Flash Maintenance

RalphLambrecht · Dec 21, 2015

I understand that electronic flashes suffer from not using them and that they should be fired up a few times a year to the capacitors in good working order.How often do you do it and how do you remember?:confused:

wiltw · Dec 21, 2015

I make sure to re-form capacitors on a quarterly basis...easy to remember to do it in the first week(s) of each new quarter.

Sirius Glass · Dec 21, 2015

This is something that I have not been doing and should do.

Arvee · Dec 21, 2015

Re-forming the capacitors was a recommended practice back in the days of the Honeywell Strobonars and similar units. Recently I have picked up a number of 35mm kits from the 80s and 90s complete with flash units for almost nothing. Most often the flash hasn't been fired in many years and I have had 100% success in reviving them by simply cleaning the contacts and installing new batts. I test fire about a dozen times and have checked output with flash meter and most are within 2/3 stop of spec (quite often electronic flash units were sped'd at guide numbers that were quite 'ambitious.' The materials used in the manufacture of large electrolytic capacitors have improved dramatically over the years and are now much more efficient than the caps of yore. These flashes were Canon, Minolta, Metz and Vivitar, well respected brands. Some of the lesser known brands may have lower quality components.

Sirius Glass · Dec 21, 2015

Fred, thank you, that is good to know.

wiltw · Dec 21, 2015

Fred Aspen said:
The materials used in the manufacture of large electrolytic capacitors have improved dramatically over the years and are now much more efficient than the caps of yore. These flashes were Canon, Minolta, Metz and Vivitar, well respected brands.

Metz still says to reform the capacitors...taken from Metz54MZ owner manual:

"Forming the flash capacitor
The flash capacitor incorporated in the flashgun undergoes a physical change
when the flashgun is not switched on for prolonged periods of time. For this
reason it is necessary to switch on the flashgun for approx. 10 minutes every
3 months. The battery must supply sufficient power for flash-readiness to be
indicated within one minute after the mecablitz was switched on."

Multiple electrolytic capacitor manufacturers state 2-3 year shelf life, and recommend reforming capacitors per published procedures before using them if they have sat unused on the shelf for a long time. Maybe they are merely covering their corporate backsides, maybe products function after long periods of time even without it, but I cannot find a reference that suggested forming the capacitors was no longer necessary.

No controversy necessary, as it is not exactly burdensome to plug in and turn on flash units during some lunch hour or while sitting on the toilet reading a photo mag at least once per year.

Arvee · Dec 21, 2015

I wasn't implying that it is no longer necessary. I had a couple of Strobonars that died after five years due to bad caps. I was merely saying that the recent offerings don't seem to be plagued by that issue. As an aside, I also purchased an amateur radio from a deceased ham's wife that was purchased new and hadn't been turned on for 22 years (purchased new in '92). No problems with it either in over two years regular use. Radios from the 60s and 70s require being re-capped if they haven't been turned on for a while because the caps dry out.

wiltw · Dec 21, 2015

Fred, I was merely presenting the two sides of the coin. Really, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle...Canon, after all, says nothing on the topic in its 600RT owner manual, as if no need for maintenance exists. But OTOH I don't put much credence in Canon flash engineering, as they designed 580EX External to underexpose -2EV, too!

mgb74 · Dec 21, 2015

My Elinchrom moonlights are relatively recent and generally considered high quality. Their manual recommends reforming the capacitors quarterly.

StephenT · Dec 22, 2015

Fred, what's your callsign?

Steve W4IJ

paul ron · Dec 22, 2015

Caps can be time bombs for sure, especially the old waxed paper caps in old radios that reminded me of of sweaty sticks of dynamite.

anyway.. here are a couple articles that may be helpful in understanding caps and the other on strobe application, maintenance, reforming caps.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum_electrolytic_capacitor

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-to-keep-your-old-flash-from.html

John Koehrer · Dec 25, 2015

I've seen a cap in an IBM 3705* blow when it was powered up. That was exciting.

*3705 was an old telecommunication controller that handled all of 32 lines, 5' tall & 2X3'

RobC · Dec 25, 2015

this topic has prompted me to dig out a couple of my contax flash unita which I haven't seen the light of day in years. They both charge up and fire OK. I have no idea if they are outputting the correct amount of light. I suppose I should check that. Not sure how.

Sirius Glass · Dec 25, 2015

I need to get a round to it. Some day.

RalphLambrecht · Dec 27, 2015

Sirius Glass said:
I need to get a round to it. Some day.

Tomorow is a good day.I do most of my shores tomorrow.It always is an incredible busy day.

MartinCrabtree · Dec 27, 2015

I pulled both of my big flashes out and ran them through 20 cycles or so. Certainly didn't hurt anything.

RalphLambrecht · Jan 1, 2016

MartinCrabtree said:
I pulled both of my big flashes out and ran them through 20 cycles or so. Certainly didn't hurt anything.

I decided to do it once a month now.With my portrait business,I cannot afford forthe stobes to let me down.

RobC · Jan 1, 2016

If you are not going to use your flash unit for a while, is it better to leave it charged or uncharged?

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2016

Sirius Glass said:
I need to get a round to it. Some day.

I found a round toit and done did it.

Sirius Glass · Jan 1, 2016

RobC said:
If you are not going to use your flash unit for a while, is it better to leave it charged or uncharged?

It does not matter. Leaving it charged, it will slowly discharge which will not hurt anything. I do it. Just do not leave it charging in storage.

paul ron · Jan 2, 2016

in storage, take out the batteries as they can leak n spoil your beautiful flash.

ic-racer · Jan 3, 2016

I have never seen proof that re-forming a capacitor extends its useful life.

paul ron · Jan 3, 2016

i think reforming caps isnt to extend life.... its to keep them from blowing up on initial startup after a long sleep.

wiltw · Jan 3, 2016

The dielectric in electrolytic capacitors is is correlated with the formation of an oxide film on the electrode. Within an aluminum electrolytic there is a large area of aluminum foil and an electrolytic paste. As the voltage is applied, current flows until aluminum oxide forms on the surface of the foil, reforming the capacitor renews the oxide coating. If the oxide layer is depleted, microscopic metal bridges can form, so that the capacitor ceases to store charge.

Flash Maintenance

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