DIY Sync Cable for Heiland Flash Solenoid

[jim10219]

All of these flash sync cable connector types were confusing me. I bought an Anniversary Speed Graphic with a Heiland 3 cell flash and a Heiland solenoid (with the two male prongs sticking out of it), but no cable to attach the two. I checked Paramount Cords, but the closest cable they had listed wasn't specifically for a Heiland Flash. It just said "Graflex bipost" and didn't give the dimensions. I couldn't find any info if they were interchangeable or not. I read that you could use a power cable from an old electric razor, but that didn't fit either. It was close, but wasn't quite big enough to fit over the posts on the solenoid.

But I discovered a solution! I took that electric razor power cable (really any non polarized, 2 conductor, non grounded house hold power cable will do), and cut the other end off (not the HH plug) and installed a 2 pin female molex type (actually Tyco Amp type) connector from Radio Shack (Catalog #: 2740154). I cut the clips on the edges off because they'd just get in the way. Anyway, the female pins are the exact right size to hold the posts snug without falling off, or being too difficult to push on, and the spacing between them is perfect. It makes it easy to install and uninstall the cable. I spent about $3 for both the power cable and connector, so even if the Paramount Cord version did work, I still about saved 90%. Plus, it didn't even need any soldering (though I soldered it anyway), so you could assemble this with just a knife (or wire stripper) and pliers (or wire crimper).

Here's a picture of the connector, which might be handy in the future since Radio Shacks are getting harder and harder to find.
162951

[Bob Salomon]

All of these flash sync cable connector types were confusing me. I bought an Anniversary Speed Graphic with a Heiland 3 cell flash and a Heiland solenoid (with the two male prongs sticking out of it), but no cable to attach the two. I checked Paramount Cords, but the closest cable they had listed wasn't specifically for a Heiland Flash. It just said "Graflex bipost" and didn't give the dimensions. I couldn't find any info if they were interchangeable or not. I read that you could use a power cable from an old electric razor, but that didn't fit either. It was close, but wasn't quite big enough to fit over the posts on the solenoid.

But I discovered a solution! I took that electric razor power cable (really any non polarized, 2 conductor, non grounded house hold power cable will do), and cut the other end off (not the HH plug) and installed a 2 pin female molex type connector from Radio Shack (Catalog #: 2740154). I cut the clips on the edges off because they'd just get in the way. Anyway, the female pins are the exact right size to hold the posts snug without falling off, or being too difficult to push on, and the spacing between them is perfect. It makes it easy to install and uninstall the cable. I spent about $3 for both the power cable and connector, so even if the Paramount Cord version did work, I still about saved 90%. Plus, it didn't even need any soldering (though I soldered it anyway), so you could assemble this with just a knife (or wire stripper) and pliers (or wire crimper).

Here's a picture of the connector, which might be handy in the future since Radio Shacks are getting harder and harder to find.
162951
Your timing was very good since the latest version of Radio Shack filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy this month!

[jim10219]

Your timing was very good since the latest version of Radio Shack filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy this month!

That's what I thought! The good news is the connector is on sale for a buck! The bad news is I don't know what that connector would be called from another vender in case you need it 6 months from now. Radio Shack doesn't give it a standardized name. I bet it's the 0.093" version of the female "Amp" connector, which is similar to the Molex, but the "Amp" connector has female connectors instead of the male connectors on the similar looking Molex. A female version of the Molex may work too, but would look different (being a female housing as well as plug). Or if you bought both the male and female as a set, I bet you could install the female connectors into the male plastic housing. Not exactly clear as a bell, but if anyone finds themselves in a similar situation and is desperate for a solution that works, this info might be of some use.

When I researched flash sync connectors, I came across a website that had a bunch of different ones listed. It had the Graflex bipost and the Heiland bipost listed separately, but didn't offer specifications and dimensions for either, so while they looked the same I couldn't be certain if they were. And since the photos of each were separate and there was nothing to show scale, I couldn't even venture a decent guess. Furthermore, since the electric razor power cable was so close (like fractions of a mm away from actually working. I literally stuck a soldering iron into the connectors to try to widen them a hair and soften the outside plastic housing to accommodate the larger diameter to no avail.), I wasn't convinced that all of these connections would be of a standard size and be interchangeable, or at least close enough to work.

If you can't tell, I spent a good bit of time on this project and almost broke down and spent $60 on a genuine used Heiland flash sync cable. That's how desperate I was! But now I get to spend that $60 on Press 25 bulbs and waste who knows how many checking to see if the flash and shutter are in sync! And before anyone says I should have just bought a modern shutter with X sync and a modern flash, let me say that I love DIYing stuff! That's how I like to spend my rainy days and late nights. So much better than TV!

[Bob Salomon]

That's what I thought! The good news is the connector is on sale for a buck! The bad news is I don't know what that connector would be called from another vender in case you need it 6 months from now. Radio Shack doesn't give it a standardized name. I bet it's the 0.093" version of the female "Amp" connector, which is similar to the Molex, but the "Amp" connector has female connectors instead of the male connectors on the similar looking Molex. A female version of the Molex may work too, but would look different (being a female housing as well as plug). Or if you bought both the male and female as a set, I bet you could install the female connectors into the male plastic housing. Not exactly clear as a bell, but if anyone finds themselves in a similar situation and is desperate for a solution that works, this info might be of some use.

When I researched flash sync connectors, I came across a website that had a bunch of different ones listed. It had the Graflex bipost and the Heiland bipost listed separately, but didn't offer specifications and dimensions for either, so while they looked the same I couldn't be certain if they were. And since the photos of each were separate and there was nothing to show scale, I couldn't even venture a decent guess. Furthermore, since the electric razor power cable was so close (like fractions of a mm away from actually working. I literally stuck a soldering iron into the connectors to try to widen them a hair and soften the outside plastic housing to accommodate the larger diameter to no avail.), I wasn't convinced that all of these connections would be of a standard size and be interchangeable, or at least close enough to work.

If you can't tell, I spent a good bit of time on this project and almost broke down and spent $60 on a genuine used Heiland flash sync cable. That's how desperate I was! But now I get to spend that $60 on Press 25 bulbs and waste who knows how many checking to see if the flash and shutter are in sync! And before anyone says I should have just bought a modern shutter with X sync and a modern flash, let me say that I love DIYing stuff! That's how I like to spend my rainy days and late nights. So much better than TV!

I used standard electronic cheater cords and pare down the rubber if it is too long and squash the contacts with a pair of pliers if they aren't tight enough. Basically the plug end is the same as old razor cords but the cord isn't cooled. A plus for the cheater cord is that it is marked for polarity.