Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Technical Discussion Forum for all Paul C. Buff, Inc. Products

Login

Post a reply
 [ 8 posts ] 

Wed Oct 21, 2015 8:33 am

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 8:21 am
Posts: 4

I did a photo shoot last night in an old apartment building (probably built in the 30s or 40s) and I had problems with my AB800 not firing on occasion. When my AB800 wouldn't fire, it often would not fire for several shots in a row, even though the ok light was on. Up until then, I had never had problems with my AB800 not firing and when I got home and did tests, I had no problems with my flash not firing either.

Upon looking at other flash-not-firing posts here, I think I was having grounding problems. So I wanted to confirm that that was the case. I was using an AB800, a CyberSync Trigger Transmitter, and a CyberSync Receiver CSR. I had my AB800 plugged into a cheap extension cord which was plugged into a wall outlet in an apartment that was built probably in the first half of the 20th century (in other words, the electrical wiring was old). Would this connection have caused firing problems with my AB800?

I checked everything else during the shoot and everything seemed ok.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Wed Oct 21, 2015 9:49 am

Site Admin
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:43 am
Posts: 5266

It is quite possible the grounding in the building (or lack there of) is to blame for the intermittent triggering. It could also be a grounding issue in the extension cord.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Wed Oct 21, 2015 9:15 pm

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 8:21 am
Posts: 4

Technical Support wrote:
It is quite possible the grounding in the building (or lack there of) is to blame for the intermittent triggering. It could also be a grounding issue in the extension cord.


Thanks for the response.

After further testing, I now realize that it's the CyberSync Trigger Transmitter that's the problem. The flash will always fire when I press the test button on the AB800 and on the CyberSync Receiver CSR. However, the flash won't always fire when I press the test button on the transmitter.

I ended up completely removing the battery from the transmitter's battery holder and then reinstalled the battery into the transmitter. After that, my AB800 fired everytime. Although my transmitter appears to be working now, I'm concerned that it might crap out on me again in a future shoot. Is this problem with my transmitter a sign that it's on it's last leg or was it just that the battery wasn't installed properly?

In case you're wondering, the battery in my transmitter is (or at least should be) still good as I haven't had the transmitter for more than a year and the red light in the bottom corner isn't blinking.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Thu Oct 22, 2015 8:53 am

Site Admin
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:43 am
Posts: 5266

The LED isnt blinking at all, or just not constantly? It should never blink constantly, and should only blink once when triggered (by button or hotshoe). It will blink three times when actuated if the battery is low. If it is not blinking at all, that means the battery is essentially depleted (though it may work intermittently).

If it was making poor contact, then there may be an issue there.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Fri Oct 23, 2015 12:46 am

Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2015 8:21 am
Posts: 4

Technical Support wrote:
The LED isnt blinking at all, or just not constantly? It should never blink constantly, and should only blink once when triggered (by button or hotshoe). It will blink three times when actuated if the battery is low. If it is not blinking at all, that means the battery is essentially depleted (though it may work intermittently).

If it was making poor contact, then there may be an issue there.


I didn't realize it at first, but the red light does blink three times when I press the test button on the transmitter so I guess the battery is low. I'll change the battery and see if it fires correctly/consistently.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Wed Aug 24, 2016 4:15 pm

Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 4:10 pm
Posts: 2

I'm having this same issue with the new CyberSync Trigger Transmitter 2. All channels are synced and brand new battery in the Transmitter 2. The test button works some of the time, but will go for several shots at a time without triggering the AB800 when connected to the hotshoe of a Canon 6D. Also tried on a Canon 60D and same issue. It's very frustrating when in the middle of a shoot and suddenly the strobe stops firing.

Has anybody found a solution to this or have similar problems? It seems this is more problematic with the newer CyberSync Trigger Transmitter 2 than the older model.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Thu Aug 25, 2016 9:57 am

Site Admin
Joined: Tue Dec 08, 2009 10:43 am
Posts: 5266

Yours sounds like an issue with CST2, specifically. I would contact customer service for warranty support.




Top Top
Profile
 

#

Thu Aug 25, 2016 12:49 pm

Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 4:10 pm
Posts: 2

Thank you so much for such a quick response, I'll contact CS today.

Technical Support wrote:
Yours sounds like an issue with CST2, specifically. I would contact customer service for warranty support.




Top Top
Profile
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post a reply
 [ 8 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Majestic-12 [Bot] and 100 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum


cron