Cyberlight Strike Problem

A few things to check...

#1 - are your fans all spinning?
#2 - Since the lamp is firing and then going out it probably is not the ignitor...it sounds like the ballast....if the ballast looks like a piece of toast...it probably is.
#3 - look at your PSB (power supply board) for any obvious damage.

go here for all info on Cybers:
www.highend.com/support/automated_luminaires/cyberlightturbo.asp

If you click the exploded views link you can see how the fixture is assembled and what parts are where.

All of the fans do spin, I haven't looked at the ballasts really closely. Where can I get a new ballast? That way I can swap them out to see if thats the problem.

THANKS!

You can get them through your local High End dealer, or from Light Parts

www.lightparts.com

There is a fair ammount of work involved to replace a Cyber ballast...I don't want you to think that you can just swap one out quickly.

yeah i never 'assume' anything is easy... i figured it would be a ton of work, but really my only option is to try a new one to see if it solves the problem.

are there manuals available for me to follow to replace the ballast? or do i kind of just have to pull the fixture apart as needed?

The link I posted above is a great place to start. If you need help you can always call HES support @ (800) 890-8989.

Caleb,

Also try the lamp. Had a fixture recently that had a similar symptom and a new lamp was all it needed.

You can swap one from a working fixture to test the theory.

Cat

I think thermal protection can cause problems when they get old.

where is the thermal protection located? that might be easier to swap out than the ballast to start.

I've tried different lamps and they don't seem to make a difference.

I will tell you that the fixtures were working fine, a couple of them stopped working when i shut them down after a show (disconnected dmx, let the lamp shut down, and the fan to stop before disconnecting power) when i powered them back up, they just wouldn't come back to life... strange...

btw, does highend support cost something to call? i'm an "IT" guy for a couple of banks, and i've worked with various companies support in the past, some of them won't say "boo" without an outragious support contract... (ps. i've never worked with hes support.. just checking)

Caleb,

It doesn't cost anything to call HES for Support. Unlike most of the enterprise software companies, you don't have to wait on hold for ever either.

This wreaks of bad Power Factor Caps. It would be the first thing I'd replace. Once removed shake it. Sounds like it's full of sand? It's bad. If the lamp strikes then dies I'm betting on the PFC if all fans work and you have clean units. If thermal was bad it wouldn't allow it to strike. PFC's = 90299010 CAPACITOR,METAL POLY 145UF 250V $88.00

Getting to it and replacing them takes a bit of work in the cramped area.
Part available from HES or LIghtparts.com.

I'll pull one apart and check it out this weekend. I should be able to swap one from a working fixture to see if thats the problem.

I'll call you if I need one.

Thanks!!!

also on the PFC you cannot just go to a electronics place or a industrial supply place and buy one. And no motor starting caps dont work either, they work for about 2 min they they turn into a fogger..... Dont ask how we found out.......

hahaha though that sounds really amusing... i don't know if i would try buying some strange capacitor and sticking it in there... i haven't had a chance to pull one apart (as it requires time) but i'm hopefully gonna get around to it this weekend.

Big tip of advice. DO NOT REMOVE THE BACK PANEL!!!!!! flip the fixture on its back (belly up ie. fans and mirror facing towards the celing). Remove the optic (belly) cover and undo the safety cable. Next remove the 4 or 6 screws on upper part of the back plate (plate that houses the cable connections). Next you will find, you have to look, two allen screws that hold the color module to the belly plate that covers the lamp, the one with the two fans on it. Remove these two screws. Next carefully lift up and disconnect the two fan wires that attach to the powersupply board. The board on the other side with all the chips and wires on it is the logic board. If you remove the back plate completely it takes two people to struggle holding the light together along with keeping the vent plate lined up and trying to screw it all back together. To remove the ballast or transformer you have to remove the lamp, along with the 4 nuts holding the metal plates in place. You then start digging in from there. You need a long allen wrench (1/4" drive T-15 or T-20 torque bit on long 1/4" extension bar) to remove the two or three screws that hold the reflector along with the UV glass assembly and remove this. You also have to remove the screws that hold the logic board and power supply board to this metal assembly. And pull it out. You can do this without disconnecting either of the boards. On the right side next to the power supply board you will find a large metal cap. It has two orange wires running into it. That is the PFC. Be sure to discharge it by shorting it to be safe. The logic boards normally discharge them but i have been bitten by them before. You will see mounted to the back plate a little silver cap that has 4 wires running into it, it has 3 screw terminals, this is the ignitor. Dig down and you will see a little tranformer to the front of where the lamp goes, that is the logic tranformer, directly under where the lamp goes there will be a big ugly transformer that is the ballast. It is normal for everything to look like its been cooked.