Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 1998/10/12
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It's not the thyristor that needs exercising, it's the Electrolytic Capacitors that need to be formed, and kept formed. They are formed by charging them. A thyristor is a semiconductor (basically a transistor) and doesn't change over time. Like the transistors in a transistor radio don't go bad from non use. An electronic flash should be fully charged BEFORE TURNING IT OFF. Many people have a habit of flashing it before turning it off. Very bad practice. Electrolytic Capacitors need a charge to remain formed. You should store the flash charged. And you should periodically charge it and fire it a few times as Greg said, using a minimum pop. The reason you should use the smallest pop is because a flash that has been sitting, then charged, then FULLY DISCHARGED INSTANTANEOUSLY (maximum pop) can deform the capacitors too rapidly and cause early failure. The capacitors are the vulnerable item in a flash unit. Long term discharged and/or fast charge and full discharge after being discharged for a long period of time, are a bad practice. After a long hiatus, charge and minimum pop discharge a few times will condition the capacitors quickly. Then use normally. Modern day electrolytic capacitors are much better than they were back when I used to repair strobes and it would take a lot of abuse to really damage them. However, by treating them correctly, you are insuring that they will last a very long time. Jim At 09:27 AM 10/12/98 -0600, you wrote: >Hey LUG, > >I use the the Metz 40 MZ-3 electronic flash on my R8 [to keep things on >topic], but not very often. In the cobwebby corners of my memory, I seem to >recall the admonition of a strobe manufacturer about keeping electronic >flashes healthy. Was it with Vivitar's 283? Anyway, there was a >recommendation to occasionally fire the strobe at a white piece of paper at >close range four or five times in quick succession in order to exercise the >thyristor, if memory serves. > >Has flash technology marched on, or are there things one should do to >maintain modern electronic flash units in good condition? > >Thanks, and enjoy the light [ambient or filled-in]! > >Greg Bicket > http://www.photoaccess.com Jim Brick, ASMP, BIAA Photo Access (650) 470-1132 Visual Impressions Publishing Visual Impressions Photography (408) 296-1629