I have recently purchased a Beseler 45V XL enlarger with the motor/power assist option. The focus functions properly going both up and down, however the part that raises and lowers the head, only goes down. I'm assuming that means the motor which controls that movement needs to be replaced. Is that correct? Has anyone had any experience in replacing these and if so, how difficult a task is it. Are the parts available? If so, where. Thank you, Bill Barber

I have recently purchased a Beseler 45V XL enlarger with the motor/power assist option. The focus functions properly going both up and down, however the part that raises and lowers the head, only goes down. I'm assuming that means the motor which controls that movement needs to be replaced. Is that correct? Has anyone had any experience in replacing these and if so, how difficult a task is it. Are the parts available? If so, where. Thank you, Bill Barber



Your analysis is incomplete. Iffum the motor goes one way, I 'spect it will go the other.

Look to the switch first.

tim in san jose

Your analysis is incomplete. Iffum the motor goes one way, I 'spect it will go the other.

Look to the switch first.

tim in san jose

When I throw the switch to raise the head, it makes a noise and nothing happens. Guess I'll diddle with it a bit more. BB

Doesn't the 45 have a spring that assists the lift? If the spring isn't set right, the motor is trying to lift the entire weight of the enlarger assembly, and probably can't. Fix the spring assist and your problem might go away.

Doesn't the 45 have a spring that assists the lift? If the spring isn't set right, the motor is trying to lift the entire weight of the enlarger assembly, and probably can't. Fix the spring assist and your problem might go away.


Hmm, that maybe the issue. Well actually the amount of weight put on to counterbalance the head. I bought the enlarger from someone who thought they wanted to get into photography and didn't. They apparently bought from a governmental agency. I say that because of the DEA sticker on the base of the rail. Guess I could start checking with the federal prisons to see if I could find the original owner and try to fing out if it ever worked. The light source is the Universal 45 (#8570). Anybody have any experience with this light source and the power elevation/focusinging motors? Bill Barber

nsurit. I have taken mine apart a few times when I notcied that my enlarger was badly misaligned. One of the cogs had jumped on one side and made the neg and lens stage off by quite a bit. I had to loosen the screws on the frame, and the two chromed horizontal bars that house the gears that the motor engages and move the dropped side up one cog. If you look at the bar that is closest to the motor, there will be a little screw going into the tube? Remove that and you can rotate the tube until the spring is wound tight. Then you can reassemble and try the vertical assist again. It should work.

There is only one "lift" motor on a Bessler 45V. It goes both directions. If it goes down, then when the enlarger is set-up correctly, and assuming the switch and wiring is not broken, it will go up.