Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

thank you

Hello,

One quick question, so I (am in 220V environment) can use either straight from wall outlet and also Vagabond II to power up Einstein, right?

Thanks.

Yes, Einstein is a global voltage light. This means you can use any 120V AC power supply (like Vagabond 150/300, Vagabond II, Vagabond Mini 120, or 120VAC mains) or any 240V AC power supply (like Vagabond Mini 240 or 240VAC mains). No switching is necessary, as Einstein auto switches, as well as controls power to the model lamp, so no model lamp swap is necessary either.

That's cool! ;)

Thanks a lot for a quick respond!

I was recently using my Vagabond II and heard a loud pop followed by smoke and a slight burning smell. I pulled one of the fuses, but one of the tabs broke off and is not coming out. Is this something that would best be left to professional repair? The unit was purchased in June 2010.

@Nerdsrock22 - that sounds like the popping FET's issue that VB inverters were having which would mean that PCB needs to service the inverter and could pull the broken fuse tab while they're at it.

So I should just send it in for repairs via the repair form? Thanks for your help.

Yes, that needs to be sent in, and you can use the repair form to do that. No RMA is required.

Hello,
I was wondering what specifically is wrong with the new inverters, and how to spot this problem if I choose to buy second hand (I need one urgently). Will they work in the short run and then cause me problems later? or is it something I can spot right away? (aka not work at all)
Thanks!

Obviously, anything that does not work right away is a problem. Otherwise it would be impossible to tell what may happen. In general, check for blown fuses and charged battery. A battery that is currently charged may not tell you much, but an uncharged battery will indicate dubious maintenance proceedures. Also look for a cracked, swollen or leaking battery. While a dead/dying battery is not an indicator of a bad inverter, a replacement is an additional expense to consider.