My 1212 also works opposite. The 3 prong cord and switch control the heater. The 2 prong cord works the lamp directly not through the switch. Looks like yours is wired wrong. I would call Aristo and explain the problem. They worked well for me over the phone. Maybe they can also talk to the vendor. And if the same vendor sends another one maybe they can check it out prior to shipping.
Well, I finally got ahold of Louise Kessler at Aristo and I learned that the unit is operating correctly and their instructions were wrong.
The 2 prong cord IS for the heater, and the 3 prong cord IS for the lamp, and the switch DOES control the lamp (but it should always be left in the 'on' position obviously, since the lamp should really be controlled by a timer).
This is all different from the instructions on their website, and Louise told me that they'll be fixing those instructions soon (they are at http://www.aristogrid.com/Tech02A.htm and by the time you read them they may already be fixed).
Louise also confirmed that my unit should have included instructions and should have had the cords labeled correctly, and she apologized for all of these problems.
So, Aristo leaves me unimpressed:
- Their website instructions were wrong.
- There are no instructions specific for the unit, they're "generic" for a group of products.
- They forgot to include instructions with the unit and forgot to label the connections.
- The unit has a switch on it that serves no useful purpose.
- I sent them a fax, and an email, and a voicemail (at business hours), and I didn't hear back from them (even to get an automatic response) until 2 days later.
But at least I can use the #$*&# thing now!
That sounds just a little strange to me. So Aristo has changed the wiring from that used on my T-12 and others, to REMOVE the switch from the heaters, and put a switch into a circuit that does not need one (and then tell you to leave the switch on)? Maybe Aristo has a reason for this? Still, it sounds a little strange. Still, I would NOT leave the heaters plugged in when you are not in the darkroom!
I also spoke to Louise yesterday in a quest for information about a 1212 and had the exact opposite, i.e. a positive, impression:Originally Posted by Sashazur
- Aristo was purchased by Voltarc and inherited the Web Site. Improvements are needed and will be made.
- Voltarc is completely shut down for inventory and vacation at this time. Reaching Louise was a bonus for both of us.
- Manufacturers of photo equipment, particularly darkroom-related items, are leaving the business in droves. That Aristo was sold rather than closed is a good thing. I'm thrilled they're still there.
Granted it would have been better if you didn't have the problems, but I'm going to support Voltarc in this transition/improvement phase.
I own an Aristo45 Hi-intensity cold light, bought new in 1988. The instructions recieved with it covered more than one model. The generic installation for the 4x5, 5x7, 8x10 section matched the physical unit - the thinner wire with the 2 prong plug connects to a timer to control the light, and the heavier cord with the 3 prong plug controls the heaters and is wired through the toggle switch.
However, some of the cold lights, even back then, are different. Same instruction sheet - Beseler 23 section - says that on that unit the 2 prong plug is the heater and the 3 prong is the timer and you need to turn the switch to "on".
At the very least one of the cords should have been tagged "thermo" (mine is) so there would be no mistake.
The enlarger I bought it for is long retired, but the cold light makes a terrific light box and copy light and lives on.
Yes, Aristo overall hasn't impressed me for the reasons I outlined, but I was very satisfied with my conversation with Louise, she seemed very honest and helpful. But I agree it seems strange that the wiring of their units has apparently changed for no good reason, and therefore I am still wondering (just a teeny little bit) if I got a cock-and-bull story. Anyway, it does seem like the unit is usable - I don't care if it's miswired as long as the rating of the wires is sufficient.
-- Alex
P.S. I do realize that Aristo is one of a quickly-shrinking set of suppliers of these types of products. I hope my experience was NOT typical of their quality and customer service since the company changed hands, otherwise there are even more reasons to worry about Aristo's future!
The 23c unit had the transformer in a separate box. That box had a switch. The heater cord went directly to the lamp with no switch. Guess you don't really have a problem but I wonder about Aristo's explanation. Too bad you can't get a second unit to try or get the vendor to check it's operation for you.
Alex,
Reading through this thread it is not clear to me if you have had earlier experience with cold light heads. If not there is at least one more surprise ahead that early warning may at least prepare you to address. I have a 1212 and found that there is no consistency between one 16 sec exposure and the next. I thought perhaps this was where your "timer question" was going.
When I bought the enlarger with cold light head, the former owner Michael Mutmansky told me RH Designs has a cold light head timer version called the Stop Clock Vario. It has a light sensor that you position right in the lighting area. It senses how much light is coming out on each exposure so that each 16 second exposure has the same amount/intensity of light as the next. Pretty important if you want your print to match your step test. I have been using it for about a year now and am very pleased with results. Search here and on APUG.org for RH Designs and other very positive reviews.
http://www.rhdesigns.co.uk/darkroom/...ario.html#note
Hope this saves you the pain of an ugly surprise.
John Powers
John, this must vary from one head to another. The light output of the fluorescent tube is very dependent on temperature; too cool, and it's dim, too hot, it gets dim again. It's brightest at around 115 F, and most of these heads have an internal heater that can keep the tube within a few degrees of that temperature; if that heater isn't working correctly, you can see considerable variation between one exposure and another as the head heats up (with more on time) or cools (with more off time).
For whatever it's worth, I can't see the difference between multiple exposure of the same value with my Zone VI head; I start each enlarging session with a minimum fifteen minutes of tube-on (while I fill trays and set up the rest of my temporary darkroom), and leave the heater on for the entire session, to ensure consistent head temperature. And I'm using a plain old Graylab 300 timer, almost identical to one I used in high school in the mid-70s.
If a contact print at arm's length is too small to see, you need a bigger camera. :D
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