YS-01 Get Service or Replace?

Looking for opinions, i have a S&S YS-01. Has worked well enough for several years. Before a dive earlier this year I noticed the mode knob on the back wasn't turning/stoping well which led me to discover a crack/break while articulating it.  I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations on what to do: send it off for repair or toss it/sell as damaged? 

Any ideas on how much they charge to service this stuff?  I'd be inclined to try and repair this myself if i could get parts.

No other issues that i know of and it has not been flooded. I tried asking the auth service companies (Backscatter/Pacific Housing repair) for guestimates on cost (not formal quotes) and was completely ignored. They all want me to send the strobe before they will offer a quote. So IMO, I need to either commit to all the shipping and repair, whatever it'll cost, or just get a new one and not waste the money in shipping. IMO, not sure it's really worth it if the total is well over $100 since i've seen these used for $200-250 on occasion.

https://imgur.com/a/SHZoEHW

If the damage is limited to the Mode knob, it may be possible to secure the pin, and glue the broken chip back in place, with epoxy. 

Sending it in for repair will cost about $80 or more just for 2 way shipping, plus repair costs.  I would be tempted to try the epoxy route first.

If it has been working in that condition for a while, will it continue?  I'm not clear on how serious the damage is or the possibility of DIY repairs.

If it works, I'd be inclined to keep using it, but I wouldn't trust it.  I don't think it will be worth repairing when you can generally buy working used ones for cheap.  One of mine quit after 4 years and I bought a pair of used ones to replace it.  (Gives me a spare.)  Cost was $500 for the pair, 3 years ago.

Usually (I think) the flashbulb fails.  Seems to be what happened to mine.  All seemed normal, except for distinct lack of any light coming out the front.

The repair folks really can't be faulted for wanting to look at the strobe before giving you any kind of ballpark quote regarding doing repair work. They really don't want to be put in a position of having to guess.

I've got a couple Sea & Sea YS-01 strobes. If I had a cracked switch like you do, I'd probably try to fix the plastic switch with a quality CA type glue like Duncan's R/C sells in Phoenix. Duncan's is on East 35th Avenue. It's available in different viscosity; I wouldn't want the glue fusing the switch to the strobe housing so I'd use medium or maybe extra thick rather than the thinner versions. After the CA glue fully cured, I'd reinforce it with an epoxy designed for marine use.

The asking price for these older used Sea & Sea strobes has dropped as the company has produced new models. I bought a pair a few years ago for $400.00 from a seller in California. While they're not my strobe of choice, they've proved to be solid strobes and work very well with one of my older Nauticam housings.

Of course, if you're really attached to your Sea & Sea YS-01 strobes having the switch replaced by an authorized repair shop would be worth sending the strobe in.

-Tinman

Please keep any for sale offers on the Classifieds..

Thanks for the reminder, but I don't see anything listed for sale in any of these posts. The discussion involves a decision to repair a broken switch on a Sea & Sea YS-01 strobe or looking to replace it with a 'new' used one.

-Tinman

@Kraken da Mabini, i'm often leary about gluing since my track record of glued things lasting is very not good. I mean, i guess there may not be anything to lose as long as i don't do any more damage but i really don't have high confidence - especially when there is pressure internal to the knob (some that keeps the knob in a position and the rollers that let it turn - i think).

@phxazcraig, no. I discovered the hairline crack between dives as I was articulating the knob and it turned too far - the mode position stopper didnt work. I'm guessing it came from being dropped on the table by the crew after the previous dive. Anyway, as I was playing with it trying to see what was wrong the plastic piece completely broke and a roller came out.  As it is, the mode doesn't change as you turn the knob, so it is non-functional even if it wouldn't end up flooding or causing any other damage to the strobe. Prior to this, i've had zero problems with it.

@Tinman, understand and agree. But i wasn't so much looking for a quote, just a WAG. See above for my concern about gluing, but maybe it's worth a try? i guess? I'm not all that attached to the YS-01 but I was kind-of hoping I could keep the strobe for a second 'generation' and just replace my old camera/enclosure.

Thanks all for the responses.

If you try the glueing thing, I'd definitely use a high quality CA type glue to stick it back together. I've never had much luck with the Home Depot variety of CA glues.

-Tinman

If it just the mode knob and you can live without the focus light, just buy a knob at McMaster with a set screw and you will be good to go.

Bill

Hello Tung,

I have an identical knob taken apart from my recently dead YS-D1. I can send you the knob free of charge if you will. Regarding the replacement, please note that opening the strobe is no easy task since there are a lot of parts that need to be disassembled and later reassembled properly. Also can be very dangerous due to the high voltages and electrical charge accumulated on the two capacitors inside.

Attached some pictures of the knob. Although the strobe models are different, the knob looks identical to me.

Please let me know. I'm located in Europe (Italy).

All the best,

Roberto