Canon 430ii took a fall please help

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jimmy83

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I was using my 430ii wireless in a softbox last night and it fell over from about 6foot :(

The display works and can change the settings etc and the red pilot light comes on but I just can't get the flash to fire gutted :(

Can anyone offer any advice?
 
Not sure what advice we can give. It appears to be electronically ok.. it powers up, it cycles... it just doesn't flash, which points towards the tube being broken. Have you tried to fire it on camera by the hotshoe as well as remotely? Does it have a standard PC sync socket you can try to trigger it by?

You got insurance?
 
Yes I do have insurance didn't think about using that...will take a look at my policy. Thanks for reminding me!

I guess it's the tube part that has broken might take it apart and have a look inside.
 
jimmy83 said:
Yes I do have insurance didn't think about using that...will take a look at my policy. Thanks for reminding me!

I guess it's the tube part that has broken might take it apart and have a look inside.
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Don't!!
Do some research first, there's a capacitor in there which fully charged will cause serious harm
 
Pookeyhead said:
Not sure what advice we can give. It appears to be electronically ok.. it powers up, it cycles... it just doesn't flash, which points towards the tube being broken. Have you tried to fire it on camera by the hotshoe as well as remotely? Does it have a standard PC sync socket you can try to trigger it by?

You got insurance?
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As well as those ideas, if it is the same as the Canon 580 II, then the red light is actually a pilot button as well. Pressing it, (it is quite stiff on mine) should cause the flash to trigger itself, without ANY other external interfaces.
You might even hear a phhzt as the flash tries to fire, if it is just the tube.
 
Phil V said:
Don't!!
Do some research first, there's a capacitor in there which fully charged will cause serious harm
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And, you may not be able to claim insurance either if you have been meddling.
 
One looks like a dodgy chinese one and the other slightly less dodgy one from Russia! :exit:
 
Why don't you get a quote to have it checked/repaired professionally before you do anything else? If you open it up, there's a risk of electric shock and having an insurance claim repudiated, or trying to replace it - assuming it is the tube - with a part of unknown provenance.
 
20 years as a multi skilled engineer and the greatest electric shock I have ever had was from a compact camera that I decided needed "looking" at...and just to be sure i touched the same component again and got a 2nd belt. Believe me capacitors pack a punch like nothing else on earth..

Be warned don't touch the shiny bits..
 
Changing the bulb at the weekend following a YouTube guide. Pilot light fires ok but once it's on the camera it always fires but sometimes it's not always at the set power output. I've tried new batteries and I leave it a few seconds to recycle but it's still not 100% does anyone know why this is happening?
 
Lines of untold sagacity and you still took it to bits? <shakes head>

You're lucky to be alive and able to post a further question. ;)
 
chuckles said:
Lines of untold sagacity and you still took it to bits? <shakes head>

You're lucky to be alive and able to post a further question. ;)
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Ah yes I'm alive! The old bulb had shattered replaced it with a new one which was pretty straight forward didn't have any problems soldered it all back but something doesn't seem quite right still :(
 
I once took apart one of those disposable film cameras with a built in flash to get the film out. Whilst poking and prodding I got a big shock from the capacitor which stored the flash charge.

Depending on the excess and how it could affect a future premium, I would be inclined to buy a replacement.
 
jimmy83 said:
Ah yes I'm alive! The old bulb had shattered replaced it with a new one which was pretty straight forward didn't have any problems soldered it all back but something doesn't seem quite right still :(
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So you pay lots of money for insurance... and instead of using the insurance you take something apart which has now meant that no insurance company or repair lab will touch it...
 
Well it wasn't worth going thru the insurance since my excess is £200 the flash is only worth that.

Fixation quoted me about £100 plus P&P so I decided trying to fix it myself for a few quid.
 
jimmy83 said:
Well it wasn't worth going thru the insurance since my excess is £200 the flash is only worth that.

Fixation quoted me about £100 plus P&P so I decided trying to fix it myself for a few quid.
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Yikes! I think I'd change my insurance policy pronto!
 
I thought thy excess was fairly reasonable if I had problems with my cameras I would defiantly of used a insurance claim.
 
jimmy83 said:
I thought thy excess was fairly reasonable if I had problems with my cameras I would defiantly of used a insurance claim.
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The last insurance I had, the excess was £50 with a specialist camera insurer.

When you consider that many electrical faults with a camera will be fixed for about £200 it seems almost not worth the insurance.
 
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