Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I've just received a new flashtube for one of my bees and removed the plastic insulation from the old one to put it on the new tube, but the 2 main posts of the new one have some black heavy duty heat shrink insulation already on it (the old white stuff won't fit round the new black stuff).

The centre post still needed insulation, so added the white.

So is this a new flash tube design, pre insulated ? or do I still need to get the white stuff to fit round the black ?

Other question, i've discovered another 2 of my bees tubes have gone, one still looks brand new (tested both with working tubes and its defo the tubes that have gone, incase anybody was wondering if it was the flash) what is it that causes flash tubes to go ?

Yes, new stock of the flash tubes will have the insulation already installed.

A bad flash tube may have a small crack which will leak Xenon gas slowly. Or there could be a break in the wire wrap or a leg that prevents triggering.

Also, look at the legs of the bad tube. Are any of them charred? This is on the exposed metal "banana plugs". If so, the tube has arced to the light. New tubes may be able to trigger, but it will soon become arced. If it has arced, the light(s) will need to come in for repair.