Speedotron 2401a

[MikeGuilbault]

I just received an old 2401A pack, actually, the 2401a, a 1211 Piggy Pack and an 1801 that has been upgraded to a 2401, and five heads, 202s I was told. Here's the 2401a which I believe is the newest of the trio. 97503

It was quite dusty and had been stored in an out-building for quite a few years but not sure how many. I was told they worked before being put into storage. Some of the screws are rusted, but all the connectors and switches seem fine.

I've attached a power cord and one head and powered it on. The power light came on, I switched the modelling light on and the fan on the head came on, but no modelling light. I didn't trigger the head... a little unsure of this thing so wanted to ask what might be the best way to proceed.

[JW Dewdney]

get a new modeling light?

[JW Dewdney]

make sure you blow all the dust out of the lights especially! nothing kills an expensive flash tube faster than dust/dirt etc.

[MikeGuilbault]

Well I figured that much ;). But don't want to blow anything up either

[MikeGuilbault]

Well I figured that much ;). But don't want to blow anything up either

I've had a Photogenic monolight blow up on me once and that was only 300ws. Just want to know a little more about it before I try anything stupid. Lol

[JW Dewdney]

if you blow anything up it will be the pack probably. but it should be pretty obvious. speedo packs have been pretty indestructible over the years though - so I doubt very much it would be the case. if you're handy with tools (electronics in general) you could open the pack and check for any bulging of caps etc but just make sure you bleed them first etc... the standard routine.

[Joe Smigiel]

I have some older Speedotron packs and when I bought them, one had set for years. I didn't want to be anywhere near it if it blew upon being powered up or fired after having set so long. I used a broom handle to turn it on from several feet away, then used another pack and peanut slave to fire it from across the room. One could probably use a power strip with toggle switch to turn it on and a radio trigger setup to fire it but I figure the optical slave would be much less expensive to replace if something blew.

There are instructions online somewhere about how to safely re-form the capacitors.

[JW Dewdney]

if anything 'blows' (it will be a capacitor if so) - you won't get any shrapnel from it - NOT TO WORRY. it's just paranoia - it would be nicely contained inside the case - which is very strong. You would have to be holding the bare capacitor with your hand to get any damage at all if it blew up - even then probably not much - just a loud bang and lots of smoke...

[Don Dudenbostel]

I use speedotrons and have for thirty years. I had two of the 2401 packs plus some 2405 and 4800's.

I only had one pack blow and that was due to a generator on location failing and feeding 220v to the unit. It just popped and quit.

Capacitors don't generally pop, it's diodes that make a big bang. I had several diodes blow on Norman 2000 packs. It will get your attention.

Things you should know about older speedotrons, NEVER switch power settings during recycle. It will weld the contacts and possibly blow the pack. Let it totally recycle.

NEVER pull the plug / head connector from the pack while turned on if you want to keep your hand. It can arc and be nasty.

Other than don't use them in explosive environments and in wet places you'll be fine. One of my old packs that I sold was destroyed when the guy I sold it to used it in an explosive environment. He switched power and there was a small spark that ignited gas inside the pack. It blew the pack into two pieces and the top half went twelve feet in the air and hit the ceiling. It bulged the case and ripped the screw holes out of the side. The head connector was blown apart and a hole was blown in the side of the case. Speedotrons evaluation was explosive environment / fumes in the case. It was in an industrial setting where it happened. Speedotrons said there wasn't enough power in the unit do do this kind of damage.

Speedotrons units are extremely rugged and reliable. Just do not do the above no no's and you'll get great service out of them. They're industrial strength machines made to run hard.

[Don Dudenbostel]

Never use another manufacturers heads on your pack unless the have been adapted or you have the proper pigtails. The connectors may be the same but the voltages may be different. In almost all cases the pin configuration / wiring is different. For example Speedotrons and Norman used the same plug as did early 60's Ascor. The voltages were correct but the Norman plugs brought high voltage in on the pins that Speedotron connected the cooling fan through. You connect the wrong head and you have 900v on the fan. Pigtails can be made to use Norman heads on Speedo and speedo on Norman.

There are a few exceptions but generally this is the safe rule. You're dealing with a great deal of power, 2400 joules. It only takes 50 joules to stop your heart so be safe.

[Don Dudenbostel]

Remembered one other imPortant detail. Unless these have been modified, the trigger voltage is too high for 35mm cameras. The trigger voltage is 90v if I remember correctly and will fry the contacts in a 35mm or DSLR. You can get a device called a safe sync which is a tiny transformer that plugs into the strobe and limits the voltage. 90v is fine for copal, compur, prontor and ilex shutters but not others.

Remember these are old units. They were around in the early 80's if not earlier. If you question anything contact Speedotron in Chicago. They're great folks and reasonable and fast on repairs. You might feel better just getting it checked and brought up to date.

[MikeGuilbault]

You're dealing with a great deal of power, 2400 joules. It only takes 50 joules to stop your heart so be safe.

That's why I think I want to bring them in for a check out. I'm north of Toronto, Canada, so will have to find a service shop here. These suckers are way to heavy to ship to Chicago!

I hadn't heard about the switching power during recycle Don.. thanks for that head's up too.

[Don Dudenbostel]

It's a good idea to get them checked. There should be a shop in Toronto that can do it. As old as these are insulation deteriorates and corrosion is possible. With a checkup and any service needed they should go another thirty years.

Since digital came along I now use Force 10's. I have eight of them and still have a Norman 2000 and heads plus some smaller monolights. I had six 2000 normans, three 4000 and 3 800's at one time along with about 40,000 ws of Speedo and much prefer the speedotrons over anything I've used. This was in the days of 11x14 and 8x10 chromes for catalog work in the studio. Times have changed with digital. Actually just in time because I'm not getting any younger.

[MikeGuilbault]

They are rather heavy, aren't they! I've always used Photogenic lights and have most of the accessories for them, but if these work out well, they'll become my studio set up and I'll keep the Photogenics for location work where I often need to place the strobes further than the 20' of cord on the Speedo heads.

[JW Dewdney]

Capacitors don't generally pop, it's diodes that make a big bang. I had several diodes blow on Norman 2000 packs. It will get your attention.

Oh really! I didn't know that about the diodes - I'd always heard about caps popping so maybe the lore is wrong. I guess it makes sense, as a cap doesn't present much mechanical resistance... and a 'bomb' is only as strong as it's container as they say...

[polyglot]

Caps can pop but usually when they die they just split, smoke a bit and spray hot electrolyte about the casing. That can damage other electronics but it's generally only a whiffling sound and really bad smell.

Diodes often fail short and in a typical flash circuit, that means that the whole energy from the capacitor bank will be dumped into the diode. I think the usual culprits are the reverse-protection diodes that soak up the tail/overshoot of the discharge pulse from stray inductance in the head, and thereby protect the flash capacitors from any reversed polarity charge. The full voltage of the capacitor pack is expressed directly across them so when they let go, it's spectacular: dump a couple kJ into about 2mm^3 of silicon and it's going to part company with itself in very short order.

[SpeedGraphicMan]

Never use another manufacturers heads on your pack unless the have been adapted or you have the proper pigtails. The connectors may be the same but the voltages may be different. In almost all cases the pin configuration / wiring is different. For example Speedotrons and Norman used the same plug as did early 60's Ascor. The voltages were correct but the Norman plugs brought high voltage in on the pins that Speedotron connected the cooling fan through. You connect the wrong head and you have 900v on the fan. Pigtails can be made to use Norman heads on Speedo and speedo on Norman.

There are a few exceptions but generally this is the safe rule. You're dealing with a great deal of power, 2400 joules. It only takes 50 joules to stop your heart so be safe.

Please watch this, also different heads use different pin configurations so that the max WS is not exceeded thereby blowing the tube.

I might add that you are one lucky son of a gun!

[Don Dudenbostel]

I've had several diodes pop in Norman units. It's like a shotgun going off. When it happens you'll need to change your pants after you come down from the ceiling. Sometimes you get a nice ball of fire out of the pack too.

I was shooting with two 800ws Normans during a live surgery one day when the capacitor failed and started filling the surgical suite with smoke. Very bad! No bang but plenty of smelly smoke.

[Peter De Smidt]

Read the user guides. For instance, some people try to discharge the pack after they shut it off by quickly pressing the "fire" button. Speedotron specifically says not to do this, but as I said, I see it all the time. Also, if a pack hasn't been used in awhile, power it up, and let it sit for awhile to let the capacitors "form". Don't fire it. I'm not sure exactly how long to leave it charge before firing, but I gave mine an hour when I bought them. (They had sat for a few years.)

[JW Dewdney]

Read the user guides. For instance, some people try to discharge the pack after they shut it off by quickly pressing the "fire" button. Speedotron specifically says not to do this, but as I said, I see it all the time. Also, if a pack hasn't been used in awhile, power it up, and let it sit for awhile to let the capacitors "form". Don't fire it. I'm not sure exactly how long to leave it charge before firing, but I gave mine an hour when I bought them. (They had sat for a few years.)

good to know! i'm one of the guilty ones... I always fire off one after shutting off my 4802 or whatever it's called.

[Peter De Smidt]

No worries. I did it as well, since that's what was done at the studio. But I recently bought a used pack, and I looked up the manual online.

[Len Middleton]

That's why I think I want to bring them in for a check out. I'm north of Toronto, Canada, so will have to find a service shop here. These suckers are way to heavy to ship to Chicago!

Mike,

You might try Kevin Brown at KHB Photo in Mississauga, as he does a lot of repairs and I have seen packs in his shop.

Hope that helps,

Len

[MikeGuilbault]

That's exactly where I'll be taking them - as soon as I can find a free day to drive them down. I've had my Photogenic equipment serviced there. Service was excellent. I wasn't sure if there was an 'authorized' Speedotron shop or not - and apparently they are.