Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I keep half of my 8 Einsteins, all numbered, in a portrait kit that I use a few times a month, always with the same softboxes and same settings. This kit performed reliably for portraits of 250 people in 2 days in January, and for every job since, until last week, when the main light started overheating after maybe 30 pops. I forgot to swap out the light and had the same problem on a second shoot.

I understand why Einsteins are built to shut down when hot. It's the change in this particular light's apparent threshold temperature that concerns me. I won't take this light on location again. Is there anything I can check before sending it in for service?

Was there a change in the power of the light, particularly the model lamp? A brighter model lamp would generate more heat than a dimmer one. Also, can you hear the fan running? Was this light running on a VML by chance? If so, are you certain the model lamp was off?

Model lamp hasn't changed. The fan sounds normal. Regular AC power. It's just overheating in the same situation where it never used to. I've replaced it and will send it in to see if you guys can find out why. if not, I'll just keep it for non-critical use.

Thanks.