Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I just bought a used White Lightning 10,000 and want to use it wireless. It works great plugged into my camera, but when I plug in my Phottix (wireless transmitter/receiver), it doesn't fire..I can see my Phottix working and it works with my AB800, so any suggestions? I live in Mt. Juliet, so I thought about pulling everything together and taking a trip to the store..can do that too. Thanks

Lisa, I have the Photixx Odin and seem to recall having an issue with it not firing one of my Buff units. I think the voltage was a little too low to overcome the electronic switch in the Odin receiver.

You could try and measure the voltage on the sync cord off the WL 10000 and compare it to the 800 and see. It probably is different, or maybe the current is different too. Mine wasn't much different, maybe one volt or so less, but it won't fire. The old cameras used a mechanical switch and almost anything would fire, but these new ones seem to use electronic switches and need some minimal trigger voltage. Same thing happens with my Sekonic meter when used with a manual PC cord too as it too uses an electronic switch to fire the strobe. Maybe a polarity issue too depending on the Photixx.

Also, I have a flash sequencer that fires 8 strobes one after the other. One of my WL Utra's refuses to fire no matter which socket it goes into. I suspect the trigger voltage is a bit weak in that one head over the all the others. It works with the CyberCommander or shorting the PC connector, but not with the sequencer for some odd reason. I know it uses opto-isolators for the triggering switches.

What is the connector that goes into the light? Is it 1/4" or is it 1/8" with a 1/4" step up adapter? Also, is it mono or stereo (i.e. one or two black bands)?

I think it's the 1/4" with 2 black bands...looks exactly like the one that came with the light...sync wire they provide

It all works fine with my ab800, just wondering if it's the age of the wl10000-tech wise

It is quite possible it is due to it being a stereo cord. I would try a mono cord, if you have one. If not, we carry them.

I use a Cactus V5 wireless system with my 3 WL 10,000s and it works fine.