Synchronisation lead.. err.. synchronisation.

Hi,

I'm going to have a look through the RS catalogue at some point, but to save time..

I've got one of these..




As you can see from the photo, the lead from the receiver ends in a 6.3 jack. It comes with a 6.3-3.5 converter. My Sunpak flashes have a synch lead socket of 2.5mm (mono). I've bought a 3.5-2.5 converter, but it's not the same length as the synch lead..



(sync lead on left)

I've had a look on both Maplins and Tandy's sites and can't see a (mono) 2.5 connector of that length in any configuration. Ideally a 6.3 (female) to pc socket (female) converter is the way to go. That way, it keeps the wiring as uncluttered as possible, but any way to get the transmitter to connect to the flash is good.. I can make it look pretty if I have to afterwards.

Any ideas? None of my Sunpaks have hotshoe connections, and I thought wireless would be the way to go anyway, especially as the trigger voltage is close to 200V.

Cheers

Liam

Why do you think that won't pop your wireless unit too?!

If you have a sync lead already, why don't you investigate a socket to take the other end of the Sunpak sync lead, and then connect the socket to the wireless flash unit? You've got more chance of getting a 2.5mm stereo socket to work, especially if you only connect the tip and sleeve (and leave the middle alone).

But I still reckon you stand a very good chance of blowing the snot out of the wireless
(Unless you provide some extra circuitry to limit the trigger voltage.)

Matt

I've got the same wireless unit as that and I just bought a 2.5mm adaptor from Maplin and it works fine with my Portaflash units. I don't recall if it was mono or stereo or how long it was, but I'll have another look tonight.

One option that would be worth considering is cutting the connector off your sync cable and off the wireless unit and wiring then together.

Hi,

it must be the flu???? It never crossed my mind to cut them to pieces, and that's what I do with most things.

Matt, it didn't blow up. I think these have become popular since the need to use older flashes on modern cameras, hence there is probably voltage regulation incorporated into the unit. I'm only guessing here, but I think that the problem wasn't so much the voltage itself but where it goes, ie. with 4 and 5 pin flashes routing the voltage to places where it shouldn't go because of the lack of complimentary contacts. This is + and - contacts only.

But.. nobody but nobody follow that train of thought. I am responsible for the risk of blowing up my own equipment only. Admittedly a tenner's worth of Chinese plastic. Check with a grown up first.. ie. Matt, or anyone else here who knows what they're on about.

Anyway, if someone else decides to cut and rejoin them, here's the wiring. I know it's only a few minutes to find out for yourself, but that's about three piccys worth of time.




Of course, I went white to white as a first attempt, but nothing went wrong.

A bit of solder and some heatshrink, which I remembered for the individual wires but not for the outer.. bugger. ..and you're done.

I'ev tried it at full power on both the 3600 and the 3075 and it works brilliantly.

(Apologies for the dodgy wiring diagram.. I couldn't be bothered creating a full blown schematic for this..)

Cheers

Liam

Now, it only remains to be seen if I can walk the 400 yards to the club for a beer. I wasn't joking about the flu.

Hi Niblue,

I don't know if this is useful info for you, but I emailed Link Direct to see, if I bought another kit off them, whether they would work on the same frequency. This is so that I could use more than one receiver with the same transmitter, for multiple flashes. They mailed back, and they sell extra receivers seperately for £9 inc p&p.

Just in case you ever needed to know.

Cheers

Liam