Vivitar 238(?)can't get batteries out!!

Terry Again · Feb 13, 2009

Hi All,
And their dead! When I first got it the things came out fine,popped right out!! I gently slipped back in and closed up the door and followed the manual just in case, and to "form"the capacitor I used the flash like 5 times and it charged agained before I shut it off! I put on the camera go to use and nothing! And nothing when I try to test? I unhook the flash from the camera just in case and still nothing so I figure dead batterries and now They seem stuck in the flash like something is holding it in at a point only a finger nail can get under an edge to try to pry up gentle and that is no go so I quit!
Anyone know what has happened and how I can fix at home? I hope?
Thanks for any replys

chriscrawfordphoto · Feb 13, 2009

Terry,

Make sure you push the door all the way over so the battery tray will fall out.

eric · Feb 13, 2009

Yep, Chris has the key. Sometimes it seems the door is open all the way but it isn't. Also, when you look at the battery holder (upon opening the door), is the right angled corner of the battery holder on the top left corner? All the other corners are rounded.

Terry Again · Feb 14, 2009

Thanks Chris and Eric,
I just tried again. And with a little help from my fingernail out the pack came!!I'll have to see IF the 283 will work OK with rechargeable AA batteries? I will try to keep track of the number of flashes I get out of the cheap ones I put in for now? I go now and read the manual I downloaded from Orphancamera.com and see what I can learn?
Thanks for the info and help,

elekm · Feb 14, 2009

The 283 will work with rechargeables. It once was the workhorse of many pros. It's a great flash.

eric · Feb 14, 2009

elekm said:
The 283 will work with rechargeables. It once was the workhorse of many pros. It's a great flash.

Yep, I have 4 of them!! 2 with the vari-power and 2 with the other one.

If you want batteries, check this guy out

www.aljacobs.com

Terry Again · Feb 14, 2009

Hi Mike,
And next you'll be telling me in can get rechargeable buttons of 1.35 volts for my SRT camera!! I'll have to break the news to my kids to move their digis over Daddy's home!!!:0 I think there's different types of rechargeable batteries is there a certain type I should look for and a type to stay away from? Thanks again for the info!!

nyoung · Feb 14, 2009

Terry Again said:
Hi Mike,
..... is there a certain type I should look for and a type to stay away from? Thanks again for the info!!

Any of the rechargable AA cells will work.

In my experience, a "charge" in a rechargable will not last nearly as long as good fresh set of alkaline Energizers - but you're saving by using them over and over.

I'd get two sets (8 batteries) so I could have a freshly charged set on hand.

Also, you should discharge the batteries all the way before recharging to keep them working at maximum capacity.

When I was running four photographers at a newpaper, we pulled the discharged batteries out of the flashes and put them into two cell flashlights which we left on on the top of our desks.

When the penlights put out no light, we put the batteries in the charger.

Vivitar used to market a quick charge battery pack with a dedicated charger that would recharge in less than an hour. It was, even back in the 80s, very expensive unless you using them in a business.

MattKing · Feb 14, 2009

nyoung said:
Vivitar used to market a quick charge battery pack with a dedicated charger that would recharge in less than an hour. It was, even back in the 80s, very expensive unless you using them in a business.

I had one of these, although it was actually in the 1970s .

It worked really well, and it may have been a mistake to sell it.

Matt

eddym · Feb 15, 2009

The problem I always had with my 283's was corrosion on the contacts of the battery holder. I was constantly scratching, sanding, and filing them trying to get good contact. The final solution to the problem was a Quantum 1 battery. I still have the first one I bought about 20 years ago; if it starts getting weak, you can have them recelled at the factory for a fraction of the cost of a new one. Beats the heck out of any kind of AA's, rechargeable or not.

tac · Feb 17, 2009

I took all my 283's apart and wired phono jacks into the battery compartment. Cut the battery cover to fit the jacks. Then used lamp cord to wire connectors, a phono plug at each end. I can use any 6V battery, but I like the Gates cells "D" - 3 of them glued together and a jack wired on (that's what used to be in the quantum; I don't know what they use now). But you can get Gates D cells for about $8 apiece. And any sealed lead-acid 6v will do; the more aH, the heavier. I've used non-rechargeable lantern batteries, too. Lately, I've been using these little 1.2 aH SLA jobs I found for about $5. Got a quick/trickle charger at Radio Shack for about $10

Don't try this if you're not sure about what you're doing; the capacitor in a 283 could blow you across the room- or kill- I've seen them spot-weld a steel rod

Vivitar 238(?)can't get batteries out!!

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