Something so monumentally stupid...

tirediron

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I did, I wonder how I breathe without instructions!

Last fall, I bought a Godox AD360-II and X1 trigger as a cheap & cheerful 'stronger than a speedlight' solution for HSS outdoor work for jobs where I don't need/want to lug a full on lighting system to. I was pleasantly surprised both by the build quality and the overall functionality. The HSS was flawless, and while it was a little less powerful than advertised, it did exactly what I want. The X1 trigger worked very well as well... initially, or so I thought....

The unit sat idle for a month or so over Christmas; it's one of those things that I don't use very often, but when I do, it's really the only tool for the job. So... early in the new year, I was prepping gear for a job on a fairly remote beach and I had the light sitting on the tail-gate of my truck, in it's bag. I connected it to the battery, powered it up, pressed the test-button on the trigger and... nothing. Okay, that's easy, new batteries for the trigger, right? Nope. New batteries, cleaning the [not dirty] contacts... nothing made any difference. Every now and then it would trigger, but only maybe 1 out 10 times; not a degree of reliability I can live with. Triggering in manual with pocket wizards worked fine, so that was my fall back.

Anyway... came back, put it aside for a few days, and then got it out again, took the trigger out, still leaving the light head itself sitting in its bag on my tail-gate (anyone giggling yet?) Same thing... maybe 1 in 10 presses actually fire the light. Put the trigger on a body... same thing. So, based on the way everything was working, I decided that the trigger was faulty, after all, it was just cheap MiC stuff, right? I ordered a new trigger and.... same thing (again without taking the light out of the bag, and the bag sitting on a bench (You should be laughing and pointing by now).

So... now I'm thinking that it must the wireless receiver in the flash head that's at fault. I'm a little depressed as I really like this thing, and the idea of having to return it is NOT something that I like. Last night, sitting on the couch a brain storm hits. This thing is low-power RF, right? Where is the receiver... as it turns out, the receiver in the actual flash unit is in the front above the AF-assist. You know... right where it was resting on either the sheet metal of my truck's tail-gate or the work bench.

Take the light out, put it on a light stand, and it works perfectly. Funny that... a clear transmission path and radio-waves get through. I now have a severely bruised butt from kicking myself all around the house for the last 24 hours.

You may all now point and laugh uproariously!
 
:dob::wav::winksexy:

Mate, happens to all of us. I'm an engineer by trade (by that I mean I did an apprenticeship in fabrication while going go college). Recerntly I had a War with an Ikea wardrobe that I put up in my weans room. If I ever saw anyone else displaying the level of incompetance I did on that day ....

Anyways, happens to us all and I'm sure the results you did get were despite "equipment" failures!
 
:dob::wav::winksexy:

Mate, happens to all of us. I'm an engineer by trade (by that I mean I did an apprenticeship in fabrication while going go college). Recerntly I had a War with an Ikea wardrobe that I put up in my weans room. If I ever saw anyone else displaying the level of incompetance I did on that day ....

Anyways, happens to us all and I'm sure the results you did get were despite "equipment" failures!
LOL ... I was in construction ... if you run into a problem, get a bigger hammer ...
 


stupid3.webp


Welcome to the club.
 
LOL ... I was in construction ... if you run into a problem, get a bigger hammer ...

Aye mate, I'm mechanical by trade (though sidestepped into civils now) I'm also a fan of the "small problem, big hammer" philosophy. I have a massive respect for the building trade as well. I'm more of a designer nowadays but I really do like contracting. Other than acutually physically making stuff designing is a close second.
 
Just think of it as a learning experience. One with a comical story.
 
LOL ... I was in construction ... if you run into a problem, get a bigger hammer ...

Aye mate, I'm mechanical by trade (though sidestepped into civils now) I'm also a fan of the "small problem, big hammer" philosophy. I have a massive respect for the building trade as well. I'm more of a designer nowadays but I really do like contracting. Other than acutually physically making stuff designing is a close second.
Yep ... making stuff where there was nothing ... gives a lot of gratification. Engineering is similar, seeing the stuff you design actually work gotta make you feel good.
 
You deserve a loud,rousing Homer Simpson cry of "Do'ah!"

Reminds me of my school days and the ribbing statement of, "Smooth move, Ex-Lax!"
 

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