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Thread: Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

  1. #1
    Beverly Hills, California
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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    You may have noticed my previous post regarding meter calibration...

    It so happens I was just setting up my camera and strobes to conduct some expoure tests on transparency film using my Balcar 6400 and lights (cloudy day here in LA, hence the strobes) when the pack had a big explosion, and started an internal fire. (The metal case is still intact, and the fire extinguised itself.) It happened just after I turned on the power switch after having plugged two strobes and the synch cord in with power pack switch in the off position -as recommended.

    For background, I bought it used at Calumet in supposedly "excellent" condition for $3,000 (supposedly 'demo' quality condition according to their rating system) back in June 2002 - but I did see throught the mesh of the ventillation holes in the side of the case that the capacitors inside were dated 'September 1996' -I wasn't too pleased about that because it was stored in Chicago, and hence was purchased it sight unseen but being reassured that the unit was 'next to new' over the phone.

    Anyway, it was warrantied for one year - which has now expired, but I also may be able to claim the extended one year purchase insurance because I bought it via Visa Gold credit card - although I don't know if they will honor it because the pack was used. I amy try to work with Calumet first to see if they will be of help.

    Need some advice on how to proceed either to Balcar, Calumet, or my CC company. The pack did not have any other insurance.

    This pack is toast. From the look, sound, and smell of the explosion and resulting fire, I doubt it can be fixed back to reliable order.

    I cannot bear the thought of being out of $3,000. I barely had a chance to use the thing. Need your help on any useful insight you can provide.

    Thanks. Andre (213) 427 9894

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
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    154

    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Packs are known to blow-up and there really is no one to blame. It's the capacitors that blow - the battery looking thing inside the packs. You might want to contact your credit card company first to see if the pack is covered - I don't know if it was purchased used is an issue or not.

    The more a pack is used the less likelihood the pack will blow as the capacitors need to be exercised regularly as to not dry out. Could the pack have been stored for a while without use? My routine is to power up my packs and battery strobes once a month and just keep them on all day - don't even need to plug a head in or pop the strobe - this is called "Forming the Capacitor" and is the best way to keep the capacitors from not drying out for lack of use.

    I doubt you need a new unit - just take it to a strobe repair shop for an estimate. My guess is about $300-$400 for repair.
    John V.
    ScanHi-End Moderator

  3. #3
    Beverly Hills, California
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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Jonny, thanks for that information. FYI, I would form the capacitors, at least every 3 months since I got it appx. 18 months ago. I think there may be ancillary damage in addition to the blown capacitor though, based on my observations of an internal fire and smoke in addition to the explosion. Weird thing was, I used it the other day, it was fine then.

  4. #4

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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Hi Andre,

    I use a Starflash 3200 w/s unit with 2 U-Heads. I'm curious... did yours make an "electronic" smell after you fired it up?

    Reason I'm asking is because mine sure did. As a result, I turned the thing off and sent it into a technician who said the capacitor needed replacing. I'm not sure of what he did to it but after paying CDN$600 the unit has worked like a mint.

    You might contact Balcar but I doubt that they'll do much for you.

    I wouldn't be all that happy with the situation either... hope you get it resolved either through Calumet or Visa.

    Good luck.
    Life in the fast lane!

  5. #5
    Beverly Hills, California
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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Henry, thanks for the info. I have already contacted Visa and started a claim. I will take my best shot with them.

    FYI, there wasn't any smell until after the explosion.

  6. #6

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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Andre,

    You won't believe this... my Balcar Starflash 3200 w/s "WAS" working up until 10 minutes ago (12:36 AM, Sunday, February 22nd, 04).

    Once again, I smelled the "electronics" odor and the next thing that happened was that the unit produced a loud pop; a flash inside the power pack and, at that point, I turned the unit off. It's not that the freaking thing hasn't been used. As a matter of fact, it was used only last night.

    Even though John says that this happens to most packs, there's got to be a better and more reliable way of "getting light" without fear of a problem in the middle of a shoot. This will be the second capacitor replacement for this unit in a little over a year. After I get it repaired (again)... I'll be thinking about a different pack or system.

    I've known people who use Broncolors and/or Profoto units in their studios for years without encountering this problem. It can't be that this is more of an issue for Balcar strobes units, can it?

    What do most of you folks do for light? Is a continuous lighting system any easier and less of a problem? Is tungsten lighting (with tungsten film) a common way to go?

    Thanks

    PS: Andre... I hope Visa can help you with your refund!
    Life in the fast lane!

  7. #7
    Beverly Hills, California
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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Henry, sorry to hear about that. It's frustrating isn't it? I wonder how old your Balcar Starflash is in general? I wonder if the older capacitor blew, as you mentioned you replaced the other one recently.

    I'm pretty deep into the Balcar system myself with two new costly Power Z heads, so I don't forsee really switching manufacturers yet.

  8. #8

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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    I know how you feel. For various reasons I ended up using Elinchrom mono lights in my studio. I often felt the idea of all your watts in one basket just too much, having seen experiences like yours. I don't think there's much difference between one manufacturer and another although the chineese seem to offer more watts for the $ that surprisingly seem to work. Depending on your work, i.e. overhead ponds for cars etc. do indeed require power packs.

    Now the caveat, two of my monos had a habit of 'popping' on a monthly basis. A luck of the draw i reckon. Cost a fortune just balancing whether to cast good money after bad on new units. In the end I moved to tungsten with mixed blessings. Studio was a small people one. Heat and running cost are the biggest downs against visable output and the ability to know instanly the shadow fall. Set up was speeded up considerably especially as the sets were vastly different shoot to shoot. I loved them and still do and they are reliable.

    B&W is ok but colour balancing or using tung. film could prove tiresome.
    Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure... Life is either daring adventure or nothing: Helen Keller.

  9. #9

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    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Hi Andre,

    I'm not exactly sure of the age of the Starflash unit but it was completely overhauled only about a year and some ago. At that time, the capacitor was replaced and so were the lamps.

    One would think that a circuit could be designed such that the voltage be discharged through an alternate route rather than going through the capacitor if certain limits were exceeded. Afterall, it's not like these units are inexpensive in the first place.

    Since this is my only unit, I wouldn't hesitate to make a change and go to some other pack like a Broncolor/Profoto. But, if they're subject to the same problem, it wouldn't make any sense to make the move. In that case, I'd just spring for repair of this pack.

    Otzi, most of my work is table top oriented, and so, huge amounts of lighting aren't require in my case. In most situations, 3200 w/s is sufficient for the way I shoot. However, it's important that the temperature be minimized since I shoot mostly perishable items. Therefore, tungsten lighting may not be the ideal way to go. That's why I was considering flourescent. Lastly, in the majority of cases, I shoot color transparencies. B&W is a rarity for me.

    Bloody frustrating, it is!

    Thanks...
    Life in the fast lane!

  10. #10

    Balcar 6400 Power Pack Just Blew up, Caught Fire

    Four monolights are better than a pack with four heads - or at least when one blows you have three to work with. I've always like that about monolights. But I think all flashes will break from time to time. Good luck getting your pack fixed.

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