Vivitar 285HV Issues

Travis

In Nov/Dec, I purchased 2 Vivitar 285HV flash units from B&H. I followed the instructions for priming the capacitor on each. I covered the contacts with electrical tape so that they wouldn't short out on the metal receiver on the flash stand.

In January, I went to turn on one of the units and there was nothing. Although I had new batteries, I swapped them out with another set just to be sure. Still nothing. Following Vivtar's instructions, I packed the unit up in its original box and shipped it for repair. It has been 2 months and I have yet to hear or receive anything back.

In the meantime, I turned on the second 285HV and heard a pop which I'm assuming was the capacitor blowing. The dial light still worked but the flash itself was dead. For the second time, I packed up a flash unit and shipped it back to Vivitar for repair.

So 2 flashes, 2 failures....Has anyone else experienced issues like this? Does anyone know the usual turnaround time from Vivitar for repairs? I'm thinking about swallowing the $180 loss and going with another brand...any recommendations? How about the Sunpack 383?

Thanks!

ps. I don't blame B&H but I think they may have gotten a faulty batch of 285HVs.

ziggy53

Sorry to hear that.

I have 4 - Vivitar 285 flashes, 3 of those are HV models. The newest was purchased new around 3-4 years ago. I haven't had a problem with any of them.

I heard that Vivitar did make some changes in the latest units, but I heard that it was just to reduce the trigger voltage to make the units safer with digital cameras. (12 volts down to 6 volts on the newer units.) I don't have one of the newest version.

Do persist because I still like those little flashes and so do a lot of folks at the Strobist site.

I have 1 Sunpak 383 Super and it is also a very nice unit. It is smaller overall and lacks the zoom feature of the Vivitars, but the Sunpak has a swivel function and that makes it more versatile as an on-camera flash. It does have a reputation for durability.

Travis

Thanks Ziggy. For what little use I got out of the units, I really liked them; however, I did come across a thread on Flicker with several other users cataloging a series of failures. It seems that the recent models have been having some capacitor issues. I'm hoping to get the units back working correctly but I definitely will have another backup just in case.

Art Scott

Travis wrote:

Thanks Ziggy. For what little use I got out of the units, I really liked them; however, I did come across a thread on Flicker with several other users cataloging a series of failures. It seems that the recent models have been having some capacitor issues. I'm hoping to get the units back working correctly but I definitely will have another backup just in case.

Must be a bug in the newer ones.....Ihad 2 that I had ben using for over 15 yrs both HV models and the only one to die did so the morn of a wedding that was out of state (in Ark)....I use to build my own batteries out of 6 or 12 volt emergency exit light bastteries and tube fuses the size of AA batteries...well somehow the fuses got swapped around (some one was being nosy the night before the wedding looking at my diy things while I was away from my brothers house.....anywhooo the 285HV grenaded the next morn when I was re-testing all of my equip.....it was 9am and the wedding was at 12 NOON...frantically made calls for a replcement and found a different brand that was a touch higher than the 285 but it also was a prog flash for my Nikon....it worked.....wedding went off without a hitch.....still have one left that does work but is slow in coming to full power (it must be late 1980's vintage.....)

I still love my potatoe mashers (sunpak 622)....there is unbridled power(gn200 @iso100/10ft = [email]f22@10ft)...thos[/email]e babies can do some lightin'.........

Keep hounding Vivatar or whom ever is doing your repairs....I don't think it should have taken much longerthan a week or 2 to have the repaired units bak into your hands...........

Good Luck!!

henryp

Travis wrote:

In Nov/Dec, I purchased 2 Vivitar 285HV flash units from B&H.

I'm sorry about this difficulty. I spoke to our buyer and I'm forwarding all this plus your contact info to him. He in turn will send it to our contact at Vivitar who (hopefully) will reply to you directly.

BTW - I don't recall any customer complaints about Sunpack's flashes. The Metz 36-C2 Auto Slave/Manual Shoe Mount Flash is also a fine unit.

Travis

henryp wrote:

I'm sorry about this difficulty. I spoke to our buyer and I'm forwarding all this plus your contact info to him. He in turn will send it to our contact at Vivitar who (hopefully) will reply to you directly.

BTW - I don't recall any customer complaints about Sunpack's flashes. The Metz 36-C2 Auto Slave/Manual Shoe Mount Flash is also a fine unit.

Thanks Henry. I have always had excellent service from B&H!

Travis

henryp wrote:

I'm sorry about this difficulty. I spoke to our buyer and I'm forwarding all this plus your contact info to him. He in turn will send it to our contact at Vivitar who (hopefully) will reply to you directly.

BTW - I don't recall any customer complaints about Sunpack's flashes. The Metz 36-C2 Auto Slave/Manual Shoe Mount Flash is also a fine unit.

Henry,

I never heard back from your buyer. I also have not heard back fom Vivitar. Do you happen to have the number for their Oxnard, CA support center? I'm still down 2 flash units going on 3 months now. I appreciate the help. I'm also going to contact B&H directly when they reopen from the holiday. Thanks,

Travis

Travis

Lo and behold - just after I posted, the friendly UPS guy arrived at my doorstep with a new replacement unit for one of the 285s. Holding my breath on the next one to arrive but at least I know they are doing something.

ziggy53

Travis wrote:

Lo and behold - just after I posted, the friendly UPS guy arrived at my doorstep with a new replacement unit for one of the 285s. Holding my breath on the next one to arrive but at least I know they are doing something.

Hopefully a happy ending for "one" of your flashes. Please do keep us posted.

Best,

henryp

Travis wrote:

Lo and behold - just after I posted, the friendly UPS guy arrived at my doorstep with a new replacement unit for one of the 285s. Holding my breath on the next one to arrive but at least I know they are doing something.

I think it here and it comes out there.

Travis

henryp wrote:

I think it here and it comes out there.

Wow, while you're at it, how thinking me up a D3 and some serious glass?

Imbo

Vivitar 285HV
Check out this site. It has info on how to repair the shoe and they have some awesome products for the Vivitar 285HV http://www.ez1photo.com/index.html