Dual sync cord or two single cords

Planning for the future, I'm trying to determine what my best option is for working with two strobes. Assuming I have two functional strobe connections on my housing, am I better off using a dual sync cord or two single cords, or does it not matter?

I'm looking for opinions on reliability, best practices, etc. Any and all input is appreciated.

Thanks

Tom

This is just my personal view, but I recommend using a double cord, for several reasons.

(1) At least with some strobes (e.g., Ikelite), the ready signal needs to be disabled on one cord or bulkhead port if you are using two single cords so that the camera only receives a "ready" signal from one strobe. The Ikelite double cord is manufactured with the "ready" line disabled on one cord, which is marked with a red band.

(2) Redundancy. Synch cords and the ports they plug into tend to be weak points in any system. Nikonos ports, for example, can be rendered inoperative if only a microscopic drop of water gets to the spring-loaded pins. If you have two functional bulkhead ports, using a double cord on one port means that you have the second port available as a back-up in case the primary port is damaged.

For what it's worth, I usually carry two double cords and two single cords for my Ikelite strobes. I normally use a double cord plugged into one port. If that port goes, I use the second port. If one double cord goes, I switch the second port. If that goes, I can still resort to the single cords, disabling the ready signal on one port. (One one long trip last year, I ended up with only one strobe and one single cord still working.)

I also carry a spare bulkhead port with a short ribbon connector that can replace one port on either of my housings. (Both digital and film housings are Subal, and use identical bulkhead ports.)

Robert Delfs

So 2 DS125's can't be used on redundant bulkheads?

Two strobes sending their ready light signal to a (Nikon especially) camera can create havoc for the camera. One ready light signal only is an old Nikon edict............

Good info so far.

I'm curious Ike, in a Canon setup with DS-125s, if you're only using one connector on the hotshoe, does the ready light issue come into play?

Just to add more information (or confusion) ... I am using a Fuji S2, a Sea & Sea housing with two ports, and two Inon Z220 strobes. I tested and found that I could run in basically any configuration with the two strobes. I can use two single cords or one dual cord. The dual cord can be in either port, and there is no primary or secondary port or strobe. It appears to hande the two ready lights fine. So far I prefer the two single cords, as it eliminates the bulky connector across the top of the housing, where I have a modeling light mounted on the "cold" shoe. But for a trip I will definitely take multiple cords of both types, to try and handle any failure.

Linda I.

Tom,

I'm thinking that if the ready-light pin isn't connected to the hotshoe, you shouldn't have any problem.

This is how my old UK-Germany D60 housing was set up. Only 2 or 3 pins (can't remember which) were connected on the hotshoe and I used dual Ike DS125 strobes with it.

Cheers

James

I think you're right James. There's only one pin in my hotshoe connection on my S&S housing, so hopefully it won't matter.

Thanks everyone for the input and info...

Tom