Dead flash. What happened?

[charjohncarter]

That should be enough to clean the contacts, in fact the contacts that you show look good. We can't see the bottom ones but if they look like that they look clean enough. I've used De-ox which is a spray deoxidation cleaner. But what you have tried ought to do the same.

If you have a continuity checker (multi meter) you might put it across the batteries that are showing and see if there is juice.

 

[valdas]

That is true.

For example, the original Vivitar 285 is not safe to use with digital cameras because of its high trigger voltage, but the 285 HV is. In this case, "HV" must mean "happy voltage" 😀

How to tell the difference? Look at the side connector:

(I forget where this photo is from)

Or just to measure with the voltmeter...

 

[kidblooze]

[/url]2020-10-29_05-01-45 by Ross Perry, on Flickr[/IMG]


I have a flash that doesn't work with the flatter negative post of the rechargeable batteries. Not sure if this applies to your case but wanted to mention it in case it helps.

 

[Pál_K]

...
I have a flash that doesn't work with the flatter negative post of the rechargeable batteries...

Perhaps a shim made from tinfoil would help make the connection.

 

[kidblooze]

Perhaps a shim made from tinfoil would help make the connection.

Most likely. The contact surface material sits below just enough of a plastic shoulder to prevent connection. I discovered this when I used a multimeter to check continuity.

In my case it pertains to the Minolta Auto 200X

Best of luck

 

[Atlantis]

Hey, how are you?

Thank you for sharing your knowledge.

I cleaned a bit more the contacts with isopropyl alcohol but I haven’t been able to turn on my Sunpak flash.

So, maybe I will ask a repair service if it is possible to fix it. Why do you think a dead capacitor means the end of the flash? Because repairing it is as expensive as buying a new flash?

And unfortunately I don’t have a continuity checker. But I can try to get one.

 

[charjohncarter]

There are plenty of good flashes for sale from the 70s through the 90s for almost nothing now. Go to a thrift shop and take 4 AA batteries and test them then buy one for $5. If you like the SunPak write its features, try to match it.

 

[David Hughes]

I wonder if I might make a point or two?

Turning the flash on once and leaving for as much as half an hour might work. Switching on and off will duff up the batteries; although I can see the point of the voltage surge I don't think it will work with such low voltages.

Cleaning the ends of the batteries sometimes works as well as cleaning the contacts. FWIW, I use a glass cleaning cloth on shirt button batteries every time I have to touch them.


Regards, David