SIGMA FLASH REPAIR
Recently they brought me for repair a good SIGMA EF-500 digital flash, which is battery-powered and attached directly to the synchro-contact (shoe) of a DSLR camera. The problem was that despite the normal operation of the low-voltage digital part, the flash did not occur even when the “test” button was pressed.
Naturally, the thought immediately appears about three possible problems:
I did not find a scheme for the repair, but this is not a problem - and so I'll figure out what's what. The voltage on the capacitor turned out to be normal, which was indirectly evidenced by the gradually fading whistle of the six-volt converter transformer from 300V batteries, after turning on the flash. As a powerful key, there is an incomprehensible detail with three legs and the mysterious designation CT40TMH. I did not immediately understand what kind of animal it was, so I began to mold a traditional BT138-600 triac in its place.
Of course, Comrade Osipov from the forum of the same name will laugh while reading these lines, but I did not know then that IRGP transistors with an insulated gate were already installed in flashlights. In general, after the first puff, the triac ordered to live a long time. He assumed that the triac was defective - he put another one. I press "test" - the same story: BT138-600 broke through again, and at the same time pulled a powerful planar pulse diode.
I understand that something abnormal is happening and only then I go online, with the goal of finding a SIGMA EF-500 flash unit or at least its output unit by all means. After a long search, I found on one forum for the repair of cameras and photoelectronics. We look at the diagram of the SIGMA high-voltage unit:
That's right - this is a powerful CT40TMH IGBT IRGP 400V and 200A. I begin to punch through radio stores and shops - wherever there is. Have not even heard of this. It got to the point that I went to St. Petersburg and went on the avenue to a good store of radio components "Mikronika" - but there, too, is a bummer.
I was already thinking of ordering this IRGP transistor in one online store for crazy 20ye, but the idea came up in time to replace it with a G4PC50W. This IRGP transistor is a more powerful analogue, with a maximum voltage of 600V and a current of 200A. And its price, for some reason, is only 5ue.
Since it is twice as large in size, and the contacts did not fit into the holes of the board, I had to twist over this G4PC50W. We cut off the thick leads almost to the root, and solder small pieces of wire in insulation to the remaining 5mm spots. We carefully isolate everything with cambric and electrical tape.
Now we solder the wires, respectively, to the contacts of the gate, collector and emitter. We replace the diode with a powerful cylinder from a switching power supply unit from the 3USCT TV. We turn it on - everything works. For the experiment and technical race, I flashed 50 times in a row - OK! I write down another successful repair to my asset and 20ue to the balance.
The design of the flash unit consists of three main elements - a gas-discharge lamp, a storage capacitor, and a trigger and control device. In an electronic flash, light is emitted by a pulsed discharge lamp filled with an inert gas and equipped with electrodes. A high voltage source is connected to the electrodes of this lamp - a storage capacitor, which stores the energy converted by the lamp into a light pulse.
This is a typical device for any electronic flash unit, and the weakest link here will be this gas discharge lamp. Its resource is several tens of thousands of puffs, after which the lamp burns out.
Of course, for radio amateurs it is not difficult to replace it with a new one, but when you find out the price. So, if I needed to buy a new gas-discharge lamp for an external flash FALCON Eyes SS150, I was unpleasantly surprised by its cost, which lasted a third of a new flash!
If anyone is interested, below is the schematic diagram of the falcon Eyes SS150:
So we will do it in a simple way: we will put the Soviet IFK-120 instead of the native ring lamp. Of course, according to Joules (light energy), it is two times weaker, but you can somehow come to terms with this. Well, it will burn out earlier - and so what? If the price of IFK-120 is about a dollar, you can change them at least every week. But it's better not to scoff at the IFK-120 and set the power mode to half.
So, we disassemble the flash and carefully remove the burnt out lamp. To make sure that it is completely burnt out, and not a breakdown of the electronic part, we measure the voltage of 300V and short-circuit the BT136-600 control triac. There is no flash - still a bad lamp.
Having unsoldered three contacts of this lamp from the ceramic socket, we solder a Soviet IFK-120 lamp to them (through tinned wires). We pre-wrap the glass flask with a half-millimeter bare wire - for better response.
Now it remains to insert a ceramic socket with a domestic lamp into the socket and check the operation - everything is OK! In total, we have savings of several tens of dollars.
Gentlemen, amateur photographers and professionals! I ask for help.
Actually the question is - where (to whom) can you turn to for a high-quality and fast enough repair of this device?
Joker J.K. - Is the snowman local? I just rarely go into this topic ..
Gentlemen, amateur photographers and professionals! I ask for help.
Actually the question is - where (to whom) can you turn to for a high-quality and fast enough repair of this device?
Symptoms show, most likely, that a powerful capacitor has deteriorated (dried out or broken through). This is if the flash does not get very hot when charging.
a powerful capacitor has deteriorated (dried out or broken through).
HZ as in Chinese, but I have never seen such a thing in branded blimmers. Yes, changing the kander is still the hemorrhoid with the disassembly of the rotary part, although if there is nothing else to do with such a blimalker, but I am not the case for making Chinese blimalki, I'd rather make a couple of three DSLRs during this time 🙂
Is your TV, radio, mobile phone or kettle broken? And you want to create a new topic about this in this forum?
First of all, think about this: imagine that your father / son / brother has an appendicitis pain and you know from the symptoms that it is just appendicitis, but there is no experience of cutting it out, as well as the tool. And you turn on your computer, access the Internet on a medical site with the question: "Help to cut out appendicitis." Do you understand the absurdity of the whole situation? Even if they answer you, it is worth considering factors such as the patient's diabetes, allergies to anesthesia and other medical nuances.I think no one does this in real life and will risk trusting the life of their loved ones with advice from the Internet.
The same is in the repair of radio equipment, although of course these are all the material benefits of modern civilization and in case of unsuccessful repairs, you can always buy a new LCD TV, cell phone, iPAD or computer. And for the repair of such equipment, at least it is necessary to have the appropriate measuring (oscilloscope, multimeter, generator, etc.) and soldering equipment (hairdryer, SMD-hot tweezers, etc.), a schematic diagram, not to mention the necessary knowledge and repair experience.
Let's consider the situation if you are a beginner / advanced radio amateur who solders all sorts of electronic gizmos and has some of the necessary tools. You create an appropriate thread on the repair forum with a short description of “patient symptoms”, ie. for example “Samsung LE40R81B TV does not turn on”. So what? Yes, there can be a lot of reasons for not switching on - from malfunctions in the power system, problems with the processor or flashing firmware in the EEPROM memory.
The purpose of this post is not any PR of repair shops, but I want to convey to you that sometimes self-repair can be more expensive than taking it to a professional workshop. Although, of course, this is your money and what is better or more risky is up to you.
If you nevertheless decide that you are able to independently repair the radio equipment, then when creating a post, be sure to indicate the full name of the device, modification, year of manufacture, country of origin and other detailed information. If there is a diagram, then attach it to the post or give a link to the source. Write down how long the symptoms have been manifesting, whether there were surges in the supply voltage network, whether there was a repair before that, what was done, what was checked, voltage measurements, oscillograms, etc. From a photo of a motherboard, as a rule, there is little sense, from a photo of a motherboard taken on a mobile phone there is no sense at all. Telepaths live in other forums.
The format of your post should be as follows:
Topics with the title “Help fix the Sony TV” with the content “broken” and a couple of blurred photos of the unscrewed back cover, taken with the 7th iPhone, at night, with a resolution of 8000x6000 pixels are immediately deleted. The more information you post about the breakdown, the more chances you will get a competent answer. Understand that the forum is a system of gratuitous mutual assistance in solving problems and if you are dismissive of writing your post and do not follow the above tips, then the answers to it will be appropriate, if anyone wants to answer at all. Also note that no one should answer instantly or within a day, say, no need to write after 2 hours “That no one can help”, etc. In this case, the topic will be deleted immediately.
If you decide to take your broken equipment to the nearest workshop, but do not know where, then perhaps our online cartographic service will help you: workshops on the map (on the left, press all buttons except “Workshops”). You can leave and view user reviews for workshops.
For repairmen and workshops: you can add your services to the map. Find your object on the map from the satellite and click on it with the left mouse button. In the field “Object type:” do not forget to change to “Equipment repair”. Adding is absolutely free! All objects are checked and moderated. A discussion of the service is here.
Whatever service you order, whatever the complexity of the task, you can count on the best performance. excellent quality satisfied customers .
Do-it-yourself flash repair is not an easy task, even if you are confident in your abilities, are familiar with electronics and know how to use a soldering iron, this will still not be enough, due to such problems as the lack of spare parts and the difficulty of diagnosing the problem. As a rule, flash units fail after falling, the consequences of which will be expressed in the fact that the camera will not see the flash, there will be no pulse, etc. And if, for example, you noticed that the flash took significantly longer to charge, and the pictures began to turn out to be dark, then this is a symptom that the flash needs repair.
At first glance, the internal filling of the flash, which is simple, requires great responsibility and a competent approach to repair, since, for example, a voltage of up to 330 volts remains in its capacitor even when it is off. Therefore, in order to avoid troubles, as well as additional costs in connection with the elimination of the consequences of incompetent repairs, only professionals should be entrusted with the repair of the camera flash. It should be understood that if you do not replace the flash lamp in time, or replace it with a lamp with different parameters, then an expensive transistor may burn out, replacing which will cost a pretty penny. Basically, the breakdowns of flash units are associated with the failure of lamps, transformers, transistors, poor contact, etc. In order to carry out a high-quality repair of the flash, you will need not only special equipment such as a soldering station and special solder, but also the availability of branded spare parts. This must not be forgotten.
The OnService service center offers a full range of flash repair services, ranging from the simplest models to studio flash repairs. Our experienced specialists will carry out a free fault diagnosis and will do their best to ensure that our cooperation with you will leave you only the most positive memories. Contact us in any way convenient for you, and our managers will answer all your questions regarding the features of the repair, its cost and the timing of the work.
Our service center repairs flash units of all well-known brands of manufacturers:
repair of flash units Metz
repair of flash units Nissin
Nikon flash repair
Canon flash repair
repair of flash units Sigma
repair of flash units Cullmann
Raylab flash repair
repair of Fujifilm flash units
The photo workshop Remtelevid service repairs built-in flash units in digital and SLR cameras, Canon, Metz, Nikon, Sigma, Sony external flashes, as well as studio flashes.
Replacing the flash lamp
Reconstruction of electronic boards at the component level
Hot shoe repair and replacement
The cost of repairing flashes in digital and SLR cameras depends on the model of the device according to the price list see here - https://my.housecope.com/wp-content/uploads/ext/3479/remontfoto.htm
The cost of repairing external flashes is from 3000 to 3500 rubles including parts.
Flash repair in the camera requires strict adherence to safety rules. REMEMBER that the voltage on the storage capacitor of the flash is about 300 volts, if you handle it carelessly, you can not only get an electric shock, but also easily destroy the camera irrevocably. Discharge the flash storage capacitor every time you turn on the power. The capacitor can be discharged through a 1-2kΩ resistor.
The material of this article is intended, first of all, for novice craftsmen who want to familiarize themselves in more detail with the principle of operation of the flash circuit.
A digital camera without a flash is not very useful for work, and it makes no sense to use it in low light conditions. So camera repair with such a malfunction, users, as a rule, do not raise questions.
As for the practical side of the issue: often the repair process is complicated not so much by the lack of components, but by the lack of service documentation. Unfortunately, at present there is very little technical literature devoted to the device of photo flashes, a description of the principles of operation of their electronic circuits, despite the fact that there is great interest in the device of photo flashes and, moreover, in their repair, not only among the owners of cameras, but also , often among workers camera repair shops especially in the provinces.
Let's consider the operation of the flash according to the principle diagram of a film camera in Fig. 1.
The blocking circuit of the flash generator is assembled on the Q303 transistor. At the moment of switching on, the transistor is open with a negative voltage supplied through the resistor R305, the winding of the transformer T301, the open transistor Q304. As a result, a current flows through winding I of the transformer, which induces a pulse of positive polarity in winding II. It turns off transistor Q303. The current in the winding I begins to decrease. The disappearing magnetic field induces a negative polarity pulse in winding II, which again leads to the opening of the transistor. The process is repeated continuously. Pulses of different polarity induce current in the winding III of the transformer and, rectifying by diode D302, charge capacitors C303 to a voltage of 250 - 280 volts, C302 through resistors R308 R306. When the shutter button is pressed, the sync flash fires. A positive voltage is applied to the control electrode of the SR301 thyristor, opens it and closes the capacitor C302 to the case, causing its discharge and a sharp decrease in the current in the primary winding of the T302 transformer. The disappearing magnetic field induces a high-voltage pulse in the secondary winding, causing gas breakdown in the bulb of the XE301 flash lamp and, as a result, a bright short-term glow.
And, in conclusion, I would like to inform you that in the near future our workshop is planning to release an e-book “Repair of the flash in the camera », Which can be downloaded on our website. In addition to the schematic diagrams of flash cameras of modern digital cameras, SLR cameras of leading brands, the book will publish the most common malfunctions in flash units, methods of their detection and elimination.
Follow the news on our website https://my.housecope.com/wp-content/uploads/ext/3479
02/10/2009 Added article - Rational camera repair. A short excerpt from the article - Haste and camera repair are incompatible concepts. The constitution and circuitry of cameras are quite complex, and even for an experienced craftsman, who has more than one hundred repaired cameras behind him, a rush to work will only increase the costs of both time and money.
Canon camera repair
Hot shoe repair
Canon SLR camera repair
Lens repair in cameras Canon powershot s2is shutter malfunction - One of the common malfunctions in Canon powershot s2is cameras is a malfunction of the lens shutter mechanism. More often than not, the shutter curtain gets stuck in one of the positions “shutter closed” or “shutter open”. Accordingly, the manifestation of malfunctions if the shutter is closed, there is no image in the photo mode (in simple words, the manifestation of a malfunction when the shutter is closed will be the same as if the lens cap is not removed).
Video (click to play).
What are the interchangeable lenses for SLR cameras, what this or that lens is intended for, the cost of repair - you can find out on the page - Professional repair of interchangeable lenses for SLR cameras Canon, Nikon, Tokina, Tamron, Sony, Sigma, Minolta, Pentax, Olympus.
