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Thread: Speedotron repair question

  1. #11
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Jan 2001
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    Fond du Lac, WI, USA
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    8,954

    Re: Speedotron repair question

    That's a scary story, Bob! It almost sounds like one of your competitors was the culprit.

    I've seen two packs destroy themselves. It's quite something. I'm pretty good with electronics, but I wouldn't open one of those packs.

    At the Kohler photo studio, they have some really old packs. They also rent a bunch top of the line stuff, but they have so many big sets to light that they occasionally use some of the old packs. All are set up on wooden blocks, as they use water on most of the sets. Thinking about using these packs around 'creative' plumbing is worrying.
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  2. #12

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
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    Loganville , GA
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    14,409

    Re: Speedotron repair question

    Quote Originally Posted by Peter De Smidt View Post
    That's a scary story, Bob! It almost sounds like one of your competitors was the culprit.

    I've seen two packs destroy themselves. It's quite something. I'm pretty good with electronics, but I wouldn't open one of those packs.

    At the Kohler photo studio, they have some really old packs. They also rent a bunch top of the line stuff, but they have so many big sets to light that they occasionally use some of the old packs. All are set up on wooden blocks, as they use water on most of the sets. Thinking about using these packs around 'creative' plumbing is worrying.
    Armstrong Linoleium in Lancaster, PA, a few weeks later, wanted to buy one of our E 5000 power pack systems. So we told them that we would be happy to bring one down for them to test but to make sure that they had a 220V line to run it off of.
    When we got there they had a big cable hanging down from the ceiling and one of their electricians there to hook it up.
    We asked the guy if it was 220V and he assured us that he did it himself and it was. So he hooked it up.

    The studio manager grabbed a spot meter and stood 10 feet away and asked us to fire the pack. We did and it pegged his meter, so he got some ND material, put it on the lamp head and we did it again, it still pegged the meter. So he added more ND and told us to fire it again. We did, the pack exploded, flew across the studio into a cement wall and slid to the floor.

    The electrician disconnected the power, metered the line, said “oh oh” and turned to us and said “440 V”!

    We had a hell of a time explaining to Rollei’s President how we managed to destroy a mid 5 figure flash system. But Armstrong paid us for it anyway and then bought two anyway!

  3. #13
    Peter De Smidt's Avatar
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    Jan 2001
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    Re: Speedotron repair question

    Wow!
    “You often feel tired, not because you've done too much, but because you've done too little of what sparks a light in you.”
    ― Alexander Den Heijer, Nothing You Don't Already Know

  4. #14
    Photographer
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
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    Pine Junction, CO
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    992

    Re: Speedotron repair question

    Selling photo gear never sounded so exciting, Bob!
    Keith Pitman

  5. #15

    Join Date
    Sep 1998
    Location
    Loganville , GA
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    Re: Speedotron repair question

    Quote Originally Posted by Keith Pitman View Post
    Selling photo gear never sounded so exciting, Bob!
    It really was, so was Broncolor and Multiblitz. But there were experiences with all of them!
    Last edited by Bob Salomon; 12-Apr-2019 at 17:11.

  6. #16

    Join Date
    Mar 2002
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    now in Tucson, AZ
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    3,618

    Re: Speedotron repair question

    That will give you an excuse to go visit the mountains in springtime. Not that Maryland is bad... but that's a beautiful part of the world.

  7. #17

    Join Date
    Feb 1999
    Posts
    1,094

    Re: Speedotron repair question

    I bought a brand new Speedotron Blackline 2405CX pack and two fan-cooled heads from Calumet in Chicago in about 1993 or 94. Not long after it arrived, I was using it when it suddenly failed to recycle after being fired. I kept waiting and waiting for the light to come on signaling that it was ready for another shot. Then, a loud hissing noise emanated from the pack followed by a cloud of white smoke. As the color drained from my face, I raced to unplug it.
    Sent the pack back to Speedotron and it was repaired under warranty. Blown capacitor. The only down side to this story is that one corner of the pack somehow got smashed in a little during transit (thanks UPS). I still have the pack and keep it fired up from time to time.

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