Think I broke my strobe

MOREGONE · May 1, 2014

So I was taking some pictures in my spare bedroom last night when my strobe with softbox tipped over.

I actually wasn't concerned when it happened because it was so slow. The softbox slid down the wall slowing it down. The softbox made it so it didn't have far to go either. I could still hear the fans running and everrything but low and behold neither flash or modeling are working. It still turns on a beeps when triggered but nothing.

It was late so I just wrapped things up. I will see if I can put a different bulb in the modeling light to see if maybe they both just blew. I don't want to order a new bulb to find out that its really broken. Any ways to test the flash bulb without another unit to test it on?

Oh and how about some irony, I had a missed package for the sand bags I ordered earlier in the week. Reminds me of the time I missed delivery of my UV filter then proceeded to get a good scratch on my lens. Ugh

Designer · May 1, 2014

Gaa! I hate that when it happens.

MOREGONE · May 1, 2014

SWWeeeeTTTt

It came back to life. Even when I got home the modeling light wasn't working. Swapped in another bulb, nada. Hit the flash and wham it flashed. Still nothing on the modeling light. Swapped back in the bulb that wasn't working 2 mins ago and bingo. Now it's liek nothing ever happened.

Derrel · May 1, 2014

Here's an expensive flash tube AND an $18 modeling lamp, both arriving BROKEN after being shipped to me by FedEX...

As you can see, the flashtube being broken is visible in several of the images; perhaps you can look at your flashtube and see if it's similarly designed, if one of the ends appears broken or cracked even; if the gas inside the tube has escaped, there will be no flash produced.