Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I recently purchased a Cyber Commander and have it working well with my 4 Alien Bees, but I can't find the off switch. I assumed when it powered down automatically that it would eventually shut itself off, but when left for a week or two I go to use it and find the batteries are dead. Do I really need to remove the batteries after every shoot, or am I blind and there is actually an off switch somewhere.

When the screen is off, the Cyber Commander is off. It can, however, still be used to trigger, as when the contact is made in the hotshoe or sync jack, the transmitter is very briefly switched on for transmission, then it goes back to its off state. To force the screen off, press in and hold the left joystick.

I killed my batteries in the first two hours of ownership :lol: messing around with the unit learning it's ins and outs so I don't think its a big issue if the batteries get low or go dead in the first couple of weeks during the learning process.

RMS

Something wrong here. Unless something is turning it on accidentally during non-use (like the buttons rubbing against whatever you are carrying it in) it should not lose battery power for a year or so as long as the LCD if off (standby). The LCD on time can be set in the menu . . . 20-30 seconds is a good on-time for most users.

For reference, what type of batteries are you using?

I've had a couple of different makes but both are industrial quality.

I doubt it's a matter of the unit rubbing on something to turn it on. It's stored in a protective case when not in use. And if it did turn on it would cycle off in 15 seconds.

To be more specific, I used it with fresh energizer industrial batteries for one shoot that lasted an hour and then it sat for two weeks. After two weeks the batteries where so low the unit wouldn't turn on. I tested the batteries and they where down to 1/2 a volt.

I'll put fresh batteries in it now and not use it. Tomorrow I'll check the voltage of the batteries to see if there was any drain.

......anyway ....you've confirmed that I'm not blind or so stupid as not to be able to locate the off switch .....and that's a good thing :D

If fresh batteries don't fix it there is a fault in the CC that is draining the battery. Give tech help a call if you can.

I used to keep my CC in my camera bag inside of a little P&S soft case. I was losing battery power all the time. Now I have it inside a small Really Useful Box (hard plastic) with some microfiber lens cloths to cushion it and I haven't had to change the batteries in months.

Yes--I have to do the same thing. In the absence of a hard wired off-switch, this is essential to keep the unit "off" when not in use.

I put in new fresh industrial grade batteries before a shoot that lasted a couple of hours and then left the batteries in the transmitter for the next 3 days. The batteries are now at 1.1 volts......virtually dead.

I stored the unit in a soft camera case. I'll take it out of the case, put in fresh batteries and try leaving it on a shelve undisturbed for a few days and see what happens.

Thanks for the suggestions.