BrAun Electronic flash - alternative to 510-volt dry-cell ?

[Luddite Frank]

I just picked-up two BrAun electronic flash units, with the shoulder-bag battery/capacitor pack...

Apparently these used a 510-volt dry-cell that now costs over $100.


Was there ever a rechargeable battery option or rechargeable power-pack for these ?

😕

Luddite Frank

 

[wolves3012]

510-volt? Are you sure? The highest dry battery I've heard of is the 90-volt used in old valve "portable" radios. Why would it need to be so high? That could give you a very nasty shock if you touched the terminals! No chance of a rechargeable I'm afraid...Although it's possible to build a circuit to generate that level from a low-voltage battery, if not a very practical a solution.

 

[Luddite Frank]

Apparently such an animal did and still does exist.... if you Google "Eveready 510 volt battery", about 1/2 dozen sources will turn-up...

It's a brick about 1.5" x 2 " x 5 "... and the BrAun contact block has a warning on it: "do not touch contacts: 510 Volts !"

But, these buggers are running at over $100 each, and I'm not anxious to spend my money that way... ( for an "expendable" dry-cell )...

The "hidden cost" of winning two BrAun flash heads w/ battery packs... my winning bid was something like $4.95, plus S&H...

I 'm hoping that BrAun offered a re-chargeable battery pack, similar to Honeywell's Strobonar...


LF

 

[John Shriver]

Well, anything that puts out 510 volts DC at a milliamp or so will do. Of course, most such items have a line cord!

This flash was for professionals, who were willing to pay the high price for the battery for very fast recycle time.

 

[Photojem]

510 volt pack batteries have been a part of the photographer's arsenal since the birth of the portable electronic flash. There was a rechargable Ni-Cad 510 made in the mid-late 70's by Sunpak to power the Sunpak 611 Flash. I also used it to power a Metz 203, Ascor 1600, Vivitar 285HV, Braun RL515 and a Rollei E36RE. If I could find my charger for it, I'd try it on the Singer Strob 250 I just picked up on E-bay!

 

[Photojem]

Back in 1975, the non rechargable 510 from Eveready or Mallory (the PF 497), cost $20 to $25. By the time I left the sales end of the business in 1987, it was up to $55. Today its $140. On a job, you had to have at least 2 of them with you. Despite its size and weight, and the pack that you installed it in, the batteries were rather delicate. If you dropped the pack and shocked the battery, you risked the battery having an early demise.