Studio strobes: spare flash tubes?

photobug

I'm new to studio strobes, just used some for the first time earlier this month. I'm about to order some Flashpoint 620 studio strobes and am trying to decide whether I need to order a spare flash tube ($40, gulp) along with them, so I don't get stuck with a burned-out or broken tube at an inconvenient time (with the nearest replacement sitting at Adorama, 3000 miles away).

So my questions are:

• How durable are flash tubes in studio strobes? If I carefully set them up, take them down, and store them, how likely is one to burn out/break? That is, at what point a spare would be in order? ...Obviously, if I need both strobes for a critical event, I'll have to have a spare before then, but are they fragile enough that on general principles I should I order a $40 spare now?)
• Is anyone aware of another source besides Adorama for replacement flash tubes (image attached) for Flashpoint 620 strobes (300 w-s, GN=192)? (I suspect they're somewhat "standard" flash tubes, but of course Adorama won't want to mention alternate sources.)

thanks for any advice!
= Dave

ziggy53

photobug wrote:

I'm new to studio strobes, just used some for the first time earlier this month. I'm about to order some Flashpoint 620 studio strobes and am trying to decide whether I need to order a spare flash tube ($40, gulp) along with them, so I don't get stuck with a burned-out or broken tube at an inconvenient time (with the nearest replacement sitting at Adorama, 3000 miles away).

So my questions are:

• How durable are flash tubes in studio strobes? If I carefully set them up, take them down, and store them, how likely is one to burn out/break? That is, at what point a spare would be in order? ...Obviously, if I need both strobes for a critical event, I'll have to have a spare before then, but are they fragile enough that on general principles I should I order a $40 spare now?)
• Is anyone aware of another source besides Adorama for replacement flash tubes (image attached) for Flashpoint 620 strobes (300 w-s, GN=192)? (I suspect they're somewhat "standard" flash tubes, but of course Adorama won't want to mention alternate sources.)

thanks for any advice!
= Dave

Dave,

These appear similar to other units (Bowens) that I have used, and yes, they can go out abruptly, sometimes with a shower of sparks too.

I haven't had any problems so far, and I have transported them a couple of times around 200 miles, one way. That would seem a pretty good test in and of itself, but I have also accidently bumped them against walls and stuff, with no immediate consequence.

If you are doing stuff for hire, getting paid, it just makes sense to back up when possible. I usually take enough portable flashes and alternate methods for lighting, so even if the entire unit goes down, I can still shoot.

Adorama's pricing for FlashPoint flashtubes does not seem extreme. A search at B&H for "flashtube" resulted in monolight tubes running from $35USD to $270 (for an Elinchrom 500w/s tube), for example. Most seem to run $50-$80.

Then there are units like the Profoto Flashtube for ZoomSpot for $836 or so. Yikes, I'd hate to blow one of those. I bet they don't get those too quickly either.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=435190&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

ziggy53

photobug

If you are doing stuff for hire, getting paid, it just makes sense to back up when possible. I usually take enough portable flashes and alternate methods for lighting, so even if the entire unit goes down, I can still shoot.

I have a likely gig next spring that will require shooting about 50 couples' portraits at an evening event ... and there's no way I would show up without backups for any possible single point of failure (except, perhaps, a spare camera body ... hmm). :photo

Adorama's pricing for FlashPoint flashtubes does not seem extreme.

I didn't mean to complain about a $40 flashtube price ... just didn't want to pay it "up-front" unless prudence required it. (and before a paying gig requiring both of my studio strobes, I will definitely have either a backup flash tube or have figured a way to substitute a portable flash in a pinch)

Then there are units like the Profoto Flashtube for ZoomSpot for $836 or so.

<gulp!!> Guess I won't be getting one of those for a while....
:jawdrop