Ebay Triggers, and Smoking Flash

GwagDesigns

So i decided to pick up a pair of Ebay triggers, the Cactus brand ones, just to see, 30 bucks, why not, yes? Got them today.

As ive read that it interferes with the 430EX in particular, and i noticed this as i put it on it would flash every few seconds, i attached it via a TTL cord. Works flawlessly, after a few tests, with the flash being on manual and full 1/1 power, i happened to see this wift of darkish smoke float up to my ceiling. My question is, is that the result of the flash being fired mltiple times consecutively on full power?

other than that instance, flash still works, and the triggers are actually pretty sweet for the price.

Trasmc

While I don't know about the smoke, I do have a question for you. I too have the eBay Cactus triggers with a 430EX, and honestly they drive me nuts.

Are you saying you are connecting the trigger to Canon's Off Shoe E-TTL camera cord (not sure on exact length - maybe 18"), which is then connected to the 430EX? Or are you connecting the trigger to a typical PC cord, which is then connected to the 430EX through a hot shoe adapter?

I'm trying to make these things work until the Radio Popper Jr's come out, and this is one combination I haven't yet tried. Good luck with the smoke - hopefully it's just consecutive full power blasts!

Thanks!

Art Scott

GwagDesigns wrote:

So i decided to pick up a pair of Ebay triggers, the Cactus brand ones, just to see, 30 bucks, why not, yes? Got them today.

As ive read that it interferes with the 430EX in particular, and i noticed this as i put it on it would flash every few seconds, i attached it via a TTL cord. Works flawlessly, after a few tests, with the flash being on manual and full 1/1 power, i happened to see this wift of darkish smoke float up to my ceiling. My question is, is that the result of the flash being fired mltiple times consecutively on full power?

other than that instance, flash still works, and the triggers are actually pretty sweet for the price.

Have you done the smell test to see if the trigger was over heated or the flash over heated......If the flash smells slightly burned then it need to go in for diagnosis ...... if it is the trigger smelling like it over heated ..... get a replacement.......smoke is a sign of overheating or capacitor blowing or even a very small resistor partially burning or maybe a piece of shring tubing burning but now matter how you look at it...something over heated......my last flash unit to spout off a tince tiny puff of smoke actually grenaded with in a couple of days.....Yup........ it exploded caused by a short from that tince tiny smoke puff incident.......and luckily for me no one else was around....but I did have to do a break neck charge at 10 am on a saturday Morning to find a replacement before an 11:30 am wedding.....:D

GwagDesigns

I did smell it, and i couldnt smell anything that could hint at over heating. Ill try and get ti sent in just to be sure, the last thing i want is a grenade attached to my camera

Trasmc wrote:

While I don't know about the smoke, I do have a question for you. I too have the eBay Cactus triggers with a 430EX, and honestly they drive me nuts.

Are you saying you are connecting the trigger to Canon's Off Shoe E-TTL camera cord (not sure on exact length - maybe 18"), which is then connected to the 430EX? Or are you connecting the trigger to a typical PC cord, which is then connected to the 430EX through a hot shoe adapter?

I'm trying to make these things work until the Radio Popper Jr's come out, and this is one combination I haven't yet tried. Good luck with the smoke - hopefully it's just consecutive full power blasts!

Thanks!

Yes, i have my transmitter on my 30D like normal, and then i have the TTL cord on my lightstand, with the 430 on top of that, with it hanging down with the receiver attached at the other end. ive gotten no misfires with this setup.

Scott_Quier

There's a saying in the computer industry, "Computers operate on smoke. How do you know? Well, when smoke escapes from the computer, that computer no longer works." Well, I think that same thing applies to most electronics. It might just be time to, as Art has suggested, get the flash checked out and/or replace the trigger. But, something isn't right and now is the time to fix it before you have to start talking about collateral damage

Photoskipper

I am not sure about 430. I just got the 580EXII and needed to "study" the manual carefully.

There is a warning right on the front page of first section -getting start. "To avoid overheating and egrading of flash head, do not fire more than 20 continuous flashes. After 20 continuous flashes, allow a rest time of at least 10 min."

I believe it may apply to 430 as well.

Hope the information is useful.