Inon z240 beeping all the time, any failure?

I have two Inon z240 strobe, the strobes are good and I have been using the for about 50 dives this Apr.

However, last week when I was preparing for my next diving trip, I found one of the z240 keep beeping after I turned on the switch. I compared the sound with another one and found that the other one also has this kind of beeping sound but the noise is much lower. Both strobes functions look normal.

The noise annoys me so much underwater. Anyone has experience with this kind of issue? Can someone help to explain the problem for me?

When Z240 charges, there is a sound of generator, from time to time. It is normal.

If charge does not stop at all, the problem usually is in batteries.

The best batteries for photo flash are ENELOOPs, they keep nominal voltage under such stress current. ENELOOPs are recommended in Z240 Manual also.

When Z240 charges, there is a sound of generator, from time to time. It is normal.

If charge does not stop at all, the problem usually is in batteries.

The best batteries for photo flash are ENELOOPs, they keep nominal voltage under such stress current. ENELOOPs are recommended in Z240 Manual also.

Thanks Pavel. I do use ENELOOPs for the strobe. It works fine on my last trip. The problem is after Z240 charges, one of the strobe still beeping and it was much louder than normal. I changed new battery and it didn't help either.

Btw, After two days dive the noise became less frequent. I have no idea what happened.

one of the strobe still beeping and it was much louder than normal. I changed new battery and it didn't help either.

 

Btw, After two days dive the noise became less frequent.

If there is no problem with batteries …. - Ok.

How often does that sound repeat?

If there is no problem with batteries …. - Ok.

How often does that sound repeat?

Both strobes start with normal charge sound. After that, I can count about 2 beeps per second with one strobe.

Can you catch the sound on video? I'm curious!

 

Both strobes start with normal charge sound. After that, I can count about 2 beeps per second with one strobe.

Inon Z240 electronics defect is a very rare case. It is a most reliable strobe on the market. But sometimes in life anything can happen.

It would be great if you can record sound on video, defect would be more clear for us.

I suppose that one of two main capacitors had lost its nominal parameters (leakage current became significant). This case, electrolytic capacitor losses energy very fast. Internal generator activates again and again in attempts to charge capacitor for nominal voltage 330v. As for me, this is most potential version. But i did not see your strobe.

You have to send z240 to Inon company for repair, because those small size capacitors Hitachi HD6 type are not available in retail sales.

I made two record of the sound.

The first one is the sound when I turn on the strobe.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wqnejwhh041w5rj/turnon.m4a?dl=0

The second is the sound when I flash the strobe with full power.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oa8enns1do9fm9t/flash%20and%20charge.m4a?dl=0

Hope this can help with the troubleshooting.

Inon Z240 electronics defect is a very rare case. It is a most reliable strobe on the market. But sometimes in life anything can happen.

It would be great if you can record sound on video, defect would be more clear for us.

I suppose that one of two main capacitors had lost its nominal parameters (leakage current became significant). This case, electrolytic capacitor losses energy very fast. Internal generator activates again and again in attempts to charge capacitor for nominal voltage 330v. As for me, this is most potential version. But i did not see your strobe.

You have to send z240 to Inon company for repair, because those small size capacitors Hitachi HD6 type are not available in retail sales.

I agree with you. In this case the only problem for this strobe right now is this one will consumer more power than the other one. Hope it can keep working for this diving trip. After the trip I will send it to Inon.

I made two record of the sound.

 

The first one is the sound when I turn on the strobe.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wqnejwhh041w5rj/turnon.m4a?dl=0

 

The second is the sound when I flash the strobe with full power.

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/oa8enns1do9fm9t/flash%20and%20charge.m4a?dl=0

 

Hope this can help with the troubleshooting.

Yes, those sounds confirm that high-voltage generator switches too often, attempts to charge main capacitor to full voltage.

This is not a great problem for lighting accuracy just now, because the capacitor energy is still close to nominal after each charging cycle (after each small "beep"). But the sound can make nervous the user. And certainly, situation with electronics can grow worse after a time. Better send that strobe to INON for repair.

Hello,

I have an other problem with Inon Z 240 type 3 and type 4.

I use the flashes with optical sync.

When i set the strobe manual mode and full power, the flash made full flashing, but when i use the TTL mode the flash can not make full flash.

Can anybody hear something about this issue?

when i use the TTL mode the flash can not make full flash.

Underwater strobe in TTL mode repeats optical input signal duration. Z240 xenon tube max fire time is 3.5 ms (full flash). To make such full flash you have to give more than 3.5 ms light duration to Z240 optical input.

How do you fire Z240 for that?

I compare the wiring control, and the optical sync when the Inon copied the built in flash with Nikon D 7100.

I can find some differences.

When i use the wiring control with TTL adapter and Tokina 10-17, the Inon makes more power!

I think the problem is in the built in flash copy. Maybe the nikon built in flash not working 100% under the water. What do you think about that?

If I will have some time I make some test pics.

Thank you PAVEL!

I compare the wiring control, and the optical sync when the Inon copied the built in flash with Nikon D 7100.

I can find some differences.

 

When i use the wiring control with TTL adapter and Tokina 10-17, the Inon makes more power!

I think the problem is in the built in flash copy. Maybe the nikon built in flash not working 100% under the water. What do you think about that?

Nikon D7100 built-in flash tube has significantly smaller size, than Z240 tube. That is why its max fire time certainly less than 3.5 ms. This is because of tube length.

This is the reason for which it is impossible to get full power from uw strobe via camera built-in flash TTL control.

To get full range Z-240 available power you have to use TTL Converter. In case of wire connection you use Wire TTL Converter. In case of optical fiber TTL connection you use Optical TTL Converter. Some TTL Converters can control few strobes by both type connections simultaneously ("Mixed TTL").

As illustration, UW Technics TTL Converter has output light duration 0.01...4.0 ms. This was specially made for full range Z240 control, and for YS-D1/D2 as well.

Yess,, my opinion is similar. We can take better photos with special TTL electronic.