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Flash failure


RobL

Link Posted 26/11/2022 - 07:14
I haven’t used my little AF201FG flash for a while and it has been kept in a drawer without batteries, but when I tried it yesterday with new batteries it was completely dead. The contacts look clean and the batteries were fine in another appliance; it was working beforehand. Any ideas?

K10D

Link Posted 26/11/2022 - 08:06
Looking clean and being clean are the difference between silence and a whine.

Clean the contacts first. If possible, get one of these:




https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/111741724919?hash=item1a045368f7:g:ZjUAAOSwYUZcMFYu&a...

The electrical contact equivalent of a lens brush. They are excellent at cleaning contacts. Only have 1 to 2mm of bristle showing.

RS (Radio Spares) sell the same thing for a wee bit more money:

https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/etching-accessories/0514868

Best regards
Inspiration is rarer than a plate glass camera.....
Last Edited by K10D on 26/11/2022 - 08:11

RobL

Link Posted 26/11/2022 - 11:57
Thanks K10D I found something similar in my cupboard, a pencil shaped ink eraser, which has done the trick.

davidwozhere

Link Posted 27/11/2022 - 00:39
The *ist series are perishers for this. The battery contacts look fine but when out of use an invisible film of something or other builds up. Also, over time, the batteries tend to compress the terminals against the battery door so they no longer spring back to press the contacts together. Pulling them outwards with the fingernails restores the springiness and pressure. That, in turn, rubs the muck off when the door is opened and closed and the terminals slide against each other. This doesn't happen if the camera (or flash) is stored out of use.
Both the *istDS and the K5 are incurably addicted to old glass

My page on Photocrowd - link

RobL

Link Posted 28/11/2022 - 09:15
Thank goodness for the help here, it was about to go in the bin!


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