Changing Elinchrom flashtubes and tube life

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zooxanthellae

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Hi all

This is for future reference really, i have a set of Elinchrom fx 400's this is the unit that was offered as the same time as the BX but doesnt have user changeable flash tubes.

Looking into the unit the tube looks to be connected by a couple of clamps with grub screws. Anyone changed these or any other flash tubes out?

I could send them off but would love to have a spare flash tube ready to go and the know how to change it, obviously i have to beware of the capacitors.
The job looks to be very simple on the FX head and im confident around electronics.

The other question is how long to flash tubes last if not broken?

Anyone know of a company that will sell tubes as most wont sell non user changeable flash tubes to the public.

regards and sorry for all the questions.

Tony
 
I've never had a flash tube blow. I'm sure they must sooner or later but we're talking tens of thousands of flashes.

Garry Edwards (he of Lencarta) is the man who knows and I think he would say it's very rare. In his absence, I hope he won't mind me quoting him when he described user replaceable tubes as "a marketing feature".
 
HoppyUK said:
I've never had a flash tube blow. I'm sure they must sooner or later but we're talking tens of thousands of flashes.

Garry Edwards (he of Lencarta) is the man who knows and I think he would say it's very rare. In his absence, I hope he won't mind me quoting him when he described user replaceable tubes as "a marketing feature".
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Agreed, for most of the people most of the time.
The people who make the flash tubes for Lencarta quote 50,000 full power flashes as the minimum expected life - and that means before there is any measurable deterioration, not before it stops working - call it 100,00 before failure is likely.

So, for most people, having user changeable flash tubes is more of a marketing feature than a real benefit. Mind you, there is one Lencarta Smartflash customer for whom 100,000 flashes is just 3 weeks of use:)
 
by my calc that means he fires his flash every 18 seconds all day and night. That is a busy man. :D
 
indolent said:
by my calc that means he fires his flash every 18 seconds all day and night. That is a busy man. :D
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Apparently it's some kind of automated system, they take 5000 shots per day. The customer has a store in central London, they must be pretty busy there.
 
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