speedlite cant fire !! help !

[MH_91]

Heey every one

well i just got a speedlite its an OLD model its Canon 380 EX

friend of mine gave it to me ,

well it was working prefectly for 10 mins and when i get home and i plug it in again to my camera ( canon 20D ) it didnt work at all , i change the batteries into new ones , the PILOT sign was working but when i press the shutter bottom to take pic the flash didnt work ...

and then i Unplugged the Speedlite ,, and randomly i pressed PILOT it worked few times , and it stop working at all !


could you guys tell me what is wrong with it

please
am soo greatfull !

thank you !

 

[PatrickHMS]

Before anyone else mentions this, his Canon 380EX IS listed as safe to use on a DSLR (trigger voltages) so there is no concern there as that being any part of his problem....

 

[MH_91]

Before anyone else mentions this, his Canon 380EX IS listed as safe to use on a DSLR (trigger voltages) so there is no concern there as that being any part of his problem....

What you Mean ????????

 

[PatrickHMS]

Before anyone else mentions this, his Canon 380EX IS listed as safe to use on a DSLR (trigger voltages) so there is no concern there as that being any part of his problem....

What you Mean ????????

Older film flashes sometimes can have higher trigger voltages than are safe for use on a DSLR, and can potentially damage the circuits in a DSLR if used on one. All it takes is one time, mounted to the hotshoe and fired... Or, it might not ever cause damage, but who wants to take that chance? Not with my expensive DSLR.

All your DSLR is, essentially, is a computer with a lens, and excessive voltages can do harm to the electronics inside the camera.

There is a list on the internet that lists many flash heads (by Mfg and Model #) and tells if they are deemed safe, or not safe, for use on a DSLR.

Your flash is on that list, listed as being safe to use on a DSLR.

I wouldn't put any flash on a DSLR until I was SURE that the trigger voltage is within limits.

Have heard others say to not worry about this, but I know a camera repair place that has had more than just a few DSLR's with fried circuits when an incompatible flash was used on a DSLR body.

 

[MH_91]

Before anyone else mentions this, his Canon 380EX IS listed as safe to use on a DSLR (trigger voltages) so there is no concern there as that being any part of his problem....

What you Mean ????????

Older film flashes sometimes can have higher trigger voltages than are safe for use on a DSLR, and can potentially damage the circuits in a DSLR if used on one. All it takes is one time, mounted to the hotshoe and fired... Or, it might not ever cause damage, but who wants to take that chance? Not with my expensive DSLR.

All your DSLR is, essentially, is a computer with a lens, and excessive voltages can do harm to the electronics inside the camera.

There is a list on the internet that lists many flash heads (by Mfg and Model #) and tells if they are deemed safe, or not safe, for use on a DSLR.

Your flash is on that list, listed as being safe to use on a DSLR.

I wouldn't put any flash on a DSLR until I was SURE that the trigger voltage is within limits.

Have heard others say to not worry about this, but I know a camera repair place that has had more than just a few DSLR's with fried circuits when an incompatible flash was used on a DSLR body.

well thanks for your new Information i didnt know that , but .. i have Canon 20D ( which is old ) so i dont think its going to effect my camera , because the person told me that i was using the flash for long time with my camera ( he had 20D as well ) soo i dont know what happen suddenly here ... it made me confused ...

 

[PatrickHMS]

Can't help much more. I know very little about Canon gear, other than how to spell it.

 

[MH_91]

Can't help much more. I know very little about Canon gear, other than how to spell it.

well thanks for your help , but am going to dislike ur last sentence

 

[MH_91]

it would be great , if someone helped me out here ..

 

[musicaleCA]

Will the flash still fire on its own by pressing the pilot light?

If yes: check the contacts on the bottom of the flash and the top of the camera. Make sure they are clean and undamaged/loose.

If no: Buy new batteries and try using them instead.
Reset the flash unit to factory defaults (which is as easy as leaving the batteries out of the flash for a few minutes).

If the flash still won't fire, something is likely broken internally and needs repair.

 

[MH_91]

well ,

when i press the PILOT sign sometimes it fire and sometimes it not

i just bought new batteries and i put them inside , but didnt work yet

i will try the thing u just said to Restore it to factory defaults , ( i just have to Remove the batteries for few Mintues ?

thats all ?

 

[MH_91]

Will the flash still fire on its own by pressing the pilot light?

If yes: check the contacts on the bottom of the flash and the top of the camera. Make sure they are clean and undamaged/loose.

If no: Buy new batteries and try using them instead.
Reset the flash unit to factory defaults (which is as easy as leaving the batteries out of the flash for a few minutes).

If the flash still won't fire, something is likely broken internally and needs repair.

i did what you told me ..

but it didnt work ..

is there another way to Rest the flash ?

 

[musicaleCA]

How quickly are you trying to fire the flash? It needs time to recycle before it can fire again. If you are using alkaline batteries instead of NiMH rechargables, it will take a long, long (epically long) time to recycle the flash.

 

[PatrickHMS]

So, if flash will fire sometimes, and not fire sometimes, while not on the camera, we can assume problem is with flash and not camera.

Most flashes will have a little light that will go on when the flash is ready to fire.

When you first turn the flash on, you need to wait for the light to come on before it will fire...

After you fire the flash, you need to wait for the light to come on before it will fire again...

Have you found the button on the flash that will cause it to fire while not on the camera?

Amount of time it takes for this light to come on depends on strength and type of battery you are using.

Are you waiting long enough for this to occur?

 

[MH_91]

How quickly are you trying to fire the flash? It needs time to recycle before it can fire again. If you are using alkaline batteries instead of NiMH rechargables, it will take a long, long (epically long) time to recycle the flash.

well the one am using right now .. its Energizer Advance Lithium ...

and for clicking , welll i see the Red light its on , so i click on till i get the fire , when i got the fire the Red Light goes off for around 5 seconds or less, then it turn on again , i press again it wont work , i click again and again till it fire again and it counties like that ...

tomorrow i will go to McBain camera and see what they going to tell me ...

 

[MH_91]

So, if flash will fire sometimes, and not fire sometimes, while not on the camera, we can assume problem is with flash and not camera.

Most flashes will have a little light that will go on when the flash is ready to fire.

When you first turn the flash on, you need to wait for the light to come on before it will fire...

After you fire the flash, you need to wait for the light to come on before it will fire again...

Have you found the button on the flash that will cause it to fire while not on the camera?

Amount of time it takes for this light to come on depends on strength and type of battery you are using.

Are you waiting long enough for this to occur?

yes i know all that stuff , its just the light sign is RED , i press on it sometimes it flash and sometimes it wont flash


and it take around 3 to 5 seconds to Recharge the flash ...

the problem is when i was at my friend place , it was working Prefectlly ! and when i got home , i plug it again to my camera it didnt work , and today before 4 hours ago i bought new battires , same problem sometimes i flash and sometimes it wont ...