Jewel or junk: I found this in my friend's worldly goods. It appears to be some kind of flash unit. Seems to be missing a cord or two. Is it worth listing, or should I just trash it?

Dziadzi Loc: Wilkes-Barre, PA

I found this in my friend's worldly goods. It appears to be some kind of flash unit. Seems to be missing a cord or two. Is it worth listing, or should I just trash it? It says Honeywell Strobonar Auto Strobonar 682S

blackest Loc: Ireland

Looking at the listings it might make $10 it's incomplete and untested. The high end looks to be around $150 cased and complete. It's interesting historically as it was in the first line of automatic flashes. It's from the 60's ...

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

Dziadzi wrote:

I found this in my friend's worldly goods. It appears to be some kind of flash unit. Seems to be missing a cord or two. Is it worth listing, or should I just trash it? It says Honeywell Strobonar Auto Strobonar 682S

It's very powerful, it has a guide number of 160 with ISO 100, and at low power can have a flash duration of 1/50,000. At full power it is 1/500 which is still respectable. If it works, and the trigger voltage is within the range that won't damage your camera, it should be fine.

You might want to look at this thread regarding testing trigger voltage.

https://www.photo.net/discuss/threads/how-to-measure-trigger-voltage-of-a-flash-unit.260359/

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

Dziadzi wrote:

I found this in my friend's worldly goods. It appears to be some kind of flash unit. Seems to be missing a cord or two. Is it worth listing, or should I just trash it? It says Honeywell Strobonar Auto Strobonar 682S

Here is one listed on ebay like yours, they are asking for $12.00. Looks like yours can be used for what it's nickname suggests, POTATO MASHER. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Honeywell-Auto-Strobonar-Model-882-Vintage-Strobe-Flash-UNTESTED-/152677085657?hash=item238c4371d9:g:s6oAAOSwal5YISLe

AndyT Loc: Hampstead, New Hampshire

Used one back in the 70's. Powerful, slow recycle time. Had 3 c sized batteries wired together in the head. Nice flash for it's time

Robert Bailey Loc: Canada

Like AndyT I used on of these back in the 70's.
You can power it with batteries (Andy says three "C" cells) or you can plug it into an electrical outlet.
You would need the special cord to go from the flash to the electrical outlet,
as well as a cord to go from the flash to the camera.
A key problem with using a "film" flash with a digital camera is that the voltages are usually
different, and it is possible to cause damage to the camera.

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

Dziadzi wrote:

I found this in my friend's worldly goods. It appears to be some kind of flash unit. Seems to be missing a cord or two. Is it worth listing, or should I just trash it? It says Honeywell Strobonar Auto Strobonar 682S

i don't know about digital, but for film, the honeywell strobonar was one killer flash unit. everyone use them in the old days in hartford. could not be beat. if battery compartment is clean and everything else checks out, try it with your film camera. as for digital, i do not know.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

For emphasis: CHECK THE SYNC VOLTAGE!!! Most units of that era have very high voltage syncs (kilovolts) that can destroy a modern camera.

blackest Loc: Ireland

PHRubin wrote:

For emphasis: CHECK THE SYNC VOLTAGE!!! Most units of that era have very high voltage syncs (kilovolts) that can destroy a modern camera.

Strobonar 892S 1.5 volts

Auto Strobolite 52 115 Volts!

This particular model I have no idea but certainly treat it as a digital killer until you know different. wein syncs I think they are called can isolate the trigger voltage from the camera.

shelty Loc: Medford, OR

Warning: do not user it on any modern camera. It will destroy it. All its good for now is just another antique item you put mon the shelf.

bweber Loc: Newton, MA

The only way you can safely use this on a modern digital camera is not connect it directly to the hot shoe of the camera. You can use a slave hot shoe (they are very inexpensive) that will be triggered by the built in flash on your camera, if it has one. I have done this with an old Metz flash.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Dziadzi wrote:

I found this in my friend's worldly goods. It appears to be some kind of flash unit. Seems to be missing a cord or two. Is it worth listing, or should I just trash it? It says Honeywell Strobonar Auto Strobonar 682S

Ancient Honeywell Strobonar. It would be a miracle if it still worked.

It came with an AC adapter/charger for its tray of sub-C cell NiCd batteries in the head. If you have the proprietary adapter/charger, you could test it. It uses a "household to PC" cord, a common sync cord available today. Replacing the batteries is possible, if you can find matched cells, and if you are handy with a soldering iron.

I had a 700, a 65D, and an 800, all of which had a similar potato masher form factor. None was particularly good or reliable. On the other hand, I have two Vivitar 285s that still work!

James Slick Loc: Pittsburgh,PA

burkphoto wrote:

Ancient Honeywell Strobonar. It would be a miracle... (show quote)

Like certain Nokia phones, I believe it's nearly impossible to kill a Vivitar 285!😀👍