Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

Hi Folks,
I have three Ultra 1200s that have not been used for about six months. Is there a need to reform the capacitors, and if so, how?
Thanks,
DrDigital

I think you just need to put the flash at full power and pop it a couple of times

I've always reformed capacitors by setting the pack at it's max output, plugging it in, turn it on and then leave it for 8hrs. Don't pop it.

Learned this from a photographer I assisted. Seemed to know what he was talking about. I've done this to every new pack I've bought and any pack that's sat around for any length of time.

Like to hear from the Techs if this really is the best way or if I've just unnecessarily been using up electricity all this time.

Bill F

http://picasaweb.google.com/faulknerstudios

Six months probably won't deform the caps. I recommend turning them on at low power, then raising the power to full over about 10 minutes. Popping them during this process won't hurt. The problem with deformed caps is that if you apply full voltage to them as suggested here and leave them on at full voltage, the leakage current can cause the caps to heat, and as they heat the leakage current increases - more heat. If they are badly deformed this can result in a big ugly bang.

I recommended stepping them up to full power rather than immediately hitting them with full power - particularly if they have been siting for a year or more.

On the same Topic,
I pulled two UltraZap 800 's out of storage at my dad's shop.
No one could remember how long they were in the case.

One came to life and popped off some test shots just fine.
The other made some seriously loud and scary (It sounded like a MIG welder...) crackeling sounds for the first 10 test shots, then the noise went away and now it sounds normal.

Did I do any damage to the Capacitor or.. ?

So far so good, by the eye it seems bright and normal, i'll test them against each other later.

This is absolutely the wrong way to do it. When a capacitor needing reforming has its full voltage applied to it and left applied, the leakage current increase, the cap heats, the leakage current rises more, so it heats more . . . until BANG.

The best way do do it is to take it to half power, pop it several times, raise it to 3/4 and pop it some more, then take it to full power and pop it a bunch more times. Then I would let it sit at about 3/4 power for a couple of hours before you let it sit at full power.