Thanks for the feedback on the 3 vs 4 cells. But I think I'll still
continue using 4 cells all the time. Keeping track of the dummy battery
and an odd number of partially discharged AA's isn't worth it when I can
either recharge 4 at a time or replace them with a set of alkalines for
about a buck.
Chuck Norcutt
Tim Hughes wrote:
>
> --- Chuck Norcutt <chucknorcutt@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> I also meant to mention that when you buy a Quantum Turbo "CZ" power
>> cable for Canyon flash units it comes with a power saver dummy AA
>> battery. Apparently the control electronics of the flash must be able
>> to run on about 3 volts so the 4th battery is not really required when
>> running with a high voltage supply. Perhaps the same is true of other
>> flash units but the best is the T-32 and some Sunpaks which don't need
>> any AA's when running on high voltage. It helps same some weight but I
>> leave all the batteries in anyway just in case the high voltage supply
>> fails at an inopportune time.
>
> If you were to leave the 4th cell in the unit, then the turbo and the 4cells
> charge the hi-v cap
> in parallel (faster), but the 4 cells get depleted at a relatively rapid
> rate. Dropping the
> voltage by one cell means the 3cells don't contribute much to charging the
> hiv-v cap and so not
> only do you "save" one cell, the remaining cells stay fresh and last a longer
> time in supplying
> the control electronics and so keep the unit running longer on the external
> turbo pack.
>
>> Chuck Norcutt wrote:
>>> For some reason I thought there was at least one Metz flash that could
>>> accept either 4 alkaline AA's or 5 NiCad or NiMH such that the flash
>>> always saw 6 volts. But if it exists I couldn't find it.
>
> I have never heard of that but the Metz T45's have a different holder pack
> for the NiCd's vs the
> Alkaline (still 6cells) (You are not suposed to use NiCd's or NiMh's in the
> Alkaline holder) The
> holders connector attaches at a different point in the circuit, so providing
> an optimum tap on the
> invertor transformer, to get the best performance from the niCd's.
>
>>> Some of the
>>> bigger Metz and Sunpak units take 6 AA's which I think is just for
>>> additional capacity.
>
> Actually it is not only capacity it is more of a rate issue, as many of those
> units (except the
> very largest) have about the same energy as the T32. The 6 cells can charge
> the capacitor much
> faster and more consistently than the T32 can with 4 alkaline cells, but at a
> weight cost. The
> T32 struggles to charge fully in anything like it's specified time because
> the maximum energy rate
> extractable from the 4 cells is a lot less than 6. If it had been optimised
> for just NiCd (or
> NiMh,if they had existed then) then they could have more easily achieved the
> specs. The T32 on
> it's booster handle actually is much,much more consistent than it is on it's
> own, because like the
> sunpaks it then also has a hi-voltage feedback regulator that the simpler T32
> on it's own lacks,
> however it was also designed for alkalines and you can't extract energy from
> 4 alkaline C cells a
> whole lot faster than from 4 AA cells, although it takes much longer before
> they really start
> wilting as badly! Unlike Alkalines,most rechargeable's have a rate
> capability that scales with
> size so it is easier to design for them alone. Of course in an OM when using
> TTL everything
> usually works fine, even if the flash is not fully charged. It's the manual
> settings that suffer
> consistency, if the cap is not fully charged.
>
> Tim Hughes
>
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