Re: OT Flash question
Aha! The spring-metal contacts may have kind of sagged over time (much like people :-) ) and flexing them out a bit may give better contact. You might be able to hook the open end of them down in the bottom of the battery compartment with a bent paperclip or similar. Tug upwards gently to make them sit up higher. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 7:17 PM, David J Brooks wrote: > > On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 12:16 PM, Bruce Walker > wrote: > > Dave, here's a short list of my favourite generic Things That Can Go > > Wrong, And Will: > > > > bad or weak batteries > > Triple-check that your test batteries are good. I suggest you use the > > ones that just fired the working flash to give you better confidence. > > Oh, and make sure they're inserted the right way around. :-) > > > > dirty contacts > > Clean *all* contact surfaces. Get some good multi-purpose > > electrical/switch contact cleaner (eg from The Source), soak a cotton > > swab and get at the battery contacts inside the flash. Also clean the > > contacts on the batteries themselves. And the hotshoe ones while > > you're at it. > > > > something needs to be reset. > > See if the flash has a "reboot" sequence or button. > > > > SB800's are very popular and solid. Most likely worth fixing if not > > too too expensive. > > Thanks for the responses. > > After some fiddling, and a web search, i stumbled across a fellow with > my problem and he said it was his battery compartment door not seating > correctly. Well after cleaning the contacts and verifying batteries, i > decided to give the door a shot. I tried to turn it on after cleaning > and reinserting batteries with no response, then i just moved the door > 1-2mm to the open position and bamo, (spell check for bamo is amoeba > btw) heard the motor engage. I then moved it back 1mm or so, and on it > came. > > So now it appears to fire up but i need to play with the door. Same > thing now with my D1H, need to set a battery in, then pull it back out > a hair and the camera fires up, > > Dave > > > > > > On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:05 AM, David J Brooks > > wrote: > >> > >> Hey all. > >> > >> I have two SB800 flashes, one bought new, one bought used, a few years > >> back. The last time i used the used one, was at the three family > >> weddings i shot in 2010 and both worked fine. The one i bought new is > >> still working fine, however i went make sure the used one was still > >> working today, and it was not.It would not turn on. I put fresh AA's > >> in it and still nothing. > >> > >> Just wondering if anyone may have an idea what may be wrong, i have a > >> wedding in Sept and if i need to get it fixed, if makes sense or > >> buy something else. I want a flash on each camera i have with me for > >> when needed. > >> > >> Dave > >> > >> -- > >> Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. > >> www.caughtinmotion.com > >> http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ > >> York Region, Ontario, Canada > >> > >> -- > >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > >> PDML@pdml.net > >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > >> follow the directions. > > > > > > > > > > -- > > -bmw > > > > -- > > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > > PDML@pdml.net > > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > > follow the directions. > > > > -- > Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. > www.caughtinmotion.com > http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ > York Region, Ontario, Canada > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- -bmw -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: OT Flash question
On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 12:16 PM, Bruce Walker wrote: > Dave, here's a short list of my favourite generic Things That Can Go > Wrong, And Will: > > bad or weak batteries > Triple-check that your test batteries are good. I suggest you use the > ones that just fired the working flash to give you better confidence. > Oh, and make sure they're inserted the right way around. :-) > > dirty contacts > Clean *all* contact surfaces. Get some good multi-purpose > electrical/switch contact cleaner (eg from The Source), soak a cotton > swab and get at the battery contacts inside the flash. Also clean the > contacts on the batteries themselves. And the hotshoe ones while > you're at it. > > something needs to be reset. > See if the flash has a "reboot" sequence or button. > > SB800's are very popular and solid. Most likely worth fixing if not > too too expensive. Thanks for the responses. After some fiddling, and a web search, i stumbled across a fellow with my problem and he said it was his battery compartment door not seating correctly. Well after cleaning the contacts and verifying batteries, i decided to give the door a shot. I tried to turn it on after cleaning and reinserting batteries with no response, then i just moved the door 1-2mm to the open position and bamo, (spell check for bamo is amoeba btw) heard the motor engage. I then moved it back 1mm or so, and on it came. So now it appears to fire up but i need to play with the door. Same thing now with my D1H, need to set a battery in, then pull it back out a hair and the camera fires up, Dave > > > On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:05 AM, David J Brooks wrote: >> >> Hey all. >> >> I have two SB800 flashes, one bought new, one bought used, a few years >> back. The last time i used the used one, was at the three family >> weddings i shot in 2010 and both worked fine. The one i bought new is >> still working fine, however i went make sure the used one was still >> working today, and it was not.It would not turn on. I put fresh AA's >> in it and still nothing. >> >> Just wondering if anyone may have an idea what may be wrong, i have a >> wedding in Sept and if i need to get it fixed, if makes sense or >> buy something else. I want a flash on each camera i have with me for >> when needed. >> >> Dave >> >> -- >> Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. >> www.caughtinmotion.com >> http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ >> York Region, Ontario, Canada >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> PDML@pdml.net >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > > > -- > -bmw > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. www.caughtinmotion.com http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ York Region, Ontario, Canada -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: OT Flash question
Dave, here's a short list of my favourite generic Things That Can Go Wrong, And Will: bad or weak batteries Triple-check that your test batteries are good. I suggest you use the ones that just fired the working flash to give you better confidence. Oh, and make sure they're inserted the right way around. :-) dirty contacts Clean *all* contact surfaces. Get some good multi-purpose electrical/switch contact cleaner (eg from The Source), soak a cotton swab and get at the battery contacts inside the flash. Also clean the contacts on the batteries themselves. And the hotshoe ones while you're at it. something needs to be reset. See if the flash has a "reboot" sequence or button. SB800's are very popular and solid. Most likely worth fixing if not too too expensive. On Tue, May 29, 2012 at 10:05 AM, David J Brooks wrote: > > Hey all. > > I have two SB800 flashes, one bought new, one bought used, a few years > back. The last time i used the used one, was at the three family > weddings i shot in 2010 and both worked fine. The one i bought new is > still working fine, however i went make sure the used one was still > working today, and it was not.It would not turn on. I put fresh AA's > in it and still nothing. > > Just wondering if anyone may have an idea what may be wrong, i have a > wedding in Sept and if i need to get it fixed, if makes sense or > buy something else. I want a flash on each camera i have with me for > when needed. > > Dave > > -- > Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. > www.caughtinmotion.com > http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ > York Region, Ontario, Canada > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and > follow the directions. -- -bmw -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
RE: OT Flash question
From: David J Brooks Hey all. I have two SB800 flashes, one bought new, one bought used, a few years back. The last time i used the used one, was at the three family weddings i shot in 2010 and both worked fine. The one i bought new is still working fine, however i went make sure the used one was still working today, and it was not.It would not turn on. I put fresh AA's in it and still nothing. Just wondering if anyone may have an idea what may be wrong, i have a wedding in Sept and if i need to get it fixed, if makes sense or buy something else. I want a flash on each camera i have with me for when needed. Dave Is there anyone local you could take it to and get an estimate? Otherwise, how much would Nikon charge you for a repair estimate? Usually the charge for the estimate applies to the final repair cost. A quick look at KEH showed a "BGN" SB800 for $286 (USD), so anything less than that seems reasonable. Strobes don't seem to respond well to long term non-use. Every problem I've ever had with a strobe came from not using it for a long time. About the only thing I can think of that is worse for a strobe than leaving it on a shelf & not using it, is to leave batteries in it and not use it. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
Re: OT Flash question
If it has been sitting for so long, I would think letting it sit with batteries inside for a while might be worth a try - perhaps something is deeply discharged and needs a moment to come back up. Also, if you have an external power supply for it or access to one, try hooking it up to that. Failing that, is there a place that will give you a free quote for the repair? Cheers & hth Ecke 2012/5/29 David J Brooks : > Hey all. > > I have two SB800 flashes, one bought new, one bought used, a few years > back. The last time i used the used one, was at the three family > weddings i shot in 2010 and both worked fine. The one i bought new is > still working fine, however i went make sure the used one was still > working today, and it was not.It would not turn on. I put fresh AA's > in it and still nothing. > > Just wondering if anyone may have an idea what may be wrong, i have a > wedding in Sept and if i need to get it fixed, if makes sense or > buy something else. I want a flash on each camera i have with me for > when needed. > > Dave > > -- > Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. > www.caughtinmotion.com > http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ > York Region, Ontario, Canada > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > PDML@pdml.net > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
OT Flash question
Hey all. I have two SB800 flashes, one bought new, one bought used, a few years back. The last time i used the used one, was at the three family weddings i shot in 2010 and both worked fine. The one i bought new is still working fine, however i went make sure the used one was still working today, and it was not.It would not turn on. I put fresh AA's in it and still nothing. Just wondering if anyone may have an idea what may be wrong, i have a wedding in Sept and if i need to get it fixed, if makes sense or buy something else. I want a flash on each camera i have with me for when needed. Dave -- Documenting Life in Rural Ontario. www.caughtinmotion.com http://brooksinthecountry.blogspot.com/ York Region, Ontario, Canada -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List PDML@pdml.net http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
