Re: Stereo Viewers

[P3D Dr. George A. Themelis <fj834@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jonathan Orovitz writes:

>The DC viewers I have listed work very well and economically on Radio
>Shack High Capacity Ni Cad batteries.  The High Capacity D cell carries
>twice the amp-hour charge o a nmal  Cad.  They get hot while being
>charged.  Allow to cool before using or you will blow your bulb. Beware
>of cheap Ni Cads that are half empty (filled with air).

I personally recommend using the standard Ni-Cd cells and staying away from
the high capacity ones for the simple reason that they weigh less.  A
common complain about viewers loaded with a pair of D size alkaline
batteries is that they are very heavy.  Regular Ni-Cd cells (essentially C
cells disguised in D cells) solve this problem, making the viewer easier to
carry and use, and reducing potential damage if the viewer is dropped. 

Besides, you don't need the extra capacity if you have a replacement set
charged and ready to go.  Ni-Cd's discharge in storage and die quickly so
even with high-capacity batteries you need to have a spare pair ready to
use.

>1) Technically, the green button is an excellent AC viewer  2) It is a
>mediocre DC viewer.  With the black bakelite bulb holder in place, the
>image is not as bright as with a conventional red button Realist viewer.

You need to do three things:  

1) Install a new reflector (all the original reflectors I have seen have
turned yellow/orange/brown; this is a piece of paper, not plastic) With a
new reflector you will see a gain in both AC and DC. 

2) Repaint the back of the slide carrier (sometimes the white paint has
turned yellow; light reflected from this surface helps increase the overall
brightness)

3) Install a halogen bulb.  Because the bulb is loaded with the top facing
the slide and away from the reflector, you'll be able to orient the bulb with
the filament-supporting wires facing up and down, thus casting the shadow
outside the image area.  The bright ring at the top is also outside the
image area.  As a result, you don't need the frosted bulb and this will
give you an extra gain in brightness.

If you follow my recommendations, your Realist green button viewer will be
as bright as your red button viewer.  For more details, check my Realist
green button viewer book! :-)

-- George Themelis


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