Gadget Infinity

[McQueen278]

I don't want to be rude but it looks like you're trying to bait him into an argument.

You're right I guess. I'm not trying, it is just happening. I hate when people do this in my threads. Sorry OP. Congrats on the new triggers and I hope you will post up some examples of what you have done with them! I only ever use mine for boring work. I should do something about that come to think of it!

 

[monkeykoder]

You're right I guess. I'm not trying, it is just happening. I hate when people do this in my threads. Sorry OP. Congrats on the new triggers and I hope you will post up some examples of what you have done with them! I only ever use mine for boring work. I should do something about that come to think of it!

I figure it is really just a cost/benefit thing if you're using these thing professionally they have a more obvious benefit. If you're just having fun you can do without what the PWs offer and just stick with the cheaper ones. If you can make the Cactus triggers more reliable then all the more reason to get them over another cheap brand. Maybe if you have money to burn you can go with the PWs and be happy too.

 

[jlykins]

so you'll have to excuse the composition, and the lighting is a little harsh lol but I took a couple of quick shots of mine after I was done.

 

[Dweller]

Looks good! How is the range? how stable is it on that mount?

 

[Big Mike]

I tried the two mods last night...and so far I'm not sure how I feel.

Firstly, the battery holder I bought, didn't have it's own switch and it was $4.99 (a lot more than the $.59 that Jerry paid). Also, soldering is a lot harder than I remember. It took me over an hour to solder the wires for the batter holder. I just couldn't get the wire positioned well and I guess I couldn't get the plate hot enough...it kept coming apart. Finally I got it done and it works well. But after the price and the time, I might as well have bought the darn CR2 battery. I guess it will be good to only need AA from now on.

I then tried the antenna mod. Again, it took me forever to solder the wire to the board...I don't know why. Then when I tested it, I had no better performance than before. I have two sets and I was testing two triggers, one with the mod and one without. Either one of them was having trouble from as little as 10 feet and around corners was a no go. I haven't put in the new 12v batteries yet though.

Then I looked at a few other people's versions of the antenna mod...and I'm wondering why they are different from what I saw on Jerry's blog. On Jerry's, the antenna is attached in the corner, but on the others, it's attached to a contact on the other side of the board. What gives with that? I'm going to attempt to rewire mine and see if that doesn't help.

 

[Dweller]

From what I have read, either contact SHOULD work, but the one by the C3 label has worked better for some.

I wonder if you have a cold solder joint on your antenna. I would expect there to be at least SOME difference with any antenna attached but since you see none at all, I wonder if there is an actual connection given the issues you were having soldering. What wattage is your soldering iron? Are you using flux-core solder or do you have some soldering flux?

 

[Big Mike]

I was actually worried that I might have over heated the board or otherwise ruined it. A couple times, the solder went right though the hole and bypassed the antenna wire. I tried to get the board out to see the other side, but it wouldn't come out with the pressure I was willing put on it. I did eventually get a good connection though.

I bought a cheap soldering kit. I think the iron is 15w and yes the solder is flux core.

 

[Dao]

I was actually worried that I might have over heated the board or otherwise ruined it. A couple times, the solder went right though the hole and bypassed the antenna wire. I tried to get the board out to see the other side, but it wouldn't come out with the pressure I was willing put on it. I did eventually get a good connection though.

I bought a cheap soldering kit. I think the iron is 15w and yes the solder is flux core.

15W is good enough. It is better not get anything higher. Get a separate flux. The flux that inside the solder is not enough. Put flux on the wire, than use the hot soldering iron touch the solder so that a little drop of solder is on the soldering iron, then have the hot solder touch the wire then the solder should melt on the wire. You need to make sure the bare wire has the solder. It is like painting the wire with solder.

Once that is done, make sure the contact where the wire goes has plenty of flux as well. If the contact do not have any solder, repeat the same procedure like putting solder on the wire, but this time, it is the contact of the board.

After that, put a little flux on the wire (the one you just put solder on). (Just a little) and then have the wire touch the contact where the wire should be soldering on. Have your soldering iron touch the wire and it should stick on the contact right away.

 

[JerryPH]

Firstly, the battery holder I bought, didn't have it's own switch and it was $4.99 (a lot more than the $.59 that Jerry paid).

I don't want someone to think I was BSing. I bought the battery holders HERE. Addison is about a 20-25 min drive from my place.

Also, soldering is a lot harder than I remember. It took me over an hour to solder the wires for the batter holder. I just couldn't get the wire positioned well and I guess I couldn't get the plate hot enough...it kept coming apart. Finally I got it done and it works well. But after the price and the time, I might as well have bought the darn CR2 battery. I guess it will be good to only need AA from now on.

lol... maybe you could have just dropped by a friend's place and had him do it. Literally, it took me about 5 seconds to do the soldering for the trigger. It took me longer to measure the 12.39" length than solder that part.

I then tried the antenna mod. Again, it took me forever to solder the wire to the board...I don't know why.

It is important that it not take long at all. If it does, I could see it killing the board if it got too hot.

Was your soldering iron hot enough?
Was the tip of the soldering iron pre-tinned?
Was the tip of your wire pre-tinned?

Then when I tested it, I had no better performance than before.

Bad solder connection, definitely. You could have also damaged the board if you overheated it.

Then I looked at a few other people's versions of the antenna mod...and I'm wondering why they are different from what I saw on Jerry's blog. On Jerry's, the antenna is attached in the corner, but on the others, it's attached to a contact on the other side of the board. What gives with that? I'm going to attempt to rewire mine and see if that doesn't help.

It is specifically like that because you want a full 1/4 wave antenna. If you put it on the right side, the measurements change and you get maybe 10 extra feet of distance instead of the huge increases that I got.

It is also VERY important to use a single thin solid wire from a CAT5 cable. Anything thicker and 12.39 inches will not fit and you will not get maximum range.

I had the principle explained to me, but heck, I am not an electrical engineer, but I am very good at soldering thanks to years of playing with modifying my car.

 

[Big Mike]

I wasn't trying to call you out Jerry...I was just frustrated.

My soldering iron was plenty hot, I almost couldn't hold it much longer because of the heat coming up to my hand. I held it on the board/wire for a long time...I must have messes something up. But every time I tried to get the solder on there, it wouldn't go where I wanted it to.

I didn't pretin anything...I didn't know about that technique. I did search a couple 'how to solder' things to read but didn't see anything about that. I just got the point to make sure that both surfaces were heated up.

I have no idea what a CAT5 cable is. I bought 22ga copper wire.

As someone else mentioned, I don't care about range. I just want the darn thing to work and 80-90% would be good enough.

I was going to try again on my other set, or try to fix the first one...but I don't want to ruin the second transmitter.

I might play with it again tonight or tomorrow...all my stuff is out anyway, because I was too mad to put it away when i was done with it last time.

 

[JerryPH]

I just finished both modes - the battery and antena. Works like a champ!!

Who-hoo!

Did you do a distance test before and after? When I got my GIs at first, they NEVER got over 30 feet no matter what. After that, well, I did not know what they would do, but I documented that part as you guys saw on my blog.

 

[JerryPH]

I wasn't trying to call you out Jerry...I was just frustrated.

Sorry about that Mike.

I have no idea what a CAT5 cable is. I bought 22ga copper wire.

That may be too thick.

Apologies, I really need to pull my head out of my, well, you know. CAT5 cable is common networking technology terminology for a cable that connects computer networking cards to hubs/switches/routers.

One single length at 12.39 inches is enough to do 8 triggers, since it has 4 sets of paired/twisted wires. It is solid copper and very thin.

As someone else mentioned, I don't care about range. I just want the darn thing to work and 80-90% would be good enough.

It should work a lot better than 90%, no BS.

I was going to try again on my other set, or try to fix the first one...but I don't want to ruin the second transmitter.

Fix the first one before moving on. Get the right wire, dab a drop of solder on the tip of the iron, then dab on the tip of the wire beforehand. Add a touch more to the tip of the iron, touch the solder to the correct part to the trigger's antenna, then place the wire and trigger together, touch the wire, the heat should melt the solder on the wire, transfer to the antenna, melt the solder there and you move the iron away after no more than 3-5 seconds. The connection should be permanent 5 seconds later (don't move the hand holding the wire for those few seconds).

Should take LESS time to complete than it took me to type out the explanation at 45WPM... lol

I might play with it again tonight or tomorrow...all my stuff is out anyway, because I was too mad to put it away when i was done with it last time.

LOL... I am sorry Mike, sincerely, and I hope it works out for you.

 

[therustytracks]

I know this is a bit off topic. How long does it usually take gadgetinfinity.com to ship the triggers? I know they're shipping from China. I just want to make sure when I order them I'm not waiting a month to get them. If that was the case I'd spend a bit more on Elinchrom Skyports from bh and have them in three days.

 

[JerryPH]

Wow, that cable looks both too thick and short... and you wired it on the opposite side from mine. How is it working for you, did you measure the distance at all?

Mine looks a little different:

No matter, though... as long as it works for you!

 

[Big Mike]

Thanks Jerry.

So any ideas on what to do about a wire, without taking apart my computer to get some? Like I said before, I bought 92 feet of 22ga Is there an easy way to figure out how much of my wire I should use?

I know these things can work well. I've been using my first set, without changing the batteries, for over a year and they have been almost flawless when indoors. Last week, they were triggering the lights but not syncing.