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[OM] Re: How close is too close?

Subject: [OM] Re: How close is too close?
From: Jan Steinman <Jan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2007 13:42:34 -0800
> From: Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
> Voltage I mean.  Last night I said "I hopped into the wayback machine
> and dug out my 1976 Vivitar 283 (which has sufficient trigger  
> voltage to
> curl your toes)...".  Sitting here today I realized I didn't remember
> exactly what that trigger voltage was so I remeasured it.  Turns out  
> my
> medium price Radio Shack DVM says 253 volts.  Canyon says the 5D is  
> good
> to 250 volts.  How accurate is my voltage measurement.  How tight is
> Cayon's engineering tolerance.  How close is close?  Would you use  
> this
> flash on a 5D?

The REAL question is, "Is the 5D still under warranty?" :-)

My EE days are a couple decades old, and Tim Hughes might have better  
info, but I'd think you have at least 10% tolerance. I've done a lot  
of curve-tracer components testing, and the actual breakdown voltage  
on small signal transistors is often double the rated breakdown voltage.

On the other hand, the trigger voltage is likely to be all over the  
place, depending on the ambient temperature and condition of the  
batteries. I'd check it with brand new lithium cells, which will have  
a higher voltage than rechargeables. Repeat the test at the lowest and  
highest ambient temperature you're likely to encounter.

But the bottom line: don't risk frying it if you can't put on your  
most innocent voice and write on the warranty form, "It just stopped  
working!"

Personally, I'd permanently epoxy a Wein SafeSync to that puppy. If  
not the 5D, you're gonna destroy something someday with it.


:::: Natural gas is hemispheric. I like to call it hemispheric in  
nature because it is a product that we can find in our neighborhoods.  
-- George W. Bush ::::
:::: Jan Steinman <http://www.VeggieVanGogh.com> ::::



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