Broken SB600

[Sherman Banks]

I like tinkering too, and I'm really good at fixing things mechanically, but I have no idea what I'm doing with electronics. My experience there is nothing beyond soldering some wiring so I am just biting the bullet and paying Nikon not only for the crappy quality flash but also for the repair. Besides, I hate getting shocked and I'm sure it would happen!

 

[benhasajeep]

I like tinkering too, and I'm really good at fixing things mechanically, but I have no idea what I'm doing with electronics. My experience there is nothing beyond soldering some wiring so I am just biting the bullet and paying Nikon not only for the crappy quality flash but also for the repair. Besides, I hate getting shocked and I'm sure it would happen!

Nothing against you at all. I just have a propblem that what I wrote was considered "stupidly dangerous". With all the dangers people do in their daily lives. I consider his statement stupid. Maybe we should stop driving cars. More people are hurt / killed doing that on a daily basis than about anything else. The list can go on and on. There are so many things that are also dangerous, and done without having specalized training.

Anyone here own a power tool? Lawn care equipment? Cook? Have a fireplace / wood stove? On and on and on.


Sorry. I'm done.

 

[kundalini]

Famous last words........

"Watch this..."


Here's another....

"Stupid is as stupid does..."



There's certain things I will venture into and certain things I'd rather pay for..... yeah, I got the money, what of it?

 

[table1349]

Well if its actually broken for sure. Why not carefully take apart the flash and see if its a user replaceable tube (something you can change)?

OMG, that falls into the stupidly dangerous worst advice possible area!

Hmmm, I don't know what to say to that. I clearly said "CAREFULLY". I clearly put in parentsis "SOMETHING YOU CAN CHANGE", ie: in his comfort level!!!! Its obvious you can have it changed by Nikon. I never forced them too. Service manuals are available! Capacitors can be shunted to make sure they are discharged (a $2 resistor is the best way, although an insulated metal tool can do the trick, but could possibly damage ESD products). Monolights with even higher capacity have replaceable tubes and anyone can buy them! Should no one with monolights replace the tubes themselves? Yes, they are designed to be changed without major disasembly. But since you dont have the monolight open to verify the capacitor is discharged, better toss them out or send in for repair.:er:

I can list dozens if not hundreds of dangerous things people do around the house that is much more dangerous than working on a flash! And yet your going to put that high on your stupidly dangerous worst advice list??? :thumbdown:

There is a safe way to work on anything. From changing car oil to a vacuum cleaner belt. You can get hurt doing hundreds of normal things around the house! People know their limits, I never pushed beyond my initial suggestion. Obviously the OP didn't feel it was appropriate for him to do it. I didn't push it. I work on complex technical things all the time. I have my limits on what I will and wont do (including things around the house).

Some people send everything out for repair, or buy new. Some can't afford it, some like tinkering. Some will do simple repairs and send major stuff out. But a blanket statement that its stupidly dangerous worst advice is uncalled for!

Well considering that the average flash capacitor stores between 1,000 and 4,000 volts, perhaps instead of ranting about people suggesting that this might not be a good DIY project, you could provide the OP with step by step instructions on how to fix the problem. That would reduce the danger of such an undertaking.

After witnessing someone getting their D$@# knocked in the dirt with 120 volt ac, (to the tune of a trip to the hospital since it knocked him out) electricity is something that one should respect and have a bit of knowledge about before playing with it. :mrgreen:

Keep in mind that there are warning labels on products for a reason. Preparation H states it is not for internal use, because some one tried ingesting it for hemorrhoids. I don't even want to know why a curling iron has a warning that it is not to be inserted into any body cavity. :scratch:

Just my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[kundalini]

......electricity is something that one should respect and have a bit of knowledge about before playing with it. :mrgreen: .

We have a saying down here that electricity is FM. The second word is Magic.

Keep in mind that there are warning labels on products for a reason. Preparation H states it is not for internal use, because some one tried ingesting it for hemorrhoids. I don't even want to know why a curling iron has a warning that it is not to be inserted into any body cavity. :scratch:

Please...... no comments about Gerbils.

 

[benhasajeep]

[

Well considering that the average flash capacitor stores between 1,000 and 4,000 volts, perhaps instead of ranting about people suggesting that this might not be a good DIY project, you could provide the OP with step by step instructions on how to fix the problem. That would reduce the danger of such an undertaking.

After witnessing someone getting their D$@# knocked in the dirt with 120 volt ac, (to the tune of a trip to the hospital since it knocked him out) electricity is something that one should respect and have a bit of knowledge about before playing with it. :mrgreen:

Keep in mind that there are warning labels on products for a reason. Preparation H states it is not for internal use, because some one tried ingesting it for hemorrhoids. I don't even want to know why a curling iron has a warning that it is not to be inserted into any body cavity. :scratch:

Just my 2 cents on the subject.

It's not the volts that gets you! A static discharge is around 10,000-30,000 volts! But very little amperage behind it (or longevity).

As for the step by step, I would not give that. If I were to do that repair myself, I would get a service manual. Maybe if I had said get a service manual first, nothing would have been said? I don't know. Many sites allow downloads of many camera, lens, flash, service and parts manuals. Of course for a fee though. But most are around $12 a day or $24 for a months access. Can download alot of manuals in that time period. Probably guys on ebay selling home made CD's of the downloads too.

As for the Preperation H and curling iron. Thats my whole point. There are so many normal daily things that are dangerous. Why is working on a flash so much worse? Is it more dangerous than using a power saw? Anyone can buy one with absolutely no training at all!

 

[table1349]

It's not the volts that gets you! A static discharge is around 10,000-30,000 volts! But very little amperage behind it (or longevity).

True, however the rapid burst of energy needed to charge the gas particles in a flash tube aren't particular, so there is no need to regulate the amperage. Capacitors can carry high amps as well as voltage.

As for the step by step, I would not give that. If I were to do that repair myself, I would get a service manual. Maybe if I had said get a service manual first, nothing would have been said? I don't know. Many sites allow downloads of many camera, lens, flash, service and parts manuals. Of course for a fee though. But most are around $12 a day or $24 for a months access. Can download alot of manuals in that time period. Probably guys on ebay selling home made CD's of the downloads too.

You must be well versed in Japanese since the only ones I can find are in Japanese. My guess is that Nikon also does not think this is good idea either cause I could not come across one english version. FYI, I have an extra service manuals on rebuilding the Pratt & Whitney J58 if you want one. It's not really a novice job though. Trust me on this one. :mrgreen:

As for the Preperation H and curling iron. Thats my whole point. There are so many normal daily things that are dangerous. Why is working on a flash so much worse? Is it more dangerous than using a power saw? Anyone can buy one with absolutely no training at all!

Actually you missed my point. Preperation H, curling irons, motor vehicles, firearms etc...etc... are not dangerous. Nor are most of the daily things of which you speak. They sit there doing nothing.

PEOPLE are dangerous, especially stupid people that bite off more than their knowledge, training, and experience are capable of handling. Often not even realizing their limitations.

People choose to put themselves in harms way. Sometimes knowingly, but most often blindly jumping into an unfamilure stream head first with out checking for rocks under the surface. It's like that old maxim: It's not the fall that will kill you, it's the sudden stop at the end.

For the OP....only you know your knowledge, training and skill level. Decide for yourself. Me, I have in the course of my job handled dangerous snakes and gators after training on how to do so, been trained in the use and care for a wide variety of machinery, and can build darn near anything with tools and wood. Electricity however, unless it is the changing of a switch or recepticle, I leave to the Idiots, er I mean experts. It has been known to reach out an grab you at the worst possible moment.


""Man is the noblest work of God." well now how figured that out?" Mark Twain

 

[Mike_E]

You guys forgot anything that starts with "Here, hold my beer...".

 

[table1349]

You guys forgot anything that starts with "Here, hold my beer...".

:mrgreen: :lmao: :smileys: :cheers:

 

[benhasajeep]

. FYI, I have an extra service manuals on rebuilding the Pratt & Whitney J58 if you want one. It's not really a novice job though. Trust me on this one. :mrgreen:

No, thanks on the manual. As every day I carry the CD's for GE CF6-50, CF6-80, and RB211-535 manuals. I get paid to inspect jet and "play" with jet engines daily :mrgreen:. I also have full manuals on DC10's, 767's, and 757's on CD as well (pain keeping them updated too). My CD case weighs about 12#'s because of all the manuals I have to carry for the planes and the airlines own manuals. And if need be. I am one of the dozen or so people in my company with a MyBoeing Fleet log in. I can access production drawings, engineering orders, component overhaul manuals, and everything esle airplane related from them. Of course only the aircraft we pay them coverage for (DC10, 767, 757). I can tell you, that access is not cheap!! So you can say I have a little experience with technical things.

You want to try something, fire off an igniter outside of the engine and watch people back away. (of course being carefull). Talking about some high energy!!

 

[benhasajeep]

You guys forgot anything that starts with "Here, hold my beer...".

Keeping with the airplane theme. The mechanics at Alitalia were allowed 1 8 ouce beer or box of wine with their lunch from the cantina every day! Several international airlines allows their pilots to have a glass of wine with their meals (while working in the cockpit!!). They also allow their pilots to take a short nap while on duty.

 

[blash]

You guys forgot anything that starts with "Here, hold my beer...".

Keeping with the airplane theme. The mechanics at Alitalia were allowed 1 8 ouce beer or box of wine with their lunch from the cantina every day! Several international airlines allows their pilots to have a glass of wine with their meals (while working in the cockpit!!). They also allow their pilots to take a short nap while on duty.

So? People go out to dinner, drink a cup of wine, and then drive home everyday. One solitary drink with food is not enough to intoxicate the vast majority of people, and if it is enough to intoxicate you, then you're not drinking anyways because you'd be making a fool of yourself. I see nothing wrong with above business practices.

 

[DScience]

"My soldering skills are as good as my quilting skills....and I don't make blankets." LOL LOL

 

[table1349]

. FYI, I have an extra service manuals on rebuilding the Pratt & Whitney J58 if you want one. It's not really a novice job though. Trust me on this one. :mrgreen:

No, thanks on the manual. As every day I carry the CD's for GE CF6-50, CF6-80, and RB211-535 manuals. I get paid to inspect jet and "play" with jet engines daily :mrgreen:. I also have full manuals on DC10's, 767's, and 757's on CD as well (pain keeping them updated too). My CD case weighs about 12#'s because of all the manuals I have to carry for the planes and the airlines own manuals. And if need be. I am one of the dozen or so people in my company with a MyBoeing Fleet log in. I can access production drawings, engineering orders, component overhaul manuals, and everything esle airplane related from them. Of course only the aircraft we pay them coverage for (DC10, 767, 757). I can tell you, that access is not cheap!! So you can say I have a little experience with technical things.

You want to try something, fire off an igniter outside of the engine and watch people back away. (of course being carefull). Talking about some high energy!!

Been there, done that. Certain people with big shiney silver birds on their collars don't find it amusing at all.:mrgreen: