A flash that cannot be switched off

I got a japanese hammerhead-style flash of unknown manufacturer.

(see here a sample under the Revue brand, Revuetron C40S:
http://www.ebay.de/itm/like/1914169...5015&item=191416935725&lgeo=1&vectorid=229487
especially the last photo)

Actually a nice flash with more features than its Metz contemporaries. But it is weird in operation:

Inserting the battery pack automatically makes that push button on the right, marked "L", light up and the flash charges up and is alert.
After 1.5 minutes that light goes off and the flash cannot be triggered via the synchrocord any longer.
However if the slave-mode is on, the flash is still triggered by another flash lighting up.

To make it full alert again one has to push that L-button, it then remains alert for another 1.5 minutes


It cannot be switched off deliberately. I tried pushing that button a second time and kept it pushed for some time in vain.

Thus with that flash on the bracket and the urge to take some photographs without flash lighting, one either has to wait for that time to run off or to pull the synchrocord.


I find this quite weird.

Take out the batteries to turn it off.

Yes, that would be a third option but even more weird. That is why I did not hint at it.
That means taking off the flash from the bracket and then twisting off many turns the screw cap of the battery compartment and then taking out the pack.
One would need four hands for this...
So far about about switching off during work.


When out of use I always take battery packs out of all equipment. Concerning just putting this flash into a camera bag, I did not measure the drain on the batteries when in that kind of stand-by. (Just having checked the state of my batteries after about an hour or so on stand-by makes me worry.)



Maybe something is wrong with my sample.
Anyone who has the manual at hand?

Is it possible for the shoe mounted remote sensor to have the on off switch?

I have not got that external sensor but only the pc cord. As the sensor is only an accessory item it is unlikely that a main switch is located there. But, who knows...

It sounds like there is a bad switch. If you can find the switch and if you can get to the contacts, then contact cleaner may solve the problem.

There is no switch aside those key switches to see at the photographs and a sliding switch for the slave mode at the side of the flash. And all work.

I found this discussion from 2006-2009, but my German isn't good enough. It might help.
http://www.nikon-fotografie.de/vbul...9-revuetron-c40s-stabblitz-fuer-strobist.html

Einschaltknopf mit grüner LED hinterlegt
Ausschaltautomatik nach 90 Sekunden ohne Blitzauslösung.
This is better information.

My conjecture was from the remote which had a 0 and a I in the picture.which in European cars over here means closed and open

The batt. switch is power on/off.
If you can't deactivate the flash by pushing the switch a second time it's either a bad switch(doubtful) or the board itself
I think the problem is in the board if the M/A switch in the picture is in the manual position and Auto shouldn't be active at all. Considering that, could it be a fault in that switch because it is a slide rather than electronic part.
The 90sec delay is an automatic off feature and is normal.

There is a simple though crude fix for the I/O would be a piece of circuit board clad on both sides sldi between a battery contact and the battery itself with a wire to each side going to an external I/O switch.

**I said it was crude.

-) That "batt" switch just acts as battery tester. When pressed, the red LED above lights up for a second or so.
Continous, or repetitive pushing will neither switch-on or -off the flash.


-)

I think the problem is in the board if the M/A switch in the picture is in the manual position and Auto shouldn't be active at all.

Click to expand...

What you see lighting green is the "ON" indicator lamp within that start-up push button (though it does not switch off the flash...)
That green LED above that switch is the light indicator for "enough light-output for automatic exposure".
Automatic-exposure mode is indicated by lighting of the one of the five LED's at the aperture setting.


-)

The 90sec delay is an automatic off feature and is normal.

Click to expand...

I consider that rather short. As it blocks the triggering of the flash. I experience a lot of situations where I wait between exposures, for instance for a fine situation, much longer than. Seeing that situation but before relasing the shutter to take the eye off the finder to push that switch, or to fumble for it is most impractical.

This rather makes me think something is wrong within in the circuit (too fast automatic (partial) shutdown, no manual full shutdown.)


-) Yes, I considered installing a main switch (just behind the battery pack) myself.
But with this fast automatic partial shutdown I rather use it as accessory flash in sklave mode, where a proper main switch would not be necessary.

Keep in mind that this is from my personal past experience with flash units BUT I've never seen that brand.
With that said:

There's no need for a battery test and the batt button is in fact a power switch.
The auto range(red LED) should be lit when an auto range is selected or they serve no purpose.

You're correct about the green LED being a confirmation light for adequate light. The light in the rectangular switch should also be on when auto is selected and off with manual.
It may be possible to adjust the power off timing IF there's a potentiometer on the board.

And...I've never seen that brand so it's an opinion and everything you read on the interweb is fact......: P

Additionally.........I've been wrong before, Ask my wife.