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RIP my 360 FGZ unless you can help

Thordell
Posted 05/11/2012 - 21:08 Link
Dark evenings coming on along with the party season so got my AF-360FGZ out of it's cupboard - fitted new batteries and it is totally dead - any ideas. It was fine when I put it away.
Jackie H
K7, K20D, istDS, Optio SV, ME
Most used glass
50mm f1.4, 60-250mm, 28-80mm,
Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro & Bertha 50-500
geordie01
Posted 05/11/2012 - 21:17 Link
Did you leave the old batteries in it?
Don
Posted 05/11/2012 - 21:27 Link
batteries in right?
contacts clean? broken?
Fired many shots. Didn't kill anything.
Thordell
Posted 05/11/2012 - 21:43 Link
Hi geordie01 - no removed the batteries.

Hello Dan - new batteries, did spray contacts with switch cleaner but no difference.
Jackie H
K7, K20D, istDS, Optio SV, ME
Most used glass
50mm f1.4, 60-250mm, 28-80mm,
Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro & Bertha 50-500
Mannesty
Posted 05/11/2012 - 23:11 Link
Have you tried another set of new batteries? Rare, but you could have a faulty one.
Peter E Smith - flickr Photostream
Thordell
Posted 06/11/2012 - 07:40 Link
LOL that did cross my mind but did I try some new batteries (which I have) no I spent an age rummaging through the cupboard I put unused equipment in to find a very old and dusty Cobra to check them in. Sadly the batteries work in that but I have forgotten how to use it, have to see if I have a hand book somewhere.
Jackie H
K7, K20D, istDS, Optio SV, ME
Most used glass
50mm f1.4, 60-250mm, 28-80mm,
Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro & Bertha 50-500
gartmore
Posted 06/11/2012 - 08:36 Link
I once had a problem like that and it was muck or something on the off/on switch contacts
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
Thordell
Posted 06/11/2012 - 09:02 Link
How did you get at the switch or did you just spray onto the switch in the squirt and hope mode with switch cleaner or something?
Jackie H
K7, K20D, istDS, Optio SV, ME
Most used glass
50mm f1.4, 60-250mm, 28-80mm,
Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro & Bertha 50-500
MattMatic
Posted 06/11/2012 - 09:18 Link
Just be very, very careful with flash guns... the 300V capacitor has enough energy to kill you

Do be careful!

(Though hopefully it will have discharged over the time it's been asleep.)
Can't remember if Asahi Photo do flash repairs.

Matt
http://www.mattmatic.co.uk
(For gallery, tips and links)
gartmore
Posted 06/11/2012 - 11:26 Link
It was an old flash so it wasn't worth paying for a repair so I had a go. Vigorously sliding the switch made an improvement, I opened it up and contact cleaner finished the job.

As Matt says take great care, the belt I got from the tiny flash in an Optio is something I won't forget in a hurry!
Ken
“We must avoid however, snapping away, shooting quickly and without thought, overloading ourselves with unnecessary images that clutter our memory and diminish the clarity of the whole.” - Henri Cartier-Bresson -
DoctorJeff
Posted 11/11/2012 - 14:18 Link
Not exactly a strange new problem, is it? Capacitor needs re-conditioning.
1 - Put in brand new, or fully charged, batteries. Switch on, and leave it.
2 - After a day, take the batteries out and ckeck the voltage - it will probably be way down on all of them.
3 - Repeat step 1 until the ready light comes on.
4 - Press the test button an the flash should flash.
5 - Put in brand new, or fully charged, batteries. Switch on, and listen for a whine as the capacitor recharges.
6 - Back to normal.

I have had several guns do this over the years, always stored with the batteries out, and it has taken as much as three days to cet the capacitor back to condition.

Geoff
Water can wear away a stone - but it can't cook lunch
X-5
istDS
K2000
P50.
Lenses Digital: 50-200, 18-55 KAF: 28-80.
Lenses KA & K: SMC-KA f2.0, SMC-K f1.4, SMC-K f1.7 Tokina KA 28-70 , SMC Pentax 70-210 F4, Sigma KA 75-300 , Hanimex 500mm Mirror, and the Tamron Adaptall-2 stuff.
and then there's all the M42 kit, and the accessories ...
Thordell
Posted 11/11/2012 - 14:31 Link
Oh! wow! Doctor Jeff, it is a new strange problem to me but I am off now to administer your prescribed treatment, fingers crossed, not that I do not believe you but I am a cautious type. many thanks
Jackie H
K7, K20D, istDS, Optio SV, ME
Most used glass
50mm f1.4, 60-250mm, 28-80mm,
Sigma 105mm 2.8 Macro & Bertha 50-500

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