want to photograph and print! Kind regards

[dsphotog]

Great...
Happy printing!