Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I have two strobes with issues

white lightning ultra 1600, i got it used and it randomly stop firing or start flashing quickly in its own.

Also a white lightening x800 that will flash the first few times and then start to not flash and beep at me. testing it again today it seems to be working ok, but cant be sure.

on a side note I tried to reformat both of them by flashing them 5-10 times going from lowest power to highest and leaving it on in between and wwting half an hour between increases as i was instructed by the previous owner. the x800 had the model light on and after about a minute the plastic cover I left on the unit melted and a bit got on the flash tube. do you think it is safe to still sue the tube?

thanks!
Doug

Ok, first, there is no Ultra 1600. Ultras were 600, 900, and 1800. Ultra Zaps and X series were available as 1600's, as were Alien Bees. Not to be pedantic, but knowing the actual type of light can be important.

Secondly, make sure you are using a grounded AC outlet, and remove any extension cords or power strips. Change circuits our outlets if needed. If there is anything in the RJ11 jack, remove it and see if the problem persists.

With the units unplugged and left to sit for several minutes, remove and reseat the flash tubes to ensure they are making proper contact. While out, make sure the legs (outside the glass) are not charred. If they are charred, the tube has arced, and the flash unit will need to be repaired. Blackened areas inside the glass are normal and expected.

Also, how are you triggering the flashes?

As for the flash tube with melted plastic, once it is removed from the light, you should be able to gently scrape the plastic away, perhaps using a knife blade.

Once you are finished removing the plastic, clean the tube with denatured alcohol if possible, or plain rubbing alcohol if you must.

also, don't touch the tube with bare skin. Always use a clean cloth or tissue. If you do touch one, clean it with alcohol.

At this point, you have done all you can, but there may be some residue that creates a hotspot, and the tube can prematurely fail. This should not cause a hazard, but may interrupt shooting.

HI thank you yes it is an ultra 1800 i mispoke. This constant flashing that seems to happen may be from a bad ground.

the flash that does not fire accept for the first time (then beeps at me) seems to be working better now would this be a bad ground as well? I use the cyber commander to trigger but i also test them with the button on the back.

Yes, both problems can be linked to a bad ground, especially where the two lights would share power. Also, if they are older lights (and we know one is), the power cord could certainly be to blame in either or both.

While a bad ground can be the problem, it does not mean it is the problem in either case, but I would rule that out first.