SB800 dumping at full power

specialman · 15 Sep 2011

So one of my '800s played up the other day when out on a shoot - at the time it was on a Strato receiver but woundn't fire even when I swapped batteries in the flash, batteries in the receiver and changed to a different receiver unit. The day was damp, but nothing it has had to deal wth before.

Anyway, yesterday the same flash decided to work for 50 or so shots only to start dumping full power every time it flash. In all modes it does this. Batteries were changed and it's been tried on both my D2x bodies - no difference. It's making that noticeable whine as the internal gubbins try to draw as much power as they can, meaning recycling is a long, drawn out process.

I've done a two-button reset but no change - any ideas or is it a repair/file under B.I.N jobbie?

Flash In The Pan · 15 Sep 2011

Try this, switch the flash on and then change the batteries whilst the flash is still on.

specialman · 18 Sep 2011

Cheers Graham but no luck in that respect. Tried different (new) batteries of different brands, from the bog-standard IKEA ones to Duracells, brands that have all worked fine in the past. Bit puzzled on this one - I fear repair/replace coming.....

JonathanRyan · 23 Sep 2011

Take a close look at the hotshoe foot. I've had that when the pins got corroded changing it from a smart iTTL/BL flash into nuke strike. Needed a new foot.

specialman · 26 Sep 2011

Foot looks fine and tried battery change without turning off - no luck still

Sent off to Nikon UK for assessment - hoping it's not terminal.... that was my first SB800 and it's been through thick and thin with me....

specialman · 5 Oct 2011

UPDATE:

Nikon have quoted £190 for replacement if the circuit board.... not what I expected:eel:. Time to weigh up whether to repair, buy a used SB800 or get a new SB700......

PSILVERMAN · 6 Oct 2011

Have you thought about sb900. They're beasts.

Flash In The Pan · 6 Oct 2011

specialman said:
UPDATE:

Nikon have quoted £190 for replacement if the circuit board.... not what I expected:eel:. Time to weigh up whether to repair, buy a used SB800 or get a new SB700......

£190 is all the flash is worth - stick it on Ebay and it'll probably do £100 or so and put that towards another one, or a 700/900....

specialman · 6 Oct 2011

Flash In The Pan said:
£190 is all the flash is worth - stick it on Ebay and it'll probably do £100 or so and put that towards another one, or a 700/900....

Exactly what I thought. Work are paying for the repair (or its replacement), but nonetheless I see no point in spending more than I actually paid for it to get it working. As you say, someone will buy it..... probably with an eye to doing a DIY repair.

Main thing for me now is what to go for. I don't do CLS really, although I have another '800 that would team up nicely with another CLS flashgun. Thinking sb700.... how does it stack up against the 800 overall? Menu and controls look like the 900 and I'm not fussed about PC sync port but don't know anything about otherwise.....