Strobe issues

Hi,

after a succesful 2 week holiday, with a moderate amount of diving (but all photo trouble free), i developed a problem over the weekend.

The first dive, the camera locked up in 'error 99'. That was fixed by removing it from the housing and changing the battery. Didnt get that again. The second dive, the primary strobe started to autofire (a quick succession of flashes), but not all the time.After a few tries, I gave up.

After the dive, and a quick fresh water rinse and dry, I disassembled the rig. I couldnt find any water in it. Not in the housing, nor the battery compartments or the strobe cord connections.

I decided to test it last night. I gave it several tests. It turns out that the TTL conversion circuitry is not working properly. The strobes give a full dump all the time. Without a camera, it fires up and i can select the + / - EV control. After the first shot, the +/- EV control freezes. During one test, the flash synced only every other image, resulting in one image overexposed and one dark. that cleared up when i tried to clean the contacts a bit. Switching the strobes around didnt help.

Ikelite mentions on its site that autofiring is mostly linked to sync cord problems.the rig also behaves like this when i tried testing it with a brand new sync cord.

I'd hate to have to send this back again (because of the time involved, and because shipping it insured is expensive from here, and because I only got it back from ikelite in june and hate to see it go again).

I've been very carefull, and there was no flood. Is there anything I can clean, measure ohms, Volts or Amperes with a multimeter or otherwise check. Because of value of the rig,

A not so happy camper,

Gerard

First, check the flash cables - ensure that you have continuity along the lead on all connectors, then check that there is no continuity across the connectors. From your description I'd hazard a guess that you might have continuity across the connectors (ie water in a lead), and if so you first need to replace the lead with the problem. If your leads check out OK then your problem may lie with the flash sockets, internal wiring/circuitry or even camera circuiry (probably the last option) which will probably take more sorting out.

the sync cord (a double sync) is new and only left its package for a first check when I recieved it.

So I am afraid there is something in the other parts you mentioned (flash sockets, internal wiring or worse).... Since I dont see any corrosion in the socket, is there a way to dry it more thoroughly and clean it to remove any salt?

Well, don't assume that because something is new that its working I'm afraid - I have had brand new cables fail myself in the past!

On your socket question, it depends which sockets you are using. Nikonos 5 type sockets can be difficult to resurrect if flooded but this depends on how they are actually constructed - the usual problem is corrosion beneath the sprung pins - if they rely on sprung pressure to form an internal connection then they can be tricky - but from your description I'd say that your problem is more likely to be excess connection rather than a failed connection.

Drying sockets is difficult because salt encourages moisture but some type of moisture repellant might work (ask the manufacturer if they have any dos or don'ts?). I'd go with cotton buds for a start.

One other thing, can you check that your camera is ok by fitting a TTL land flash or trying one at your nearest dealers?

Thanks for the effort Paul,

i did check the cord before, but it has been in his box during my holiday. Bt it would be odd that both the older cord and a new one would develop the same problems.

The cotton buds dont even fit inside the connector, and it looks dry anyway.

THe behaviour of the strobes looks very much like last time, then I had a flooded battery compartment and a broken cord, but the housing and camera also behaved oddly with a friends strobe and cord. According to Ikelite, the housing was allright then.

I bought some lenses from a local dealer, maybe I can persuade them to try a land flash....Won't the internal (pop up) flash give confirmation on this ?

Gerard

I bought some lenses from a local dealer, maybe I can persuade them to try a land flash....Won't the internal (pop up) flash give confirmation on this ?

No you want to check the hotshoe circuit - ie contacts from hotshoe to camera's elecronics - which the pop up flash can't check.

Does sound like something more fundamental if the same problem occurs with a friend's set up though.

Sorry my suggestions haven't sorted anything, but generally speaking I'd say that leads and sockets are the number one culprit for strobe problems.

I'll see if I can check. Since shipping the rig back and forth to Ikelite will almost buy me a simple surface strobe, i might mention a small promise to the shop..

Anyway, Ikelite suggested cleaning the contacts with water and drying it with denatured alcohol, as a last try before sending it. Will do that tonight.

rinsing with warm distilled water and drying it with alcohol only resulted in a slight improvement (the EV control now acts like its working.

I checked the camera's strobe system with a 430EX speedlite in my local store, excellent service, no questions asked. Maybe they remembered me from other times.....

So it is packed and ready to be shipped to ikelite.........When they find out what was wrong I'll post....

Ikelite returned it in a week (the customs office held it also for a week on the way to Ikelite, luckily not on the way back), and in time for my trip next weekend.

They replaced some electronics in the strobe and the housing at no charge. (I guess that means it wasnt a stupid thing I did, but just some gremlins)

So another example of quick service by Ikelite, thanks

After recieving it back and not diving for a while, problems reappeared. The second strobe was not seen by the camera. Ikelite arranged a DHL pickup and quickly repaired it. Unfortunately, during the first test the second strobe was again not seen. When I asked Ikelite what to do, Ikelite immediately offered (or need I say insisted) that they would replace BOTH my DS-50 strobes with NEW DS-51 strobes, even though one of the strobes still worked on a single cord.

I thanked them off course, but wanted it to mention it in public as well.

I have now received those replacements, and everything works as it is supposed to be. But now the water is cold and my drysuit leaks....

Gerard,

Not sure if you are aware of this fact. With a dual TTL cord and an Ikelite housing with the circuitry only one strobe can send the ready light signal to your camera. Dual cords have one end designated with a RED band.

If you want to turn off one strobe you should turn off the one with the RED band. Then your main strobe will still send a signal including the ready light.

Hope this helps!

dhaas

I was aware of that, I am probably the only underwater photographer that reads manuals :-) The problem was with both strobes switched on, it didnt see the strobe on the red banded end.

The problem is solved...This post was just to mention Ikelite's service.

Gerard,

I wish more folks as you would read the manuals manufacturers work so hard to produce with their products!

Sounds great and I'll be looking for more of your photos posted

dhaas