Had hoped that I'd get a chance to look properly at the Sun 1215 today but instead was running around like a headless chicken all day. Managed ten minutes before I first went out and a half hour before shutting down things for the day though.
I would usually do quite a few checks on an old bit of kit which has been out of use for many years before applying power, but just went with a brief sanity check with the Megger for any leakage from the power supply to the case (mainly because I didn't want to have to reset my overly twitchy RCD again) before showing it some power. My logic here was that the seller told me they had it running to demonstrate to a prospective buyer a few weeks ago and that it was obviously in use in the not too distant past; the last PAT safety certificate dating from 2005.
Flicking the switch resulted in all the right noises, though nothing from the light over the display. After a few seconds though the displays themselves came to life.
Judging from the condition of the CRTs, it doesn't have a huge number of hours on.
The photo actually makes this look less sharp than it appears in person.
It's apparent that we do have some issues. The computer display keeps cutting in and out, so that will need to be investigated. Also don't appear to have any vacuum at the intake for the gas analyser despite being able to hear the pump running - not surprised there as I'm expecting those hoses to all need changing. Very promising start I'd say.
Then I had to disappear out all day...only having a spare half hour at the end of the day. Figured that should be enough to tackle one fault though. The dead light above the displays...was figuring this was probably just a dead tube.
The light looks easy enough to get into - Just three machine screws hold the trim strip under the light on. Removing that started to reveal quite why this thing weighs as much as a small country.
It's a bit of trim...just needs to be a bit of chromed pressed tin...instead we have this!
Must weigh a couple of kilos. If the rest of the machine is this over-engineered we shouldn't have many problems.
The plastic diffuser is quite a snug fit, so I didn't try to move it any further than I needed to get to the tube.
Given the US connection with this machine it wasn't a huge surprise to find an F30W T12 tube of US origin in there, despite them being a pretty rare sight over here.
The thought occurred that this could be the original tube, but a quick look at the date code shows it to be from 1995, so it's obviously been replaced at some point.
I only had one 3' tube on hand, a yellow Narva which I'd had in use at Halloween...not something I could leave in there but it should prove the ballast to be good or not at least.
It does seem to be just fine - and quite an aggressive instant start one at that given the tube was lit while only halfway through being inserted.
The only T12s I have in 3' form are coloured (nice Atlas Double Life green ones), but I knew I had half a dozen or so new old stock Cryselco 30W T8s in stock somewhere. Part of a batch of tubes found by the demolition crew taking down my old work building and sent my way as they knew I was into old lighting gear. Poor old building may be flattened, but it's still giving! Lighting in my garage is all from there too.
This should do nicely for the lighting in the Sun 1215 though.
Yep...seems to be working just fine.
Everything buttoned back up...looks the business now I think...nice to see the colours are still so vibrant and haven't faded.
With a bit of luck I might actually get a chance to get a better look at it tomorrow afternoon. Really want to get the back cover off, at the very least I should be able to get the production date pinned down properly then.
