Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

My new vagabond is driving me nuts! :D

My first VII worked normally with the csrb's except that it when in a most spectacular fashion of sparks/pops/smoke when I had 1 b1600, 2 b800s, 1 abr800 connected and had "ALL" selected to increase them all to full power.

I finally got around to testing my new one after much hesitancy.

I'm using all new (purchased together 4 months ago except the ABR800) lights, CC (latest FW), CSRB+'s, all with fresh new batteries. All lights are connected to a heavy duty power strip w/surge to vagabond which is fully charged.

All other functions controlled through the CC work normally, it even shows the power levels go up and down on the screen but all of the lights fire as if they are own them lowest power (not tickle flash). I've tried every setting possible. I tried just one light directly connected to the VII. No change.

If I disconnect the rj11 cable and use the phono connector as if their plain old lights the lights will fire full power no problem and everything works normal manually. When I use them with the rj11 instead they go right back to firing at/near lowest power to the initial power on takes awhile like expect if you were on a VII and full power. The lights on the flashes are green and flicker quickly to green when fired like normal for that power setting it's discharging at.

slow/fast, no difference.

plugged into AC Mains, everything immediately works normally.

There is no wifi in the area.

It's really aggravating as I primarily shoot location and haven't been able to use a VII as designed.

I'm starting to regret cancelling my order for E640s back then so that I would have lights soon. I spent almost 4 hrs today trying to get these things to work as they are supposed to....

Anyone have any ideas what's going on? I suck explaining this so I hope it makes sense

Dunno, but I would try running each light separately on this set up (one at a time) and confirming that they all operate properly.

If so, then try adding one at a time to the set up. It may be that you can't operate all 4 on one VB for some reason. (Be sure your modeling lights are all OFF).

Thanks for the tip, but I did try just single lights as mentioned in my first post.

modeling lamps off also, though I did test turning them on and adjusting once just to see, worked normally. Yes, I know they aren't recommended for more than momentary use on the VII

On your CC are all the level boxes for each flash green or are they flashing red when you press refresh on the CC?

Green

Hopefully today I'll have my stuff on hand and be able to test and see if I get anything different with my friends VII, CC, AB's

First, make sure all buttons are pushed in and the slider is to teh far right. The circuitry for this to work correctly relies on those settings. Use the CyberCommander to turn the model lamps off instead of the button on the back.

Also, switch your channel and frequency settings off, then back to thier current settings, feeling for the "click". do this with all receivers.

Thanks.

I played with this a bit more and found some new results.....

So, with the csrb+'s connected and turning on the lights, the green ready lights on the strobes light up really quick, too quick for the capacitors to be charged up as they should.

if I disconnect the RJ11 to each strobe one at a time, they will cycle and take longer (as normally expected) for the caps to charge up and be ready. I can then plug the rj11 cable back in and they will now work as normal.

I found that I have to do this every time I physically turn off any light. Occasionally I do lose the B1600 all on it's own and it reverts back to the same problem w/o intervention. unplugging the rj11, waiting for the light to fully charge up and reconnect and back in business.

I did find that contrary to the manual, that turning off the modeling lamp by it's switch on the light doesn't affect anything with the CC (except modeling of course) which is fine when on a VII.

Also, is it normal for the modeling lamp on the ABR800 to flicker a lot when refreshing after a pop when connected to a VII (turned off via CC but switch still ON on the light)?