Hey everyone, I've been lurking in here for a while and have been looking forward to building this for even longer. My first attempt I had a bad Amazon board. My second attempt I copied strangebrews setup with the same board from eBay. My problem now is that I'm getting only 12v at the leads and 12v off of the board. So that means my caps not charging right? Or does that mean my board isn't outputting high enough? The weird thing is that I get a spark if I charge it for a few seconds and touch the leads. Thanks in advance for any guidance you can offer.
- Status
If you feel it is the cap, remove it and measure the voltage out of the board without it. What size cap are you using? I would really doubt that it is the cap... And how long are you holding down the charge button or do you also have a resistor before the cap?
I took the housing apart from the strobe bulb, The bulb was hard wired. It has the pos and neg wires soldered on both ends of the bulb, with a thin wire attached between the pos connection and center (reflected) portion of the bulb. Believing the thin wire was a trip switch, I cut it and the strobe didn't flash anymore. I attached alligator patch cords, one on the neg and one on the pos side of the strobe.
I thought I could control the power by the tone of the sound of the caps charging. I only had the power switch on for one second and turned it off. Put the wire in the clips, and when they touched, a bright flash (from the resistance / Non-res wire)- and all the wire between the clips gone (melted) away.
Do you think I could still use this, or is it just too strong? Does it just need a resistor added? What do you think?
If it melted the wire rather than welded it's too much of a charge, if there is any way you can charge the cap with less electricity you can dial it in the same way we use flash circuits.
Hot Shoe Camera Flash:
Hi all, great thread!!!!!!!!
Could I ask a few questions?
First, I'll show you what I'm working with. It's an SLR (hot shoe) camera flash from an 80's counterfeit Canon.
It has a 330v 300µF capacitor (with foam padding wrapped around it)
My question is, where do I safely hook up my multimeter, so I can measure how much charge is stored or whatever???
Also, do you guys think the silver capacitor in the second photo (2000µF 30v) would be better?
I really appreciate any help I get. I hope to post many follow-ups about my build, and one day help someone else maybe.
Hi all, great thread!!!!!!!!
Could I ask a few questions?
First, I'll show you what I'm working with. It's an SLR (hot shoe) camera flash from an 80's counterfeit Canon.
It has a 330v 300µF capacitor (with foam padding wrapped around it)
My question is, where do I safely hook up my multimeter, so I can measure how much charge is stored or whatever???
Also, do you guys think the silver capacitor in the second photo (2000µF 30v) would be better?
I really appreciate any help I get. I hope to post many follow-ups about my build, and one day help someone else maybe.
Last edited:
Hi all, great thread!!!!!!!!
Could I ask a few questions?
First, I'll show you what I'm working with. It's an SLR (hot plate) camera flash from an 80's counterfeit Canon.
It has a 330v 300µF capacitor (with foam padding wrapped around it)
My question is, where do I safely hook up my multimeter, so I can measure how much charge is stored or whatever???
Also, do you guys think the silver capacitor in the second photo (2000µF 30v) would be better?
I really appreciate any help I get. I hope to post many follow-ups about my build, and one day help someone else maybe.
Meter goes on the cap leads.
You have a 330v cap in the flash. Do Not use a 30v cap unless it's the 4th of July, you're outside and standing at least 10 feet away.
Voltage can be 300+v fully charged. At least that is what the disposable flash is.
Last edited:
Hot Shoe Camera Flash:
WOW the one and only Breaktru! Thanks for passing knowledge!
I totally understand the danger of these caps, after taking apart TV's and microwaves. I can appreciate the givin warnings to noobies!
I'm a solder monkey, but I'm still learning my multimeter. If I connect the leads to the cap, it wont discharge the cap? Sounds easy enough then. What should I have my meter set to? The 200 volts DC setting would be safe right?
Lastly, why do you say the 30v is more dangerous then the 330v? Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions.
Thanks!
WOW the one and only Breaktru! Thanks for passing knowledge!
I totally understand the danger of these caps, after taking apart TV's and microwaves. I can appreciate the givin warnings to noobies!
I'm a solder monkey, but I'm still learning my multimeter. If I connect the leads to the cap, it wont discharge the cap? Sounds easy enough then.
What should I have my meter set to? The 200 volts DC setting would be safe right?Lastly, why do you say the 30v is more dangerous then the 330v? Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions.
Thanks!
Last edited:
Hot Shoe Camera Flash:
On the one I'm trying to work with, it has a flat-metal turn pot. You can see it in my pics, its between the on/off switch and the tiny neon ready indicator bulb. Maybe that can control the voltage. I read someplace that some of these have turn pots that regulate the amount of power that hits the flash bulb. Maybe thats what we got? Only one way to find out. Multimeter fun time! WOOOHOOO!!!! 
(MAN! I wish I could learn electrical engineering thru osmosis!!!)
On the one I'm trying to work with, it has a flat-metal turn pot. You can see it in my pics, its between the on/off switch and the tiny neon ready indicator bulb. Maybe that can control the voltage. I read someplace that some of these have turn pots that regulate the amount of power that hits the flash bulb. Maybe thats what we got? Only one way to find out.
Multimeter fun time! WOOOHOOO!!!! (MAN! I wish I could learn electrical engineering thru osmosis!!!)
Last edited:
Quick question, I ordered an lcd that reads voltage up to 50v dc and has two leads. Can I hook it directly to the cap for real time viewing of voltage? I read a popular application is in boats to read the battery level.
http://www.amazon.com/HOSSEN®-Digit...76&sr=8-2&keywords=Digital+voltage+meter+7-55
http://www.amazon.com/HOSSEN®-Digit...76&sr=8-2&keywords=Digital+voltage+meter+7-55
Last edited:
WOW the one and only Breaktru! Thanks for passing knowledge!
I totally understand the danger of these caps, after taking apart TV's and microwaves. I can appreciate the givin warnings to noobies!
I'm a solder monkey, but I'm still learning my multimeter. If I connect the leads to the cap, it wont discharge the cap? Sounds easy enough then.
Lastly, why do you say the 30v is more dangerous then the 330v? Sorry if I'm asking stupid questions.
Thanks!
1st, remove the battery when working on the flash.
Discharge the cap by shorting the neg and pos leads of the cap either with a resistor (1k, 10k or 15k) so not cause a large spark or take a metal tool with an insulated handle and bridge it across the cap leads.
Now you can safely solder your leads to the cap.
With a 300vdc output you will exceed the 200vdc scale of the meter. A digital meter won't be damaged but an analog meter (with a needle) will. We don't use that high of a voltage for welding so bump the flash on/off switch to the desired voltage for welding. Having not played with this type of flash unit you will have to determine the voltage your self. I'm just guessing here, you have a 300uF cap so try 65v and work up as needed.
note:
My old school training was when measuring an unknown voltage, always start with the meter on the highest scale and step it down accordingly.
Using a 30v rated cap on a 300+v circuit will blow the cap
Exploding Electronics
Last edited:
I recommend not to keep the digital voltmeter permanently attached - it will drain the cap. I would suggest a double pole pushbutton as the charge button. Wire it so that one pole will connect the voltmeter to the cap when pressed.
I'm so greatful.
I completely understand now. (and wonder why I didn't see the answers myself!) So obvious! 
Thanks man. You are a dieing breed, a gentlemen and a scholar.
I have a great idea, not sure if it's already been implemented. Mad vapes sells a diy ohm meter kit which looks like a simple lcd with a circuit built in and runs on 3 volts. If we can find the board they are using we can easily integrate it into this box to run off of the same battery. Also maybe even use the same leads to test the wire with? I just can't find the lcd/board.
http://www.madvapes.com/ohm-meter-kit.html
http://www.madvapes.com/ohm-meter-kit.html
Hot Shoe camera flash:
I've gotten great voltage readings off the cap. (Ready light comes on a 260ish volts, and the cap continues to rise to its specification, and stops at 336v.) Perfect.
The metal turn-pot thingy does nothing to limit input to the capacitor. Its possible that it works by our first assumption, the pot may control output to the flash in a more brute force manner, rather then the logical way (through capacitor).
Frustrating, knowing that any guy with 6 months of EE schooling could do a component trace and figure this thing out in 3 minutes!
More updates soon.
I've gotten great voltage readings off the cap. (Ready light comes on a 260ish volts, and the cap continues to rise to its specification, and stops at 336v.)
Perfect.The metal turn-pot thingy does nothing to limit input to the capacitor. Its possible that it works by our first assumption, the pot may control output to the flash in a more brute force manner, rather then the logical way (through capacitor).
Frustrating, knowing that any guy with 6 months of EE schooling could do a component trace and figure this thing out in 3 minutes!
More updates soon.
Last edited:
Fused 30 nickel to 32 kanthal with 27v. I did find it strange to increase the volt output the screw need turned counter-clockwise.
- Status
Similar threads
