Slave Flash Issues

[lostartsalon]

Hello!

I'm using a Canon EOS Rebel T2i with Smith-Victor AC Slave Flash umbrellas + light mount. There's a Hana adapter on the hot shoe, which is plugged directly into one of the flash bulbs. The issues are as follows:
- The flash only fires every 4 shots
- When it does fire, often only one bulb goes off- usually whichever one is plugged into the cable attached to the camera

Both bulbs have been changed very recently. I was previously using a Calumet Wireless Flash Trigger, but that stopped working (when it began firing every 4th time), so I switched to the direct plug-in situation I'm in now.
Because it fires only every 4th shot, no matter what the hook-up to the flash is, does that mean it's an issue with the camera? The camera works just fine without flash/ in natural lighting. I've had this set-up for about 3 years now, is it just time for some new gear?

Any help is much appreciated!
Michelle

 

[tirediron]

What happens when you put a regular old speedlight in the hot shoe? Does that work? I've never heard of a camera problem that would cause the trigger voltage to generate only every fourth flash (but, likewise, I can't imagine what would cause that on the light side either).

 

[lostartsalon]

That's a good question . . . will have to see if I can borrow one to try that. Is that the only way to check for a problem?

 

[tirediron]

That will confirm or eliminate the camera body as the source of the problem.