Used Norman 200b

[LabRat]

Read up on post #32 about the head... If the ready light is on, pack is charged up, but inside the head is a circuit board with 2 parts... Check the green part (trigger coil) to see of all 4 leads are soldered to board and not broken... This happened to one of my heads...

Re-capping is a good idea if unit will have more than light use, and Bernice showed how she did it well... Mine seems newer (2/01 date code) and seems fine, but I will be re-capping in the future before possible heavy use... Note the part in post about if the power transistors at the bottom of the case are running VERY hot, as this means components are in a runaway condition leading to pack failure...

Try another head on it first, and leave pack on for a long time (life of battery charge), then fire it once, then leave on for that charge, recharge, then leave on for at least 10 minutes before firing again, then multi-test flash...

Holly will go over entire flash unit, but he wants to give it a total overhaul, for a $$$ price...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

[gary892]

Read up on post #32 about the head... If the ready light is on, pack is charged up, but inside the head is a circuit board with 2 parts... Check the green part (trigger coil) to see of all 4 leads are soldered to board and not broken... This happened to one of my heads...

Re-capping is a good idea if unit will have more than light use, and Bernice showed how she did it well... Mine seems newer (2/01 date code) and seems fine, but I will be re-capping in the future before possible heavy use... Note the part in post about if the power transistors at the bottom of the case are running VERY hot, as this means components are in a runaway condition leading to pack failure...

Try another head on it first, and leave pack on for a long time (life of battery charge), then fire it once, then leave on for that charge, recharge, then leave on for at least 10 minutes before firing again, then multi-test flash...

Holly will go over entire flash unit, but he wants to give it a total overhaul, for a $$$ price...

Good luck!!!

Steve K

I have tried 3 different flash heads, on each one the ready light comes on but when I press the trigger button there is no flash.
I am not sure what the problem is.
If someone can point me in the right direction I would appreciate it.

Thanks
Gary

Edit:
I don't know why I didn't think of this before now, but I just tried the unit on power setting of 50 and no flash, tried on power setting of 100 and no flash but when I tried power setting of 200 the head responded with a flash. Not once but each time I pressed the trigger button.

So I an deducing the rocker switch for the power settings is bad or maybe it's not that simple.

Ideas?

Thanks

Gary

[LabRat]

You can clean switch contacts in place spraying some electrical contact cleaner in underside of switch while operating switch for a minute...

Brett said that he would clean burnt switches by removing and cleaning in a ultrasonic cleaner, but usually a dirty but non burnt switch will operate after solvent cleaning... Clean all connections you can reach carefully on unit and head... Check trigger voltage by sticking voltmeter leads into sync plug and see if DC voltage is over 31.5V as this is the minimum sync voltage with these...

If you blew a cap, unit would not work and blow internal fuse...

Re-solder trigger coil connections on circuit board inside head, as these seem to come loose over time, maybe not giving you full trigger voltage to flash tube...

Check flash tube glass ends for darkening, as this can indicate tube might be going also...

Steve K

[Bernice Loui]

200B has four flash capacitors. To get the three power settings of 50w/s, 100w/s, 200w/s the flash capacitors are switched in groups. One flash capacitor produces 50w/s, two flash capacitors produce 100w/s, four flash capacitors produce 200w/s... This is what the power select switch does. The switch used in the 200B is very robust and durable. The contacts can get pitted and oxidized from being cycles many, many times. Still that switch tends to hang in there. It is more possible the flash capacitors have died which is more likely why no flash on the lower power settings, there was simply not enough energy stored in the flash capacitors to drive the flash tube.

Since this 200B appears to flash at 200w/s, check the light output with an accurate flash meter. Using a standard reflector on the LH2 should produce about f16 at 10ft at ISO 100. Any reading less indicates the flash capacitors are tired or dead.

Regardless, those flash capacitors should be replaced as they are decades past their "best use by date".. specially if the 200b has been sitting un-used for years.
The flash capacitors should be 390 to 510 uF at 500VDC, about $14 each from Digikey or Mouser. Use EXTREME CAUTION when working on a flash unit as the internal voltages are LETHAL. Touching the wrong connection could result in INSTANT DEATH.


Bernice

I don't know why I didn't think of this before now, but I just tried the unit on power setting of 50 and no flash, tried on power setting of 100 and no flash but when I tried power setting of 200 the head responded with a flash. Not once but each time I pressed the trigger button.

So I an deducing the rocker switch for the power settings is bad or maybe it's not that simple.

Ideas?

Thanks
Gary

[Pieter]

I have used Silvino's in Hollywood. A bit funky (he runs the shop from his house, has stuff everywhere) and can be slow, but he did a great job repairing a Hensel head for me a few years ago. If you just need batteries or a simple repair, he might be able to turn it around for you faster than for me--he had to get a new cable. I believe he does repair work for Samy's.

[gary892]

Thanks to Lab Rat and Bernice Loui for all the advise and direction.

Looks like I have some decisions to make, keep the Norman and repair or get rid of it.

Thanks

Gary

[Carsten Wolff]

I love using the 200B. About 10 years ago I got the guy at Litelight to convert it into a 400Ws unit (which means the 200Ws tubes need to be replaced/heads uprated as well) and adapt an old ringflash too while he was at it. it is all now running from 50Ws to 400Ws in 50Ws increments (well, there is a "-50Ws" button on it now anyway) and it is digicam-safe to boot. Great, bulletproof setup and with a Bowens adapter useful anywhere.

[Phil Hudson]

I have a couple of 400B kits from the early 2000s which came with the "Super" battery and charger. The batteries are now almost useless after being left idle for a number of years.

Do any or all of the above posts regarding replacement batteries also apply to the 400B? Even better is there an off-the-shelf battery solution that I could use instead of trying to do it myself to bring the 400B back to life? I'm in the UK so would prefer to source something closer to home if possible.

Thanks in advance.

[LabRat]

I have a couple of 400B kits from the early 2000s which came with the "Super" battery and charger. The batteries are now almost useless after being left idle for a number of years.

Do any or all of the above posts regarding replacement batteries also apply to the 400B? Even better is there an off-the-shelf battery solution that I could use instead of trying to do it myself to bring the 400B back to life? I'm in the UK so would prefer to source something closer to home if possible.

Thanks in advance.

My 200b came with the "super" battery, so I think it is still the 12v battery route... This contained standard Panasonic ni-cads soldered together... The tool replacement ones linked would have higher capacity...

Note different types of batteries require different types of chargers... Presently, I opted for the gel cell types as mine might end up lost on a shelf for too long, but want something that will come back to life after its sleep...

I will go with the ni-cads again when/if strobe will get more than monthly use and need the maximum # of flashes possible...

Yes, your battery pack can be rebuilt with replacements linked in above posts, or built replacements can be purchased (but not cheap)... ;-)

Steve K

[Bernice Loui]

"Super Batteries" much about marketing from decades ago when the high capacity (then) sub C size ni-cad batteries appeared on the market. These were made by Sanyo (Japan) and were the first high capacity ni-cad batteries on the market. Their energy storage rating was 1200mA / hr which was high for their time. These were the ni-cads that made the cordless power tool market happen.

Today the sub C-size cell can be had in nickel metal hydride with 4000mA /hr or near three times the energy storage of the original Sanyo high capacity sub C-size ni-cads. These are made in China and in vast-mass and are used in an extremely long list of portable techno devices today. They are essentially a direct fit into the Norman battery packs and chargeable using the oem Norman charger, ideally timed for faster charge (there is risk of over charging causing the batteries to over heat then damaged as the original thermal shut off scheme was marginal in many ways), but slow charge should be easy good.

Suggestion would be to have the Norman "super battery" packs rebuilt with modern replacement batteries. Cost was very moderate, each 4000mA/hr sub C-sized cell cost about $1.70 USD, ten are used per 12 volt battery pack. These replacement batteries should be easy to find on Amazon UK or similar. Unless you're able to weld nickel strips on the batteries to make a replacement battery pack, get the tab_ed cells allowing them to be soldered up into a battery pack. Direct soldering to the individual battery cells runs a very high risk of damaging the seals causing leakage then failure.

Not a lot to say about these Norman portable strobe/flash units as they simply work, are proven reliable and provide consistent light output as needed. 400w/s seems lots, but in the real world of view camera lighting 400w/s is often not nearly enough.


Bernice

I have a couple of 400B kits from the early 2000s which came with the "Super" battery and charger. The batteries are now almost useless after being left idle for a number of years.

Do any or all of the above posts regarding replacement batteries also apply to the 400B? Even better is there an off-the-shelf battery solution that I could use instead of trying to do it myself to bring the 400B back to life? I'm in the UK so would prefer to source something closer to home if possible.

Thanks in advance.