Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

last night we set up 2 backgrounds and light setups in the library of one of our local elementary schools. We were there to shoot formals of the Father & Daughter Dance.
We set each station up with 2 alien bees and sync cords to 2 cameras(nikons) . as soon as we plugged the power in the abs started strobing erratically. we thought one station might be affecting the other -so we turned off one but the other continued.and likewise with the other. As the evening progressed they seemed to calm down (our images looked fine so we just shot) and eventually they stopped being erratic.we have used these lights many times in past but with no problem. My question is since it was a large empty room with wall to wall carpeting could it have been some electrical charge thing? if not that any suggestions?
thanks!

I would suspect some anomoly in the AC line. A bad ground, line noise, bad extension cord or power strip, etc. With it having stopped, I would suspect the AC source was shared with another device that introduced noise on the line (anything with a motor is a good source).

thanks. I think it may have been a bad power strip. There was a long one around the whole room and we were both plugged into it at different ends. thanks again.

Quite possibly, especially if other things were also plugged in, like computers or fans.