ScanTron Noise

Well when an intel (moving mirror that is) pans and tilts its normal for it to make that cool squeeking noise...its just the gears moving. I think the noise is awesome! Is this problem your having more than just your typical gear shifting squeek? Is it the kind of rusty door hinge type of squeek? You could bring it into the dealer where u got it and have em check it out if your really concerned about it.

-AMP

AMP's right, there's always some noise with a scanner. If one is much louder than the other, then I'd have it checked out.
However, when the music is pumping, and your scanners are way up on the truss, no one will hear it.

Yes, its like a door squeak (but not high pitched sound) So its normal for it to make that noise?
* The reason I found it weird, because only 1 of the 2 is squeaking.

I forgot to mention this, but when I unpacked the box for the first time

A) It wasnt packed like the other one was (it was missing some FOAM around the light

B) There were 2 screws missing from one of the top corners of the main units body (and the side panel was loose)

I called my dealer where I got it from right away and he said it was probably shown to a customer (from the main american dj warehouse here in Toronto)where he picked them up for me.

So should I return it and get another?

I would suggest exchanging it for a new one.

Yeah thats prob a good idea. Espefially if it was missing some pieces and if it wasnt packed right. Better safe than sorry.

-AMP

Thanks guys for your advice, I will take it back and exchange it for another one.

quote:

Originally posted by blink1342:
[qb]* The reason I found it weird, because only 1 of the 2 is squeaking.[/qb]

Here are 2 possibilities for the louder squeek in one.
1) One of the units has a little more grease packed in the gears and moving parts (bearings) that is helping it stay quieter.
2) The one with the funny packing, may have been used for a while (a little more than to just show a customer) that it is more broken in (ie, bearing grease is more broken down). Thus causing the squeek.

I would say it is nothing to be concerned with, but if you feel more comfortable exchanging it. That is what you should do.

Stevie Ray only ONE makes sqeeking noise, the other one doesnt make any noise at all.

Plus I was comparing both and the one that sqeeking, has BLACK lube and the non-sqeeking one has GREEN lube, also there is more green lube then the one on the black one.
So what I believe is that theres not enough LUBE. Thats why its sqeeking, When paning left and right.

Also, let me add the sqeeking one also jerks a bit when moving (example) top left to bottm right (diagnally)

The other one doesnt. So my conclusion is sqeeking one needs more LUBE for smoother movement. AM I RIGHT?

PS: DONT GET ME WRONG I AM VERY HAPPY WITH THESE LIGHTS AND WHAT THEY CAN DO.

My scan tron also squeeks and its getting annoying! It happens on the tilt mirror how do you get that out.

I believe our units just need some grease "coollights". I am not sure if this is something we can do ourselves or if we have to take in for a tech to fix.

But if you're saying your tilt is squeeking and my pan is squeeking , then we DONT HAVE TO WORRY THEN as much.

But yeah I agree with "coollights" it can get annoying.

yea, easy fix, listen up, hehe
(READ ALL DIRECTIONS BEFORE GETTING STARTED, plus im not liable if you blow it, im just smart)

1. Get a paper clip and bend it so that part of it is like a point (u will be using it like a brush). Secondly get real close to the back of the panning axile of your scanner. This would involve u setting it on a table or something. The axile is the thing that is a bar that the tilt motor is attached too. You'll notice a little white bar that pushes against the this pan axile. (NOTE: if your working with the tilt squeak, apply this the same way, except to the friction bar attached to the tilt motor)

2. Using the point of the bent paperclip, push the oil that is already in the area into the area that the white friction bar touches on the axile.

3. Using a screw driver u can add pressure to push this white bar slightly downward causing a reduction in friction.

4. These bar's are important so don't break them off,just gently bend them so that they have a new place of motion. The reason for their existence is to cause friction on the scanners stepper motors so that they don't overpass a given position.

5. I just did it again last night, squeak is gone. The best thing is usually tweeking the white bar (pushing the white tip downward). When rearranging the grease, it might be a temporary fix and the squeak will come back.

Good Luck, but if your even more curious, u can call me for tech help or idea's at 1-858-231-7469.

Appreciate the advice "faultline"

But I Dont want to void tha warranty if something goes wrong, because i played around with it myself.
Well by the looks of it, its considered NORMAL for the scantrons to sqeek sometimes.

For my unit sometimes it sqeeks and sometimes when i use them they dont squeek as much.

Personally, its not a big deal, when I first started this topic "SCANTRON NOISE" I didnt know if it was common for the scanners to make this noise, but I see its really not a huge issue.

As long as this squeek WONT damage the unit, I'm ok.

Back-Up Info on Faultline's Fix:

Well, blink, heres the deal, by pushing down on the white friction tabs, it doesn't void the warranty, your not opening the unit up, nor are you detaching the white tab. In shipment the tab got moved around to a strange position that makes the squeak. Even support could back me on this one. You could think about it this way, the warrenty isn't voided when your changing out a gobo pattern for another, it is simply calibration. On large scale lights, such as one from marrtin and higgh end, or even ELATION, their friction tabs are calibrated periodically. (every other year) to keep that smooth motion. That squeak might be even causing your mirror to somewhat studder in smoothness.

Take it from me, its worth fixing the white friction tabs, lates.

oh, I see what you mean.

Yeah it also makes it studder when moving diagnally, compared to the other one.

Thanks for your advice Faultline

tell me if that helps you out ok?

and about the diagnal studder.... if the panning tab is fixed and that the diagnal is still jerky and studdery, then your gonna wanna gently pull OUT on the tilting friction tab, (located on the tilt axil, found near the tilt motor)

Tell me if that helps even more haha, gnite.

I need a HAZER because fog machines are risky, as they may set off fire alarms.

Can anyone give me any advice on a cheap hazer.