Eclair ACL motor sync light

Francis Elvans · August 13, 2015

Hello,

I have an Eclair ACL 1.5 with heavy duty motor. Until now I have not attempted sync sound but I'd like to give it a try. Only problem is that it appears the sync warning light is not functional, I have never seen it light up and there have been circumstances where it certainly would - like the battery going dead and reducing the rate of film uptake for example. Is there any way I could get this to work without going to a technician? Otherwise the motor seems good. I'm interested to hear your thoughts on this.

Thanks for your help,

Francis.

Gregg MacPherson · August 13, 2015

Have you ever seen it light up at all? A brief flicker on camera start, maybe on for a couple of seconds after camera stop. Stays on when battery voltage is too low.

If it's just a bulb, they look replaceable in the parts drawing. The little bulb sits inside the orange capsule. If I knew how to take that off I would check the bulb first.

How far are you from Les Bosher? You could try him on the phone and learn something.

We really need a workshop manual. Things like checking that bulb could be easy.

Perry Paolantonio · August 14, 2015

It's worth getting something like a Tobin TSC Speed Checker to verify if the motor is truly good. Good to have no matter what, but it'll tell you without requiring any film if your motor is holding sync speed.

-perry

Gregg MacPherson · August 14, 2015

Are they still selling those?

Francis Elvans · August 14, 2015

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully it is a bulb but even so I daren't tinker with it myself. Perhaps my Eclair is due a look over by Mr Bosher anyway.

The speed checker seems like a great bit of kit, though my primary concern is knowing when the camera is up to speed, to begin shooting the sound safely. This normally would take a few seconds would it?

Thanks

Mark Dunn · August 14, 2015

From what i can make out you would just unscrew the orange cover. You can then test the bulb for continuity.

Gregg MacPherson · August 14, 2015

Thanks for the advice. Hopefully it is a bulb but even so I daren't tinker with it myself. Perhaps my Eclair is due a look over by Mr Bosher anyway.

..... knowing when the camera is up to speed, to begin shooting the sound safely. This normally would take a few seconds would it?

The motor should run up in a fraction of a second. The light just flicks briefly on. How good are your batteries? After a full charge what do you see if you measure the voltage each day? I don't think it is good to run on a low voltage. I would never run for long with the out of sync light on, so if it's just needing a bulb, be careful on battery voltage.

If you actually have a motor electronics problem then Andrew at AZ Spectrum is the guy. There may be one or two guys in Europe who also can, but I don't know how to find them.

Francis Elvans · August 14, 2015

From what i can make out you would just unscrew the orange cover. You can then test the bulb for continuity.

This is correct. I have unscrewed the orange cover and removed the bulb, it looks like this:

I don't have a multimeter handy and the bulb is tiny, so it might be easier to find a replacement. But what is it I am looking for exactly, a simple 12v lamp? Most I have seen have pins whereas this does not, just a contact at the base. (I am assuming that the silver bit which reads '12v' is part of the bulb itself)

The motor should run up in a fraction of a second. The light just flicks briefly on. How good are your batteries? After a full charge what do you see if you measure the voltage each day? I don't think it is good to run on a low voltage. I would never run for long with the out of sync light on, so if it's just needing a bulb, be careful on battery voltage.

If you actually have a motor electronics problem then Andrew at AZ Spectrum is the guy. There may be one or two guys in Europe who also can, but I don't know how to find them.

The batteries are old, I think. I have never measured the voltage actually, rather I had given them a long charge and went ahead. I will order a new battery and something to measure the voltage.

I really hope there is not an issue with the electronics, I've not used the camera very much since I bought it and otherwise it seems to be in very good condition. Like I say, I haven't shot sync sound yet, but the couple of hundred feet I have shot has come back seemingly without issue.

Edited August 14, 2015 by Francis Elvans

Mark Dunn · August 14, 2015

There's only one contact on the base. The other contact is the silver bit, like a torch bulb.

Something like this

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-328609/bosch-pli-gli-12v.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwo7auBRCOtoqn_s-G7aMBEiQAxArNrORtBguwIrA9WFF3cERH-mLDUL9_f6dECkSgPtz7iOIaAtnp8P8HAQ

but if you take the dimensions you may be able to find something suitable.

I'd check with a meter first, though, especially as you haven't checked the batteries, before you buy anything.

Francis Elvans · August 14, 2015

There's only one contact on the base. The other contact is the silver bit, like a torch bulb.

Something like this

http://www.tool-net.co.uk/p-328609/bosch-pli-gli-12v.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwo7auBRCOtoqn_s-G7aMBEiQAxArNrORtBguwIrA9WFF3cERH-mLDUL9_f6dECkSgPtz7iOIaAtnp8P8HAQ

but if you take the dimensions you may be able to find something suitable.

I'd check with a meter first, though, especially as you haven't checked the batteries, before you buy anything.

Thanks for the advice.

Having looked online for a little while I've so far been unable to find a bulb small enough (9mm x 4.5mm) so I'll find a meter and test it. Perhaps the bulb you linked to would be the right size if necessary.

Thanks

Mark Dunn · August 14, 2015

I picked that one at random to show you what they look like. It's a torch bulb and it'll be much bigger than that.

It may take some finding.

Gregg MacPherson · August 14, 2015

In the French ACL parts list that bulb is called Lamp Russenberger 525 BB 12V.

You could test the bulb with a 12V DC source. I strongly urge you to get a multimeter. Can be very cheap. It might help solve simple things like the sync light. And you need to know what your batteries are doing. NiCad batteries? The cells can be replaced.

Francis Elvans · August 14, 2015

In the French ACL parts list that bulb is called Lamp Russenberger 525 BB 12V.

You could test the bulb with a 12V DC source. I strongly urge you to get a multimeter. Can be very cheap. It might help solve simple things like the sync light. And you need to know what your batteries are doing. NiCad batteries? The cells can be replaced.

Thanks for that info.

I'll get myself a multimeter. The batteries are actually sealed lead acid, quite old though, it's one of those bescor packs with the cigarette lighter connection. I'd like a NiCad battery pack for a lighter alternative though.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

Gregg MacPherson · August 14, 2015

The part number on the drawing for that bulb is CIR 864, may be useful if that bulb is rare and you need to get it from a camera repair tech etc.

Lead acid batts are a cheap way to go. Initially ACLs didn't have on board batteries. It makes the camera notably lighter. If you have the battery in a money belt and have the long coiled power cable it works well.

Mark Dunn · August 15, 2015

If you can't see the filament, a PP3 battery would do , it's 9V so it would light it up.

Francis Elvans · August 15, 2015

I bought a a multimeter and tested the bulb... It read 28 ohms, so the bulb is good by the looks of things.

The camera seems to run fine, If I obtain a new battery and am careful to make sure it is functioning fine can I 'trust' that the camera is running up to speed?

Hopefully the issue is not too severe and Mr. Bosher would be able to fix it, otherwise I suppose it is a matter of hunting out another HD motor. Sending things to and from AZ spectrum might make things a little costly.

Gregg MacPherson · August 16, 2015

Have care with the polarity of the power suply. early cameras had no protection, I think. I have a hunch that later camera bases the fuse protected against reverse polarity. Simplest thing, avoid that!

I'm serious that there are few people who, according to the word of mouth, know how to fiddle with all the motor electronics. I only know Andrew at AZSpectrum. If anyone discovers the others, let us all know. Of course this may be a missperception, and oftentimes, missperception seems to rule.

Problematically, my experience is mostly with the ACL I, with the small motor. A battery running down had a very audible sound next to your ear. I would hear it straight away, then check for the light.

If your light is not working, you may have no indication that you are not hitting speed, or are falling out of speed.

So my recommendation is to fix that. You could call Les Bosher, call Andrew, Bernie O, Paul Scaglione at VProducts, any ACL tech, and get some ideas.

Old film cameras are a bit like old cars. They need service. You need to find the guys that are good at that. So this problem with the motor or light system, is a chance to find someone, to get to know someone. How much fun can it be!