OT:camera Flash repair Help

T

Tony

Guest
Hello.
I have this vintage camera with hotshoe flash .. this type of flash only
works with built in capacitor ..there is no battery to charge this unit.
No matter how long I connect the flash to charger , I can only get single
flash from it .. and it seems capacitor gets discharged completely ..
is this mean that, capacitor is defected ?? ( I can replace the capacitor ,
if I can find the exact model ) ..
or should I be looking for something else ?

Thanks and sorry if im posting this in wrong forum.

Regards
 
"Tony" <tonysar@hotmail.com> wrote:

Hello.
I have this vintage camera with hotshoe flash .. this type of flash only
works with built in capacitor ..there is no battery to charge this unit.
No matter how long I connect the flash to charger , I can only get single
flash from it .. and it seems capacitor gets discharged completely ..
is this mean that, capacitor is defected ?? ( I can replace the capacitor ,
if I can find the exact model ) ..
or should I be looking for something else ?

Thanks and sorry if im posting this in wrong forum.

Regards
Click to expand...
The capacitor in older flash units is discharged with each flash. Modern flash
units have "power saving" electronics that can turn the flash off when enough
light has been produced for proper exposure.

Current hot shoe flash units are powered by internal batteries (usually AA
cells), using step-up circuitry to produce the 200+ volts needed to charge the
capacitor.

In most flash units, once the capacitor is charged, the "ready" light turns on
to indicate the flash can be used.

If you have a older flash that has a large charger unit, the charger was
designed to be connected to the flash unit during use. It's probably either a
studio model (with AC cord, sits on the floor) or an "over the shoulder" unit
(with large batteries and lots of weight).

Considering the advances in flash technology, you probably should consider
buying a new flash unit.

More about me: http://www.jecarter.com/
VB3/VB6/C/PowerBasic source code: http://www.jecarter.com/programs.html
Freeware for the Palm with NS Basic source code: http://nsb.jecarter.com
Drivers for Pablo graphics tablet and JamCam cameras: http://home.earthlink.net/~mwbt/
Email here: http://www.jecarter.com/contactme.htm
 
Thanks wiz for your reply..
Im very much sure that , this unit dose more then one shot with single
charging .. but the flash was not use for well over 10 to 15 years .. so , i
think there must be somthing wrong with capacitor , discharging after single
shot..
this is portable uint.. and as far as i know, with single charging.. you can
use this flash for up to two rolles of films..
i am aware of new flashes , but i like to keep and fix this since is more or
less vintage unit and goes well with my vintage camera..
Thanks for any pointer ..
Regards
"the Wiz" <look@message.body> wrote in message
news:970cd09tnd78n25fa0g5dq6a2gf8lk3fsf@4ax.com...
"Tony" <tonysar@hotmail.com> wrote:

Hello.
I have this vintage camera with hotshoe flash .. this type of flash only
works with built in capacitor ..there is no battery to charge this unit.
No matter how long I connect the flash to charger , I can only get single
flash from it .. and it seems capacitor gets discharged completely ..
is this mean that, capacitor is defected ?? ( I can replace the capacitor
,
if I can find the exact model ) ..
or should I be looking for something else ?

Thanks and sorry if im posting this in wrong forum.

Regards


The capacitor in older flash units is discharged with each flash. Modern
flash
units have "power saving" electronics that can turn the flash off when
enough
light has been produced for proper exposure.

Current hot shoe flash units are powered by internal batteries (usually AA
cells), using step-up circuitry to produce the 200+ volts needed to charge
the
capacitor.

In most flash units, once the capacitor is charged, the "ready" light
turns on
to indicate the flash can be used.

If you have a older flash that has a large charger unit, the charger was
designed to be connected to the flash unit during use. It's probably
either a
studio model (with AC cord, sits on the floor) or an "over the shoulder"
unit
(with large batteries and lots of weight).

Considering the advances in flash technology, you probably should consider
buying a new flash unit.

More about me: http://www.jecarter.com/
VB3/VB6/C/PowerBasic source code: http://www.jecarter.com/programs.html
Freeware for the Palm with NS Basic source code: http://nsb.jecarter.com
Drivers for Pablo graphics tablet and JamCam cameras:
http://home.earthlink.net/~mwbt/
Email here: http://www.jecarter.com/contactme.htm
Click to expand...
 
Tony wrote:
Thanks wiz for your reply..
Im very much sure that , this unit dose more then one shot with single
charging ..
Click to expand...
Why?

but the flash was not use for well over 10 to 15 years .. so ,
i think there must be somthing wrong with capacitor , discharging after
single shot..
this is portable uint.. and as far as i know, with single charging.. you
can use this flash for up to two rolles of films..
Click to expand...
Is there something you're not telling us?

i am aware of new flashes , but i like to keep and fix this since is more
or less vintage unit and goes well with my vintage camera..
Click to expand...
I began using electronic flash in 1960 with a Crown Graphic (Heiland with
400-something volt battery), and up until the time of electronic flashes
with exposure quenching (flash shuts off in response to light reaching a
sensor), I know of none that provided more than one flash per capacitor
charge.

We can help best if we have all the information (brands, model numbers,
etc.)
--
John Miller
Email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm

The less a statesman amounts to, the more he loves the flag.
-Kin Hubbard
 
As i mentioned , the unit is protable hotshoe type.. I did open the unit..
there is no place for battery .. so i can only assume , this works with
capacitor..
I searched for this model on the net , but no success. but here it is
German made. METZ
model mecablitz 163

The reason i am sure this unit can give more shots per charge.. is from
information that i got from the original owner . other then that , i have no
other info on this .. this is very old flash .. and i like very much to
figure how to fix it .

Thanks

"John Miller" <me@privacy.net> wrote in message
news:cb5h60$af1$1@n4vu.com...
Tony wrote:
Thanks wiz for your reply..
Im very much sure that , this unit dose more then one shot with single
charging ..

Why?

but the flash was not use for well over 10 to 15 years .. so ,
i think there must be somthing wrong with capacitor , discharging after
single shot..
this is portable uint.. and as far as i know, with single charging.. you
can use this flash for up to two rolles of films..

Is there something you're not telling us?

i am aware of new flashes , but i like to keep and fix this since is
more
or less vintage unit and goes well with my vintage camera..

I began using electronic flash in 1960 with a Crown Graphic (Heiland with
400-something volt battery), and up until the time of electronic flashes
with exposure quenching (flash shuts off in response to light reaching a
sensor), I know of none that provided more than one flash per capacitor
charge.

We can help best if we have all the information (brands, model numbers,
etc.)
--
John Miller
Email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm

The less a statesman amounts to, the more he loves the flag.
-Kin Hubbard
Click to expand...
 
Tony wrote:
German made. METZ
model mecablitz 163
Click to expand...
Best clue yet. Mecablitz 163. Craig's Camera can supply you with a manual
for $15. You can probably buy another 163 on eBay for that.

The reason i am sure this unit can give more shots per charge.. is from
information that i got from the original owner. other then that , i have
no other info on this .. this is very old flash .. and i like very much to
figure how to fix it .
Click to expand...
I'm looking at a picture of it. That's not "very old." :) It has an AC
adapter. From the looks of it, I'd expect it to have a NiCd battery pack
(which indeed would fit the PO's description of multiple shots per charge).
What is the capacity and voltage of the capacitor you found inside?

--
John Miller
Email address: domain, n4vu.com; username, jsm

You know it's going to be a bad day when you want to put on the clothes
you wore home from the party and there aren't any.
 
John Miller <me@privacy.net> wrote:

Tony wrote:
German made. METZ
model mecablitz 163

Best clue yet. Mecablitz 163. Craig's Camera can supply you with a manual
for $15. You can probably buy another 163 on eBay for that.

The reason i am sure this unit can give more shots per charge.. is from
information that i got from the original owner. other then that , i have
no other info on this .. this is very old flash .. and i like very much to
figure how to fix it .

I'm looking at a picture of it. That's not "very old." :) It has an AC
adapter. From the looks of it, I'd expect it to have a NiCd battery pack
(which indeed would fit the PO's description of multiple shots per charge).
What is the capacity and voltage of the capacitor you found inside?
Click to expand...
And a 10 to 15 year old NiCad pack probably can't hold enough charge for more
than one flash. If the flash is on while on the charger, the DC-DC converter
would likely be powered by the battery charger and not the battery pack itself.

Sounds like it's time to replace the battery pack.

More about me: http://www.jecarter.com/
VB3/VB6/C/PowerBasic source code: http://www.jecarter.com/programs.html
Freeware for the Palm with NS Basic source code: http://nsb.jecarter.com
Drivers for Pablo graphics tablet and JamCam cameras: http://home.earthlink.net/~mwbt/
Email here: http://www.jecarter.com/contactme.htm
 
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