gwagner

Hello, Thanks for the information. This is the head but the screws holding the three clips are in with the head of the screw backwards. Can the entire tube and glass be pulled out to expose the backside so that I can remove the screws? Or is there another way to get at the modeling lamp? Thanks for your help.

gwagner

Hello, I got the bulb out. Does the screw base 250 quartz bulb have a letter code so that I can order one?
Thanks,

shrews

Hello! I love this thread!! I just picked up an AA01-A with the optical trigger, and 3 heads. I've tested it with a speedlight pointed at the trigger and all seems good for such an old unit.

I cleaned it up and it looks awesome. It's my first studio unit, so plenty to play with. This thread is great! I've purchased the mole plug to make a household-mole adapter for my remote trigger sync.

Two main questions:

1) Do they usually hum loudly? I get that it's full of high-powered electronics, but this is a LOUD HUMMMM. Drove me a little crazy while I was testing it the other night. I can't see using it with a client.
2) Is it normal to take 2-3 seconds to cycle. I was firing one flash at 50w and that seems like a long time to me.

Also, Does anyone have a lead on more power plugs?

Thanks so much! Looking forward to coming back with some photos of- and with the unit.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

I still use my Flashmaster units for certain locations jobs- I have 2, one is the original issue form Photogenic, it is nearly 45 years old, and I made a second 400 w.s power pack to accommodate Flashmaster heads. I have 8 heads and the umbrella head.

Your power pack utilizes a transformer in the step-up circuitry to bring the voltage up to the required level- The transformer is the source of the buzz or very loud hum. As transformers age, the special varnish with which they are coated with breaks down, and thus, the louder than, normal transformer buzz. Currently manufactured flash power supplies utilize solid-state voltage multiplier circuitry so they are noiseless.

The buss is louder when the unit begins to recycle and diminishes somewhat before the ready light goes on and the telltale ligh on the pack extinguishes. You will audibly know when the unit is fully recycled.

The broken-down varnish and noise usually will not affect the unit's performance. Back in the day, some repair technicians would recoat the transform and/ or restore or replace some of the insulating material around the transformer mount on the chassis. Others have unsuccessfully tried to further buffer the transformer or add insulation to the inside of the cases- BAD! that can cause overheating due to a lack of ventilation.

The unit also features an alarm that can be turned on and off with a switch for each power outlet. If one of the flashes heads malfunctions and doesn't fire, it will sound a rather obnoxious loud buzz. Theses units were very popular among school photographers shooting high volume portraits on long-roll cameras. Back in the day, there was no "chimping" so on a hectic shoot a photographer could have gone through hundreds of shots before discovering one of the lights was no firing- that kinda thing happened so they designed in the misfire alarm.

Here are a few tips for maintaining your Flahmaster system. With a Q-tip, apply a small quantity of WD-40 to the top surface of each female power outlets and to the pins on the male connectors on the cord of each head. The "WS" stands for water displacement, so it protects against oxidation that forms due to moisture in the air and makes for better electrical contact and avoids arcing. NEVER connect or disconnect ahead while the unit is charged- it will cause a significant arc and kill the connector and the socket- big repair bill if you can find a replacement connector set.

Power plugs- I have seen them around on the used market form from time to time. If you can obtain a schematic diagram (try bodzilla.com) you can make your own if you can find the vacuum-tube type plug. The power plugs is just a wiring network that divides up the capacitor banks for various ratios. If anyone can make or have those plugs for sale would be Holly Enterprises (hollyflash.com) they are the expert in older Photogeonc flash repairs and modifications.

Which plugs do you have? If you have the 400 w.s plug, divided equally over 4 heads, you can obtain various ratios by using diffusers, neutral density gels on the heads, changing distances, or feathering or bounce techniques.

The modeling lamps are 12 Volt old style automotive taillight bulbs. They are obtainable at service stations or hardware stores. There is an adjustment in the case that can brighten the modeling lamps. There are also a 12-volt higher wattage lamp for aircraft interior lighting that will fit the socket and give you more light.

Good luck with you gear- post some results!

shrews

I spoke to Brent at Holly and he said he suspected this was the issue. It's a very loud HUM which will make portraiture rough. It's so loud I can hear it in the other room!



I have the 100x4 / 50x4 plug. I'm hoping to add a 200/100/50/50



Thank you! I have some more testing to do and I'll post some pics. Thanks for the input. The unit looks like it was manufactured the year I was born!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

These were used extensively for decades by school portrait and other itinerant portrait photographers. They are rugged and generally reliable. My former employer, a school portrait lab, sold and repaired them.

Be careful of the AA01 trigger circuit! It can be shocking to the point of lethal. A later model AA01-A was safer.

Also, unless you're used to working around high power, high voltage, high current devices, stay out of the case. One of our technicians lost a finger to a AA01 back in the 1970s!

You may find this link helpful. There's a list of repair facilities there.

Promark Brands sells Photogenic, now, along with many other photo industry standards:

https://www.promarkbrands.com/who-we-are/

Here are some ancient flash guides you might find useful (or quaint, depending on your situation):

http://normanlights.com/applications.asp

shrews

All great info, Thanks! I have the AA01-A

Mine works, though loud and slow-ish to recycle. I have some leads on what to check for on the recycle, and I'll just have to think about the investment of having it repaired for the HUM

shrews

Does anyone in this thread have leads on an adapter to use these heads on regular stands?

Thanks!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Light stand adapters and converters are made by various manufacturers- Manfrotto, Testrite, and others. They are available from B&H, Amazon, and they are many on eBay on the used market.

Attached is a shot of my collection for the Photogenic lamp heads. If you can find an old Larsen Reflectasol clamp- you can just about rig anything up to fit everything else. I keep several in the studio and find them extremely handy.

Did Brent say he could correct the hum issue? I know what you mean- I have 2 Flashmaster setups and 4 Photogenic Studiomasters. When they are all recycling the studio sound like a boiler factory. I invested in repairs on some of that gear. I ended up with a nice surround-sound stereo system in the camera room - it drowns out the BUZZ! Classical music - The Ride of the Valkyries, by Richard Wagner and Toccata and Fugue in D Minor- Bach) on the Pipe Organ, does the trick!

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Wow! That takes me back to about 1980! I had most of those to photograph for the Delmar Studios training filmstrips I was making then.

shrews

Thank you. I have been a grip and camera operator in the motion picture industry for 25 years, in addition to my photography work. I've seen all kinds of adapters! My question is: what brand makes adapters that convert a modern stand to the small Flashmaster receptacle? And what's the specific name of the product? That's what I need.

He did. $200. Will have to think on that. Works well otherwise.

First thing I got was a new speaker!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

"Thank you. I have been a grip and camera operator in the motion picture industry for 25 years, in addition to my photography work. I've seen all kinds of adapters! My question is: what brand makes adapters that convert a modern stand to the small Flashmaster receptacle? And what's the specific name of the product? That's what I need"

The item is called a light stand adapter. Back in the day of the Flashmaster's production, some of the light stands were made by Photogenic specifically for the Flashmaster heads. Another manufacturer was PIC (Photographic Instrument Company) now defunct. The tubular sections were of smaller diameter than the currently made stands. The adapter you need is shown in the attached images. It fits on the head and the base slides right into the top section of my Monfortts stands.

You may be able to order these from a Manfrotto dealer or directly from the distributor as a part. If you can locate a ready-made adapter, a local machine shop can easily and inexpensively make an adapter that will either drop into the stand like the ones shown to fit over the stand section like the ones in the other image I have posted in this thread.

shrews

Great idea! Thank you. First up: finding the correct adapter. That's my question/search. I'll check with Flashmaster and Manfrotto Monday. In the meantime: if anyone has a link for an actual product I can buy, that would be great! My research only turned up one adapter from B&H that's "no longer available." Thanks!

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

BINGO! The part os officially called "LIGHT STAND ADAPTER FORM MANFROTTO STANDS TO BRAUNCOLR LAMPHEADS MOUNT. You can order it directly from Monfrorro, or B7H, Adorama, Amazon, and other dealers.
It will fit SOME of the Flashmaster heads- See pictures. Problem is some of the heads have a smaller socket to fit on the older Photogenic and PIC stands. You may find a step-down adapter but they are rare- an extinct species! So...you will have to make them if all your heads require a 1/2 inch mount.

They are easy to fabricate with simple hand tools and a few supplies. Better hardware dealers carry aluminum, bar stock, and threaded and regular metal rods. All you need is a drill, a 1/4 X 20 Tap, some 1/4 x 20 wing or thumb machine set screws and you are good to go. I made the ones in the pictures out of a 1/2 inch stove bolds with the head hacksawed off to make the mounting shaft.

As you can see all of my ready-made and homemade adapters are well beaten up- I have used them for many years and they all still work well.

shrews

Thanks! I'll double check when I get home, bit I'm pretty sure my 3 heads are the smaller size, which is the adapter I'm looking for. I don't mind making that stuff, so thank you for the tips!