580EX II dead?

Elaine

I used my 580EX II a few weeks ago. All seemed fine. I grabbed it from my cabinet on Friday night, inserted new batteries...and...nothing. Not one little sound or light. I've tried multiple sets of batteries. Nothing. I've tried it on the camera. Nothing. What else can I try? Can flashes be sent to Canon for repair? Any ideas what is wrong?

bgarland

Take a close look at how the batteries are installed. If you mistakenly put them in with the positive negative polarity oriented incorrectly you would get nothing as you are experiencing. Since it worked before you changed the batteries I would check this first. Also try a new set of batteries. It's possible the ones you installed were not healthy.

Elaine

bgarland wrote: »

Take a close look at how the batteries are installed. If you mistakenly put them in with the positive negative polarity oriented incorrectly you would get nothing as you are experiencing. Since it worked before you changed the batteries I would check this first. Also try a new set of batteries. It's possible the ones you installed were not healthy.

I have checked and rechecked and had my husband watch me to confirm I was doing it right. I used a brand new batch of batteries from the store. It was an 8 pack, so I tried 4, then I tried the other 4. And now I'm recharging some to try. So weird...and frustrating.

bgarland

Elaine wrote: »

I have checked and rechecked and had my husband watch me to confirm I was doing it right. I used a brand new batch of batteries from the store. It was an 8 pack, so I tried 4, then I tried the other 4. And now I'm recharging some to try. So weird...and frustrating.

Is the battery compartment clean with no acid leakage from the previous batteries? Also see if you can see the battery contacts inside the compartment and try cleaning them with a pencil eraser.

If it still doesn't wake up then it might really have died and require service.

Art Scott

With the batts installed and the flash turned on gently tap the flash against the palm of your hand to see if it tries to wake up.....
this will give you an idea if it is a loose connection inside or if the capacitor died.............

Good Luck

heatherfeather

It sounds pretty much exactly the same thing that happened to one of my 580EXIIs last summer. I sent it into canon to have fixed for around $100.... they sent it back and it worked for about a week. It died. (Right in the middle of a shoot too.... good thing I had 3 more, hehe) I didn't bother trying a second time because I hate to go to the post office.

Elaine

heatherfeather wrote: »

It sounds pretty much exactly the same thing that happened to one of my 580EXIIs last summer. I sent it into canon to have fixed for around $100.... they sent it back and it worked for about a week. It died. (Right in the middle of a shoot too.... good thing I had 3 more, hehe) I didn't bother trying a second time because I hate to go to the post office.

Booooo! Not what I wanted to hear. I was so excited to try my new 7D's flash control system. {sigh} Would they have fixed it again at no cost, since it only took a week to die again?
I hear ya on the post office. Guess I need to box it up, along with my 40D and its bad shutter, and get 'er done.

BradfordBenn

Most items that come in for service are repaired and sent out with a "repair warranty" of X days. How each company deals with it is different. My company does 90 days and we cover everything not just our repairs; some other companies are 30 days and just cover the repairs. It never hurts to ask.

Also in terms of going to the post office, my mail carrier will pick up stuff at the house as long as I make a reservation online. I usually do it on Saturdays as I am home. I can fill out all the stuff online with help from my wife who setup the account.

JimKarczewski

This is where having the equipment for a CPS membership pays off. Even for the $100/year gold (I think, maybe it's silver..) 2 day in house repairs + 30% discount on repairs and standard overnight fedex back to you.

Sam

I just sent my 580 EX I in for repair last week. It cost me $77.00. Well worth it.

Sam