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Dead Battery Woes
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Jul 22, 2016 15:50:18   #
rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
 
I'm a landscape/garden photographer, so I seldom use my flash. Since, however, I'm going out on a job that might call for some fill, I got out my flash to check the batteries. You can probably guess the rest of the story. The batteries had all gone south, leaving a nice acid crust on the contacts. I've scraped the contacts, run an emery board over them, and swabbed them with a vinegar-soaked q-tip. The flash still won't come on. Any suggestions?

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Jul 22, 2016 16:23:44   #
OddJobber Loc: Portland, OR
 
Get another flash.

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Jul 22, 2016 16:35:37   #
Don, the 2nd son Loc: Crowded Florida
 
The juice/liquid that left the crud seeped into the "thinking" portion of the unit. No hope. I've fought that battle and lost each time. Oddjobber's advice is the gospel!

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Jul 22, 2016 16:51:36   #
Kmgw9v Loc: Miami, Florida
 
"Oddjobber's advice is the gospel!". That is alright in whatever context.

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Jul 22, 2016 16:56:28   #
DaveO Loc: Northeast CT
 
Do we get an "Amen!"

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Jul 22, 2016 16:56:32   #
Ron Palmer Loc: Newburgh, New York
 
Time for a new flash as the Don said in the previous post liquid can seep in behind the battery compartment and damage the boards behind it. For the future what I do is I have an inexpensive Flash dome a Dotline product, I take the batteries out after every use and put them in the diffuser on top of the Flash to store them for the next photo shoot. Work's for me

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Jul 22, 2016 17:25:07   #
rdgreenwood Loc: Kennett Square, Pennsylvania
 
Grrrrr.... I schlepped a flash all over Vietnam for over a year and never had a problem. Now Pennsylvania's climate does me in. Thanx for the feedback. I don't want to see any of you rifling my trash.

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Jul 22, 2016 17:39:42   #
LFingar Loc: Claverack, NY
 
Sorry for your bad luck! I've been using Energizer Ultimate Lithium (they are non-rechargeable) for the past 3 yrs or so in my Canon 430EX II flash. I know that lithium batteries are not recommended in flashes, perhaps because of their slightly higher voltage, but I've never had a problem. They never seem to wear out and they never leak. I've changed them once in 3 years.
I also had a flash that I carried for a year or so in 'Nam. Bosch, I think it was. Used it on my Yashica TL Super SLR. Never had a problem with it, even with the carbon batteries we had back then.

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Jul 22, 2016 17:58:23   #
GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan
 
rdgreenwood wrote:
I'm a landscape/garden photographer, so I seldom use my flash. Since, however, I'm going out on a job that might call for some fill, I got out my flash to check the batteries. You can probably guess the rest of the story. The batteries had all gone south, leaving a nice acid crust on the contacts. I've scraped the contacts, run an emery board over them, and swabbed them with a vinegar-soaked q-tip. The flash still won't come on. Any suggestions?




Note: Non-familiarity with electronics can injure or kill

If it's an expensive flash it might be worth sending in for an evaluation to be fixed.

If you are electronically minded, you could try fixing it yourself.

Be very careful if you do it yourself

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Jul 22, 2016 18:13:42   #
Jakebrake Loc: Broomfield, Colorado
 
I make it a habit not to leave batteries in my flash's. It takes under a minute to put/remove during a photo shoot.

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Jul 22, 2016 20:01:04   #
GENorkus Loc: Washington Twp, Michigan
 
One thing I didn't mention.

If the batteries are a quality brand, you should call the manufacturer.

They often have insurance to cover cleaning or repair of whatever was using their batteries. I'm not sure but you might need to have the bad batteries. Call to find out.

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Jul 22, 2016 20:02:04   #
Don L G
 
OddJobber wrote:
Get another flash.



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Jul 22, 2016 21:02:15   #
rgrenaderphoto Loc: Hollywood, CA
 
For this reason, I never leave batteries in devices

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Jul 22, 2016 22:18:50   #
rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA
 
rdgreenwood wrote:
I'm a landscape/garden photographer, so I seldom use my flash. Since, however, I'm going out on a job that might call for some fill, I got out my flash to check the batteries. You can probably guess the rest of the story. The batteries had all gone south, leaving a nice acid crust on the contacts. I've scraped the contacts, run an emery board over them, and swabbed them with a vinegar-soaked q-tip. The flash still won't come on. Any suggestions?


To remove battery acid leak, I find nail polish remover to be more effective than vinegar.

The contacts may need to be re-soldered if the acid has leaked inside and corroded the wire connection to the battery contacts. Opening the flash unit is really the only way to get to the wires or clean beyond the battery chamber.

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Jul 23, 2016 05:46:04   #
peteto Loc: Las Vegas
 
OddJobber wrote:
Get another flash.



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