Vivitar 285HV repairs?

[eli griggs]

I just received a Japan built 285HV and though it was balky at first, I was able to get it to charge and discharge, using the 'forming' instructions from the manual, which I found online. I was able to get a high pitched whine and discharge only after pushing the power on switch back and forth, several times, each time I turned the unit on.

This worked well for about 24 hours but now, I can't get it to charge properly and if it does at all, it is with the most faint of whines, no lights and the power level of the flash is very low when the red discharge button on the base is pressed, after a very long time 'on'. :bang:

This is with freshly charged Duracell NIHMs, I used alkaline cells to start, while the rechargeable batteries were, well, charging.

I really like this unit and want to get it working as I need it for my 'table top' studio. It is the largest unit I have and the variable power feature is quite nice, so...

What do you think the trouble is and have you had to deal with this issue yourself? What did you do and is there anything you can recommend?

Do you know of any good repair manuals online, how-to's, web pages or videos that can give me a better idea of how to deal with 285HV issues.

Eli

 

[Bob Michaels]

As I remember the old Japan built 285's have a high sync voltage. High enough to potentially damage electronic cameras. The production later went to lesser developed countries while they were redesigned to use a much lower sync voltage.

So I do not use any of the old Japanese 283/285's with my cameras. Maybe you have a mechanical one and no danger.

I find used 283's and 285's to be cheap enough to be a "throw away" when they develop problems. So sorry I can't help you with any repair tips.

But the later model 283/285's are great flashes. They are all I use on those rare occasions when I do use flash.

 

[Al Kaplan]

I agree with Bob. If it doesn't work properly then chuck it. It coud be that the condensor isn't taking and holding a charge or any number of things, but before you chuck it save the battery tray and remove the foot and screws. They tend to break and it's always good to have spare screws in case you drop one. Stick four fresh batteries in the tray, put a rubber band around them so they don't fall out, and you're ready for a fast battery change when you need one. It's possible to modify the battery tray and door on the unit to connect the flash to an external battery pack using four D cells. D cells have about four times the capacity of AA cells but only cost twice as much. Also, rapid shooting causes the cells to heat up which shortens their life. D cells don't heat up anywhere near as quickly.

 

[eli griggs]

Thanks for the tips Bob, Al.

The newest camera I use is a Canon F1N with an AE head so I think I'm fine in that department, especially if I pick up a Wein peanut slave sometime in the future, to use with multi-able small flash units. The digital I sometime borrow from my son has its' own flash-gun so I won't have to use this with that.

I've done some searching online and while I still can't find a Vivitar repair manual pdf, it seems that these have been around long enough to trouble shoot. Throw-away of possibly fixable items like this does not fit my nature or my budget, a good thing one fits so nicely with the other 😉, and I like to try to figure out what's wrong just because it's often interesting and something simple that'll bug the heck out of me when I do figure it out.

I've since replaced the rechargeables with alkaline batteries but that's not much better. These are not as fresh as I'd like so latter on I'll try new ones. I also have some old alkaline rechargables in 'C' and 'D' sizes that still take a full charge and might serve as fodder for an external battery pack; we'll see...

Cheers

 

[ZeissFan]

There were so many of these sold that it doesn't make sense to try to repair one.

I would never recommend anyone try to repair an electronic flash unless you know exactly what you're doing.

One of the biggest dangers (the real kind) is the storage of energy in the capacitor. You don't want to use your body to release it.

To give you an idea of the current involved, I was working on a tiny digital P&S with onboard flash, and I accidentally touched the leads with my thumb. Aside from one hell of a shock, it also burned two small black dots into the tip of my thumb. And that was a tiny flash powered by two AA batteries.

 

[FallisPhoto]

I just received a Japan built 285HV and though it was balky at first, I was able to get it to charge and discharge, using the 'forming' instructions from the manual, which I found online. I was able to get a high pitched whine and discharge only after pushing the power on switch back and forth, several times, each time I turned the unit on.

This worked well for about 24 hours but now, I can't get it to charge properly and if it does at all, it is with the most faint of whines, no lights and the power level of the flash is very low when the red discharge button on the base is pressed, after a very long time 'on'. :bang:

This is with freshly charged Duracell NIHMs, I used alkaline cells to start, while the rechargeable batteries were, well, charging.

I really like this unit and want to get it working as I need it for my 'table top' studio. It is the largest unit I have and the variable power feature is quite nice, so...

What do you think the trouble is and have you had to deal with this issue yourself? What did you do and is there anything you can recommend?

Do you know of any good repair manuals online, how-to's, web pages or videos that can give me a better idea of how to deal with 285HV issues.

Eli

Step 1. Remove the batteries.
Step 2. Discharge the capacitor (unless you really enjoy being knocked flat).
Step 3. Check the battery wires for corrosion or broken connections and replace them if necessary.
Step 4. Replace the capacitor.
Step 5. Check the variable resistor.
Step 6. Check the switch.
Step 7. Clean everything.
Step 8. If that doesn't work, buy a new flash.

If you don't know how to safely discharge a capacitor, go straight to step 8. This thing can really hurt you.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Eli: I stopped by to have a beer and B.S. with my local camera repair guru late today. He's very good and quite an interesting character.

He confirmed what I told you I thought was right: that the Japanese manufactured 283 & 285 were the high voltage sync models and should not be used on any electronic camera for fear of frying the electronics.

He also asked why someone was trying to repair one when they could be replaced so cheap.

Oh, while we were talking he disassembled my Canonet GIII, found the short that was draining the battery overnight and fixed it. He handed it back to me and said "thanks for buying the beer, Merry Christmas".

 

[nikon_sam]

Make sure the area (contacts) on the battery pack are clean of any tarnish or battery acid or anything that would prevent good contact with the batteries contacts...even if it looks good you might want to buff it out with some fine grade 000-0000 steel wool...The contacts may look good but still may not be making a good enough connection with the batteries...Inspect the contacts inside the flash for any signs of corrosion/tarnish or any other build-up...
I have a few 283's and sometimes I have to switch them on and off several times to get then up and running again...

 

[eli griggs]

Thanks for the tips. Yes, I do know how to discharge the capacitor safely so that's covered and I'll give the contacts a good going over with some 0000 steel wool, they might just be the problem and are the easiest thing to check out, after fresh cells.

Poking around on the web seems to indicate that these units often are simple fixes, just as long as the capacitor isn't involved.

I also am going to build a simple battery pack someone detailed to me so I've got a few things to go over with this unit before I write it off.

Eli

 

[eli griggs]

I forgot to mention that I'm very aware of capacitors from something that happened to a buddy many years ago in the service. He was nearing the end of his enlistment and was taking classes in T.V. and electronics repair, when one afternoon, before coming on duty for CQ, he got sloppy and had a misadventure with a Curits Mathes T.V. capacitor that left him looking like a discombobulated ghost by many thousands of wayward volts. Being a blond haired, very fair skinned native of Seattle himself, this was at Ft. Lewis, it took a lot to make him even paler than his normal winter self.

I was a medic and that and several other missteps by people working around electricity gave me a good idea what can go wrong.

For another instance, an experienced mechanic that just wanted to check something simple on a vehicle, a 'gamagoat' I think, had the 24 volt system melt/burn his wedding ring darn near to the bone of his finger. Stuff like that you don't forget, ever.

So, when it comes to electricity, if I'm not sure I can do it safely, I positively leave it for others that can.

Cheers

 

[Al Kaplan]

Eli, you're going to love that D cell battery pack if you do a lot of shooting.

 

[anselwannab]

285/283 are addictive. Mine seem to multiply, battery holders everwhere.

They make them new now, but I think the originals were triggered by a pc cord when God said "Let there be light."

 

[nikon_sam]

I got my first 283 back in high school (1978) I had to replace the shoe and all I could get at that time was a metal foot replacement so from then on I have had to use a cord...
I still have that one and two more added to that over the years...
When I do get to use them it's with older bodies and lately I have been mounting one with an umbrella for portrait work...
As far as powering my flashes I have been using a Quantum 1+ battery pack...they work great with the 283 and the SB-25's for the Nikons...