Thanks for this testing.
You're welcome, it's been fun and instructive, thank you for your useful input. By the way, you mentioned that you soldered a modern electrolytic to replace the old capacitor, it would be great if you could try your flash with a 3v battery like the one I use (CR123), instead of the 15 volt you're using. That's an experiment I can no longer make because I don't have a capacitor, but I am sure it would work the same, and save some money to a few people. 3 volt CR123 batteries start at $2.50 on Amazon when the only 15 volt replacement, the Exell 504A is $14 on B&H or Amazon.Thanks for this testing.
According to information that I founbd, the 15v battery was 34.9mm x 15.1mm x 15.9mm ...do you know of 12v that would fit in its place?
Hi. If your Tilt-A-Mite's capacitor still works and you just want a battery that's cheaper than the 15v, one solution is a 12v 23A battery:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...p=15&_osacat=0&_odkw=23+battery+-cell&LH_FS=1
Dimensions are 28 x 10 mm, but if you add the battery holder (outside dimensions 34 x 12 x 12 mm) then you're fine.
The holders cost $0.99 for 5 of them, free shipping:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/5Pcs-23A-A...443348?hash=item3b36fa4b14:g:Y9YAAOSwWkxdTTms
and you don't even have to solder them to your flash, just add a thin piece of metal so contact is tight (use thumbtack heads after removing the pin, or anything else).
Hope this helps,
Cheers
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Well friends, the final test has spoken.
Here are the pictures.
Camera: Yashica Mat 124G
Flash: Tilt A Mite, no capacitor, 3 volt CR123 battery instead of capacitor
Film: Ilford Pan-F 50
Bulbs: Sylvania M3
Pic #1: 1/60s at f/11
Pic #2: 1/125s at f/8
Pic #3: 1/250s at f/5.6
Pic #4: 1/250s at f/8
Pic #5: 1/500s at f/5.6
Pic #6: 1/500s at f/8
Conclusion:
My little 3 volt combo syncs at all speeds (previous problems came from focal plane cameras), as already specified by the bulb manufacturer ("Flash with 3 volt or more", bottom of last pic attached, in yellow)
Recommandations:
Just follow Sylvania's instructions on the box of M3 bulbs (bottom of last pic attached, in yellow) which are:
1- with focal plane SLRs, 1/30s max
2- with leaf shutter cameras, M sync and any speed up to 1/500s
Thanks everyone for your input and guidance,
Cheers
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Hi. That's right, you don't need a capacitor to fire the bulb. Just one CR123 battery, but in the CAPACITOR's compartment, and the battery space is left emptyHi, just want to clarify your experiment. So, you don't need a capacitor to fire the bulb. Just one CR123 battery in the battery compartment and the capacitor space is empty? Thanks.
Hi, just want to clarify your experiment. So, you don't need a capacitor to fire the bulb. Just one CR123 battery in the battery compartment and the capacitor space is empty? Thanks.
Hi. That's right, you don't need a capacitor to fire the bulb. Just one CR123 battery, but in the CAPACITOR's compartment, and the battery space is left empty
Only one basic problem with this logic. Honeywell and its electrical engineers would not waste parts and profit for unneeded parts. The problem is that you do not understand the design. So how about another question: Exactly where did you get your electrical engineering degree?
Hi Sirius,Batteries have improved a lot over the last many decades. At the time these flashes were designed, the available small batteries could not deliver a high current capacity for a short time, which is what this flash presumably needs (by the nature of flashbulbs). So a capacitor was used to avoid needing 3 D cells or whatever. Posts #15 and #17 by DWThomas and ronnie_retro on the first page explained this well. A lithium battery like the CR123 avoids the engineering restrictions Honeywell was operating under at the time.
Hi. That's right, you don't need a capacitor to fire the bulb. Just one CR123 battery, but in the CAPACITOR's compartment, and the battery space is left empty
Hi Sirius,
my solution to replace the capacitor with a CR123 or a 23A battery (see posts 78 & 79) is for people like me who use their flash on a regular basis and burn a lot of bulbs.
It has 2 advantages:
1-It's cheap.
2-It's convenient and elegant. No soldering or any other alteration needed, leaving your Tilt-A-Mite intact for future options.
Wish everyone a great 2020 with lots of flashes!
Cheers
and when you're out of bulbs, you can buy more and keep using your Tilt-a-Mite:I've been staring for at few of my stash-away honeywell flashes but don't know what to do with them. My instinct tells me to dig deeper in finding the answer. Am glad I found it. Finaally, I can give my stashed away bulbs a glorious death.
and when you're out of bulbs, you can buy more and keep using your Tilt-a-Mite:
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_fr...Xflashbulbs.TRS2&_nkw=flashbulbs&_sacat=4702&
Ebay was never the place to buy stuff like this. Soon it won't be the place to buy anything, with the rampant speculation and flimflam going on.The bulbs are getting more and more expensive now. I usually snoop around craigslist to get my stash. Thanks again.
The problem with the 123 battery is that you are never sure.Batteries have improved a lot over the last many decades. At the time these flashes were designed, the available small batteries could not deliver a high current capacity for a short time, which is what this flash presumably needs (by the nature of flashbulbs). So a capacitor was used to avoid needing 3 D cells or whatever. Posts #15 and #17 by DWThomas and ronnie_retro on the first page explained this well. A lithium battery like the CR123 avoids the engineering restrictions Honeywell was operating under at the time.
The problem with the 123 battery is that you are never sure.
Is the triggering current getting you the max light out of your bulb (timing and combustion)?
I was thinking more along the lines of too much current.The grade or speed of combustion is independant of the electrical current.
On the timing one indeed may argue, whether a too slow warming of the electric filament results in the combustion starting retarded.
Are you sure that’s how all bulbs work (pyrotechnics)? I have a mighty hard time seeing a tiny explosive device in any of the flash bulbs I own.You misunderstand the working of a flashbulb. The actual start of the combustion is not the heated filament, but the explosion of a fuse consisting of tiny amonts of explosive material being spread around.
Again: the combustion time is not dependant on the working of the filamant.
But on the working of the fuse material, but even much more on the sort and shape of the combustable metal and the gas filling.
I’d love to read that. Is it available online? Do you remember the title and the brand/manufacturer?Often the electrical filamants do not even touch the combustable metal.
All I wrote is based on engineering literature of a major manufacturer.
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