Newbie - setting up soft box - electric shock!!!

Jessarah13 · Mar 23, 2015

haha thats great Unpopular! now I am somewhat intrigued to give that a try lol

So update: They are still looking at it but they think the ground wire was not wired up properly - those words?? but they are still looking into it… and sadly they have sold out of this kit so no lights for me at this stage

unpopular · Mar 24, 2015

Honestly Jessarah - I would avoid these lights. Even if the grounding was faulty, it should not have resulted in high voltage running down the PC cord. I hate to sound like a broken record, but this simply should not ever happen.

Designer · Mar 24, 2015

Jessarah13 said:
So update: They are still looking at it but they think the ground wire was not wired up properly - those words?? but they are still looking into it… and sadly they have sold out of this kit so no lights for me at this stage

The way I understand wiring is that the grounding conductor is to direct current safely away from people in case of a fault. If the lights were working properly, there would still be no current flowing in the ground wire. If someone tells you that the ground wire is was not hooked up properly, they don't know anything, and should be avoided. Do not accept anything but a full refund. Purchase your lights elsewhere.

Derrel · Mar 24, 2015

I would ask for a refund on the lights. A 100%, total refund. They appear to be the typical Made in China or Made in Taiwan monolights made by one of a couple companies, and just re-branded for retail sale. I think that even with shipping across the border, that you could get a little bit better price from Adorama on a pair of light/softbox/lightstand Flashpoint 320M monolights.

unpopular · Mar 24, 2015

I agree. I own a pair of Mettle monos, which is the company that makes most of the Flashpoint brand. By the looks of it, the 320M is a Mettle. They are solid strobes. Never had any problem with mine.

Of the Chinese rebranded stuff, Flashpoint is your best bet.

Derrel · Mar 24, 2015

I'm not very knowledgeable about the nuances of electricity...but one time, a small, two-AA cell on-camera flash unit shorted out in my hand and it made me scream , "Daaaahhhhhh!" and I reflexively threw the thing out of my hand and about three feet toward the customers I was trying to sell it to. I have been shocked by AC-current electric fences maybe twenty times...and that one,single flash jolt was farrrrrrr worse than the weird, odd, buzzing sensation of electric fence...

Now, one of the guy's at the Speedotron plant in Chicago told me on the phone that the flashtube trigger voltage on one of my units was 800 volts....I have no idea of the amperage, but wouldn't 800 volts, something in that range, basically shock the crap out of somebody? I mean, wouldn't 800 volts worth of current stored up in a capacitor and suddenly "dumped" give a pretty hefty shock? What is a typical monolight's flashtube's Wattage in its delivery to ignite/excite the gas inside the flashtube?

tirediron · Mar 24, 2015

It depends totally on the current; trigger currents are very low amperage, but you will get a sting from it, just like grabbing a spark-plug line; that's 20-40Kv. I had a worn cord on an an 8 AA pack for one of my speedlights, and when I got the wrong part of that, I'll tell you, I said some of my best tractor-startin' words as I flung it across the room.

unpopular · Mar 25, 2015

according to this datasheet:

http://frank.pocnet.net/other/Mullard/MullardFlashTubes.pdf

There is 100J of energy released over 100ms at full operating condition. If I understand this right, this would be 1KW. Even at 1/4 power, this would be more than enough injure someone.

tirediron · Mar 25, 2015

unpopular said:
according to this datasheet:

http://frank.pocnet.net/other/Mullard/MullardFlashTubes.pdf

There is 100J of energy released over 100ms at full operating condition. If I understand this right, this would be 1KW. Even at 1/4 power, this would be more than enough injure someone.

It'd sure as Hades sting 'em!

Jessarah13 · Mar 25, 2015

Thanks everyone

Well at this stage I guess we will never know - we finally had a call from the owner of the shop and he has just suggested sending it back to the manufacturer as yes like you have all said this should not be happening.... The original person we spoke to was just an employee there that I guess really didn't have an idea but thankfully he referred it on to the boss!
He has given us a full refund.

Well that was a great start for me entering the field of photography!! I am bloody too afraid to take a photo at the moment just with my camera!
:-/

tecboy · Mar 25, 2015

I have Adorama Flashpoint 32om, and I don't have any issue. It is good for budget wise. You need a separate trigger, and it is not very expensive.

Designer · Mar 25, 2015

Jessarah13 said:
I am bloody too afraid to take a photo at the moment just with my camera!

Ahh... Just jump right in! You didn't die yet! :biggrin-93:

tirediron · Mar 26, 2015

Designer said:
Jessarah13 said:

I am bloody too afraid to take a photo at the moment just with my camera!

Click to expand...

Ahh... Just jump right in! You didn't die yet!

Exactly!!! Try catching 240VAC! (Checking continuity on a baseboard heater element, thought I'd pulled the thermostat connection off to break the circuit, didn't notice wire memory had caused it to "unbend" and it was touching... fingers on the probes... Tractor startin' words!!!

Jessarah13 · Mar 27, 2015

Designer said:
Ahh... Just jump right in! You didn't die yet!

Bahahaha - yes fortunately still alive and kicking - still hanging around

Sorry I may not have clarified very well about the lights and situation as it stands…. I purchased the lights from a photography equipment place in Sydney called Dragon image. They have all sorts of brands of equipment….
When I rung them to tell them what was happening they were very concerned and more then obliging to help and asked I bring them back in to get looked at… upon dropping them off I had a young employee ring me to say that it will just be sent back to the manufacturer and they will give me a full refund or get another kit in for me. I asked him if he knew what was wrong with it and he was the one that said something about the grounding not being wired up right..maybe? I don't think he really knew… but then the boss rang me to organise the refund and he said they won't know as they can only send it back to the manufacturer….
So of this should I be looking at getting the same kit again? Is Visico a good brand? or should I be looking at another?
Thank you in advance.

Designer · Mar 27, 2015

I don't have any experience with Visico, so I can't say for sure, but most people would not trust any brand enough to try another kit from one with a similar issue.