Use 9V power adapter with with Metz 45 CL-4?

alti · Oct 17, 2013

Do anyone believe or know if it is possible to use a 220V-9V power adapter with the Metz 45 CL-4, to use in a studio situation?

I have the 45-39 battery pack and can quite easily solder an external 9V battery connector to the correct connectors.

But I don't want to fry the flashgun using something with too much power, and as we all know Metz warns against using rechargeables in the battery pack.

Any ideas?

BennehBoy · Oct 17, 2013

If it's designed to run on 9v power I can't see what the problem would be, I created some hack job sealed lead acid adapters for my speedlites with the main benefit of decreased flash recycle times...

If you match the max current output from your adapter to the metz battery pack I can't see what harm it could possibly do.

alti · Oct 17, 2013

How do I figure out the max current output from the metz battery pac?

....That was a stupid question, I know how to measure the max current output: I connect a mA-meter in series with the battery pac.

Do anyone know how to dismantle the 45-40 battery pac without destroying it?

baachitraka · Oct 17, 2013

(there was a url link here which no longer exists)

I use RC battery pack 7.2v, works like a charm. Recycle time at full-manul is around 6seconds...

BennehBoy · Oct 17, 2013

Reading the linked thread there's no need people are reporting 10AH batteries being just fine.

Mike Wilde · Oct 17, 2013

Most every day 9V wall wart type power packs will have a hard time.

The best success I had was for a 4-aa type flash - Vivitar 283 I think it was. Fed it in the studio setting from ao old desktop PC power supplyfrom the early days of PC, when power supplies still turned on with a physical switch. Made a block of wood and screw nails to match the relevant normal aa contact areas. Fed it with 2 conductor lamp cord.

The PC supply on the 5V rail I used to power this set up was rated to deliver 20A. For a few seconds after the flash dumped (usually full manual into a soft box) the thing would suck back close to 20A.

I had another one fro a lab type supply that could deliver 6v, and upto 6A, and the 6A was drawn for the first 3-4 seconds.

But man, did that little falsh recycle fast. You had to take care, to not have the flash tube overheat. I actually took the lens out of the flash head to help the thing brath after noticing that it had started to melt at the ends of the tube after a tear down of one session.

Then I bit the bullet and bought a studio flash rig.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 17, 2013

alti said:
Do anyone believe or know if it is possible to use a 220V-9V power adapter with the Metz 45 CL-4, to use in a studio situation?

I have the 45-39 battery pack and can quite easily solder an external 9V battery connector to the correct connectors.

But I don't want to fry the flashgun using something with too much power, and as we all know Metz warns against using rechargeables in the battery pack.

Any ideas?

This was because the NiCads will give a higher peak current output than alkalines. This can overheat the transistors which drive the multivibrator. The nicad pack for mine (a 45 CT1) has it's own contacts within the flash, it does not use the same connection as the alkalines.

alti · Oct 19, 2013

I have now measured what current the flashgun draws from the NiCd battery pack: 1.6 A. So maybe there is no need for a welding transformer that some of the participants suggest. I see a great risk of frying the transistors by attaching a 20 A power supply.

wiltw · Oct 19, 2013

Why not simply used the proven method: get a used Quantum with cable that plugs directly into the Metz 45? Trying to do this on the cheap?

alti · Oct 20, 2013

wiltw said:
Why not simply used the proven method: get a used Quantum with cable that plugs directly into the Metz 45?

The 45 CL-4 has no connector for external power, either battery or power adapter. You must connect the external power through en empty Metz battery pac.

wiltw said:
Trying to do this on the cheap?

Yes, of course! That's half the fun, to use bits and pieces from the trash bins.

AgX · Oct 20, 2013

E. von Hoegh said:
This was because the NiCads will give a higher peak current output than alkalines. This can overheat the transistors which drive the multivibrator. The nicad pack for mine (a 45 CT1) has it's own contacts within the flash, it does not use the same connection as the alkalines.

I know of this difference, but still a schematic circuit would be helpful.
Are there just resistors put into the NiCad circuit-path?
(I got a 45 CT-5 in transparent casing, but to get wiser I likely would have to take it apart nevertheless.)

wiltw · Oct 20, 2013

alti said:
The 45 CL-4 has no connector for external power, either battery or power adapter. You must connect the external power through en empty Metz battery pac. .

NOT so. I own two 45CL4 units, and I use the Quantum Turbo with one, and the Quantum 2 with the other. The Quantum 2 requires that you remove the standard alkaline holder or the Metz NiCad pack, and put in adapter that connects to the Quantum 2. But the Turbo is used with a cable which plugs into the left side connector while the alkaline or NiCad pack provide power to the LCD on the back panel.

E. von Hoegh · Oct 21, 2013

AgX said:
I know of this difference, but still a schematic circuit would be helpful.
Are there just resistors put into the NiCad circuit-path?
(I got a 45 CT-5 in transparent casing, but to get wiser I likely would have to take it apart nevertheless.)

Could be, that would effectively limit the maximum current. I've never seen a schematic.
But you know those Germans - for all I know it changes the bias on the driver transistors.

Chan Tran · Oct 30, 2013

alti said:
The 45 CL-4 has no connector for external power, either battery or power adapter. You must connect the external power through en empty Metz battery pac.

Yes, of course! That's half the fun, to use bits and pieces from the trash bins.

The AC adapter Metz N22 or N23 would supply direct high voltage to the Metz 45-CL4.

Use 9V power adapter with with Metz 45 CL-4?

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