Aaton LTR54 power problem

Brian Plow · November 4, 2005

Aaton LTR54

fully charged onboard batteries (each one tested).

No power whatsoever, no red doide indicating low battery.

Video tap receives power.

The problem arose very suddenly. No issues up to this point - camera was functioning perfectly - no abnormal shooting conditions or trauma to camera.

Sorry the details are so sparse. I am a teacher, trouble shooting a power supply issue with my production students over the phone. I don't have the camera in front of me (they are on location), so my information is limited. I would like to know if anyone has a quick, general diagnosis just to see what i am up against.

Is this a fuse issue? Any other potential causes?

Any responses appreciated, especially quick ones.

bp

Laurent Andrieux · November 4, 2005

I was thinking of a fuse problem... On the AAton, it's located on the right side, nearby the battery itself, under a transparent 1'' plastic screw nearby the red flash light (that looks like a diode). Can you determine if it's broken by yourself or do you need help for this ?

Did your students try to start the camera with no magazine on it as well (it should start like this anyhow, so that a mechanism / magazine problem can be discared)

Brian Plow · November 5, 2005

Thanks for the quick response.

An attempt to run the camera was made without the magazine and different mags - still unsuccessful.

they checked a fuse in the battery area and they cannot determine whether the fuse is damaged. They have since returned the camera to school and exchanged for another unit, so the urgency is over. Tomorrow I will examine the camera and post another reply to you with more detailed info if necessary.

Much appreciation for your response.

-Brian

I was thinking of a fuse problem... On the AAton, it's located on the right side, nearby the battery itself, under a transparent 1'' plastic screw nearby the red flash light (that looks like a diode). Can you determine if it's broken by yourself or do you need help for this ?

Did your students try to start the camera with no magazine on it as well (it should start like this anyhow, so that a mechanism / magazine problem can be discared)

Laurent Andrieux · November 5, 2005

You're welcome ! :)

Mitch Gross · November 5, 2005

Most likely a fuse. On most LTRs the fuse cover is black, not transparent. If this fuse goes then it is a good idea to check the current draw of the camera both on startup and when running. If it is high then this can be an indication of motor wear or a need for relubing the bearings. An LTR54 has to be at least 22 years old, so these things will tend to come up with time. I can't recall the proper amperage range (perhaps under 1amp on startup and 500 milliamps running?) but perhaps Nathan can chime in with the correct numbers.

Nathan Milford · November 5, 2005

Howdy,

A healthy 54LTR will pull 500 milliamps to 1 amp depending on it's nature and wear, although anything above 750 milliamps really gets my attention. This is sans the current draw of a video tap and with out any mags loaded... just the body running by itself.

It sounds consistant with the fuse suggestion. The Amphanol 9 connector (atari controller-like connector above the XLR4) is probably supplying power to your video tap, and it is not part of the fuse system (something to be rectified by the XTRprod), so if the camera is not respoinding but the tap is... it sounds like a fuse. You just need a simple 5 amp microfuse. Give me a call on Monday morning (eastern time) and I can send you one. Otherwise you can get them from Allied Electronics or some other components vendor.

The real concern is this: what caused the fuse to go anyway? What caused the current draw to spike high enough to force the fuse to blow? Could the camera really need a lube that bad? Is it approaching seizure? Or is it an electronic problem? Sometimes fuses blow for mysterious, non-repetable and non-volitile reasons, but you should still send it in somewhere to get it checked out. If your in the US, send it in to me in NY or Jordan at our LA office... otherwise Aaton has a list on their website of authorized facilities around the world.

Laurent Andrieux · November 5, 2005

On most LTRs the fuse cover is black, not transparent

Right ! I was working with my memory, since I don't have an LTR here before my very eyes, and gor confusee with Arri BLs because these 2 cameras are the ones I've mostr worked with, sorry !

Brian Plow · November 5, 2005

Thanks Nathan, and to all who replied.

I don't have the camera in front of me right now but it sounds like it is the fuse - it makes perfect sense with the video tap continuing to function.

Of enormous concern to me too is the "why" issue.

This is a "new-to-us" camera, sold by a reputable service provider, who is generally reliable and performed all the proper service before the sale. We've had it for two months and we've run only 15 magazines of film through it during this time. I would love to know the cause of the spike.

Could it be caused by excessive drag from a faulty or mis-loadedmagazine? I suspect just as much "operator error" as anything else (student use). Prior to this power problem, another student group complained of uncharacteristically noisy magazines. They would begin running with the typical Aaton quietude that I expect, but mid way through the camera noise would worsen. Again, over the phone, I would have students go in to the changing bag and readjust the loop and then re-seat the mag. Sometimes it would work and sometimes not. In conjunction with this problem, students reported a "sticky" or unmoving footage counter. One student even suspected that the footage counter may have been providing drag, which caused the excessive camera noise mid-way through the magazines 400ft. load, though with my limited knowledge I simply didn't know if I do not know if this is possible. I was intending to troubleshoot the mag problem with a dummy load, but cannot now until I resolve the fuse issue.

Any take on this, Nathan (or anyone else)?

As always, much appreciation for any replies. No urgency, however. The production cycle is coming to a close for the semester.

many thanks

-Brian Plow

Howdy,
A healthy 54LTR will pull 500 milliamps to 1 amp depending on it's nature and wear, although anything above 750 milliamps really gets my attention. This is sans the current draw of a video tap and with out any mags loaded... just the body running by itself.

It sounds consistant with the fuse suggestion. The Amphanol 9 connector (atari controller-like connector above the XLR4) is probably supplying power to your video tap, and it is not part of the fuse system (something to be rectified by the XTRprod), so if the camera is not respoinding but the tap is... it sounds like a fuse. You just need a simple 5 amp microfuse. Give me a call on Monday morning (eastern time) and I can send you one. Otherwise you can get them from Allied Electronics or some other components vendor.

The real concern is this: what caused the fuse to go anyway? What caused the current draw to spike high enough to force the fuse to blow? Could the camera really need a lube that bad? Is it approaching seizure? Or is it an electronic problem? Sometimes fuses blow for mysterious, non-repetable and non-volitile reasons, but you should still send it in somewhere to get it checked out. If your in the US, send it in to me in NY or Jordan at our LA office... otherwise Aaton has a list on their website of authorized facilities around the world.