Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I have an old White Lightning Ultra 600. Today the modeling lamp flickered a little, so I gave it a tap to see if it was loose. A moment later it made a popping sound and went out. The light emitted a bad smell and now it doesn't work at all. It seems dead. Is it worth repairing? Thanks.

If you heard a popping sound followed by an odor, then that is probably a capacitor of some type failing. Repair costs are high on these flash units, and given their age, they may not be repairable. I would recommend investing that money into a new flash.

That's what I was afraid of. Thank you, even though you have delivered bad news.