using strobe

[Tin Can]

Be careful of the Normans; old power packs like these can be lethal. That was advice given to us by architectural photographer Norman McGrath in a 2002 workshop I took from him.

Earlier that year, I was interested in a pair of 4000 watt-second Normans being sold by our local Pro Photo Supply. The sales person made a comment or two and diverted to another customer. So experimenting, I turned the main power switch to off and pressed a button to discharge the pack.

KerPow!!! That power pack lit up like a Christmas tree. Absolutely scared the hell out of me. Of course, the power pack was gone. Needless to say, I withdrew from the purchase. I later called the Norman company and was told that the power pack must have been defective. Thank goodness I didn't discover the defect plugging a strobe into that pack. As Norman McGrath was later to say, old power packs can be lethal.

So at the end of the workshop, I asked Norman, were he beginning fresh, what would he purchase? He responded that he would purchase Dynalite. They have special safety features that prevent shocks, when connecting Dynalite strobes to their power packs. Norman routinely carried five strobes and power packs providing up to 5000 watt-seconds. So, I purchased, and still have, the equivalent in Dynalites. And, I'm still around to use them.

Very good advice Neil

Old packs ARE dangerous

I had one pack Reformed in Canada

I no longer use it, I forget the brand

I was given a lot of 'Heat' for using Flash Bulbs

I use them with safety covers

[Mal Paso]

I've never heard of a fatal Norman experience. Dynalite is no longer in business but you can buy a new Norman power packs that meets today's standards or recent ones that are close. All the 900 series lamp heads fit all the 900 series packs.

On the old P2000Ds if you switched a capacitor bank hot you could expect a pistol shot sound. It doesn't usually break anything. I've had 1 pin failure and 1 capacitor failure and neither injured me. You should be careful with any high power strobe it's dangerous like a table saw. There's something like 600 Amps going through those cables for 1/250 of a second at very serious voltage.