Stringing a guitar lead between two Bowens flashes -- Bad idea?

[cinefane]

If I plugged a guitar lead into the sync ports of two Bowens Monos (a Silver and a 400d) would one trigger the other or would I be doing an unwise thing?

 

[Steve Smith]

Only one way to find out!


Steve.

 

[Ian Grant]

No one won't trigger the other and potentially you could damage one or both of the heads.

Ian

 

[Mike Wilde]

The trigger potential of one era/type is not necessarily the same as the the other, even with the same vendor. Send your funds off for a cactus wireless synch; the best money you never spent on a pocket wizard for 99% of the users who want a wireless synch.

 

[fotch]

Mike, I Googles and found this statement "Designed for flashes which (1) comes with a trigger voltage lower than 12V"

Kind of limits it to only new designs, yes? Or maybe they have other models? Would like to get something like this for my older studio strobes.

 

[hoffy]

Fotch, what version are you looking at? The V4's can handle a flash voltage up to 300V, according to the gadget infinity website. - http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/cactus-wireless-flash-trigger-set-v4.html

I have to agree with Mike, Cactus triggers are well worth the money - granted they are not as sturdy as a pocket wizard, but geez, the savings is too hard to overlook(especially when you are only doing this for a hobby).

 

[PeteZ8]

So before the days of wireless flash triggers, how did photogs sync multiple lights, other than optical slaves?

 

[fotch]

Fotch, what version are you looking at? The V4's can handle a flash voltage up to 300V, according to the gadget infinity website. - http://www.gadgetinfinity.com/cactus-wireless-flash-trigger-set-v4.html

I have to agree with Mike, Cactus triggers are well worth the money - granted they are not as sturdy as a pocket wizard, but geez, the savings is too hard to overlook(especially when you are only doing this for a hobby).

I don't remember, however, I will go back later tonight and look. Thanks.

 

[Steve Smith]

So before the days of wireless flash triggers, how did photogs sync multiple lights, other than optical slaves?

They just connected them together and didn't worry about it. The sync voltage is derived from the main HV supply via a high value resistor. If you connect together two flashes with differing sync voltages, they will settle at the higher of the two. When triggered, both trigger transformers will then produce an ionising pulse to start the flash tubes.

If both flashes have sync voltages from about 60v to 200v then they should work fine together. If one is low voltage (5v or 12v) and one is high, I wouldn't connect them together.

I looked into the Cactus triggers. They use an opto triac which is rated at 400 volts. Probably the same component is used in modern cameras which are rated up to 250v but many paranoid people will not connect anything over 6v to.


Steve.

 

[fotch]

Paranoid? If all else fails, read the instructions.

 

[Steve Smith]

If all else fails, read the instructions.

I don't know if I would go that far!!!


Steve.

 

[Ben Marks]

What happens when you play a G-chord? ;-)

 

[benjiboy]

Yes It's a bad idea for the sake of what a proper sync led costs to risk damaging your Bowen s Mono lights.

 

[Steve Smith]

Yes It's a bad idea for the sake of what a proper sync led costs to risk damaging your Bowen s Mono lights.

I think the question was more about the suitability of connecting the two together rather than the quality of the lead used (which would actually be far superior in the case of a guitar lead).


Steve.