Help needed, flash tube wire

[miloss]

Hello everyone,



I recently bought a flash head that has four flash tubes in it, and is a part of a Broncolor Hazylight clone made by a Dutch company BEAM (no longer in business). There are four cables coming out of the head and each tube is rated at 3000 Watt-seconds.

The photographer I bought it from told me that the two of the four tubes are not working, but he didn't need that much power anyway.

Upon examining the four flash tubes I noticed that on two of them the wire that goes around the flash tube and ends inside the third pin on the flash tube base is broken on one and non existent on the other, apart from the small piece that goes into the third pin on the base.

I know thar the three pins are a Plus, Minus and the third is connected to the trigger coil than initiates the gas inside the tube, so it can produce the strong flash. (or something like that)

MY QUESTION(s) IS(are): -What is the type of wire used for that purpose?

-Where can it be bought?

-Is there a specific thickness requirement for the wire

or can a "close enough" is sufficient?

I plan on trying to add the wire to the two flash tubes that don't have it and make them functional again.

Enclosed is a photo of a flash tube that is supposedly a good one, showing the wire around the flash tube. The ones without the wire look to be in better condition than this one pictured, no blackening around the electrodes.



Thank you in advance, any advice is much appreciated!

[Eric Woodbury]

If the wire is bare, without insulation, then it is probably just nickel plated 'hook-up' wire. Just wire. Nothing fancy.

[ic-racer]

I suspect those tubes may no longer be any good. Try to repair the trigger wire and see. Any time the capacitor is charged the tube is "Ready-to-Go" and the outer wire triggers it with an electrical charge; there is no 'on switch' per say that triggers it. So, be careful.

[miloss]

If the wire is bare, without insulation, then it is probably just nickel plated 'hook-up' wire. Just wire. Nothing fancy.

Thanks Eric,
So it is called Hook-up wire?
I am curious whether it should be a specific type of wire, able to withstand high temperatures?

So far, searching online with keywords " wire high temperature" i came across the terms:"canthal wire" and "nichrome wire". Both are used in those devices people use to inhale nicotine liquids (Vapers?), as heaters.
These wires come in many different thicknesses. Is Thickness an issue?

Thanks again
Milo


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[Jim Jones]

I'd try whatever wire you have handy that physically works. As for high temperature wire, remember the flash is hot, but that only lasts maybe 1/1000 of a second. The "glass" tube is made of special material, but it is much more fragile than metal, and needs to be specially selected for this application.

[Daniel Unkefer]

If you want to be really sure (dangerous current) I would email Kevin at KHB, he's in Canada. He repairs any strobe and has the knowledge. And he's a great Guy

http://www.khbphotografix.com/ServiceParts2.html

Sound like you are in Europe, so email him some pictures. Good Luck

[nolindan]

Any old wire will work. You can get a strand of thin wire by stripping back a bit of old lamp-cord and plucking out one strand. If you think that is too thin then you can twist together two strands. There will be a high voltage pulse on the wire so keep it away from any metal in the lamp housing and stop winding it around the bulb for the last inch/cms, use the other bulbs as a guide. Connections don't need to be super tight.

Test it. If it works, then it works and you are done. A good rule to remember is "Fix anything for long enough and you will really break it."

[Daniel Unkefer]

Broncolor Pulso 3000Ws Flashtubes Brand New by Nokton48, on Flickr

These are brand new never fired generic Broncolor Pulso Flash Tubes. These were $150 each on Ebay, so a great deal. The trigger wire is kinda heavy duty, as you can see.