430ex + metal flash stand bracket + careless operator = BANG

Mikebourgeault · Mar 20, 2017

Apologies if this answer exists somewhere else. It's a tricky one to search for.

I was mounting my 430 into a flash stand (I don't use either often) and apparently if the flash is powered on and the bracket is metal it can short out something and shoot a +100% pulse to the bulb. Audible pop and the flash doesn't flash anymore. Well sort of. It seems to charge, the unit indicates its ready, but if i press the test the flash lets out a tiny pulse.

My instinct says I damaged a capacitor, since the bulb still tries to send some light out. Just looking to see if anyone can confirm before I open it up and start poking at it.

On that train of thought, does anybody know the specs for what I'd need to replace a bad cap and whereabouts it is? I've seen a few guides for replacing an lcd that looks like the cap is in the bottom half of the flash rather than the top.

Thanks for your help!

table1349 · Mar 20, 2017

Unless you know what you are doing you might want to think twice about opening that thing up. It can come back to bite you really bad if the capacitor is not fully discharged or discharging.

This is a good cheap little accessory to buy. Nisha Accessory Flash Shoe HTS-C B&H Photo Video

Also mount first then turn on the flash.

Derrel · Mar 20, 2017

I have been shocked by a defective small flash unit...WOW! It was intense!
Some 30 years ago when I was working in phot/video sales, I had two newly married types come in, to buy a small flash unit for their existing 35mm camera. They had almost no budget, so I went to the used case and pulled out a small "upright" cigarette-pack type flash unit, probably 15 years old or so.

As I was demo'ing the flash, I turned it on, and it whined to life.After a minute of describing how a small AUTO-flash like that worked,I got a demo camera, and then preparing to mount the flash onto the demo camera, I reached over and I picked the flash up with my right hand. It shocked the DAYLIGHTS out of me!

I screamed, involuntarily, "Daaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!, and in a reflex action, I tossed/threw the flash at the man and wife standing across the sales counter from me. Seriously, I flung the flash right at them! It just FLEW out of my hand!

As near as I could tell, a finger on my right hand had bridged one or two of the flash foot contacts, and I tripped the flash! I got one of the most severe electric shocks of my life--and I grew up on a farm with lots of electric fences...the shock from a suddenly-discharged flash capacitor can be INTENSE!

Needless to say, I lost that sale.

table1349 · Mar 20, 2017

Derrel said:
I have been shocked by a defective small flash unit...WOW! I screamed, involuntarily, "Daaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!", and in a reflex action, I tossed/threw the flash at two customers standing across the sales counter from me, as I was trying to sell them this small, 2-AA cell compact flash....seriously! My finger on my right hand shorted out two of the flash foot contacts, and I got one of the most severe electeic shocks of my life--and I grew up on a farm with lots of electric fences...the shock for a suddently-discharged flash capacitor can be INTENSE!

I lost that sale.

Next time this might help.

Mikebourgeault · Mar 21, 2017

Thanks for the tips. I have done a bit of electronics work here and there, but a reminder never hurts. Does my issue sound capacitor based or flash bulb based though? The bulb is generating light (though a small amount). But also the pilot light lights up almost right away. I've read posts that say that means the cap is fine. But if the flash bulb was blown would it not just be completely dead? I figure its one or the other, but both are showing signs of life.