Re: [Leica] Electronic Flash maintenance question

[budcook@ibm.net]

Greg,
You need to reform the capacitor every so often.  I do it once a month by
letting the unit charge for 15-30 minutes.  I also fire both the main flash
and the fill flash on manual so that they completely discharge.  I do this
several times.  I also recharge my nicad battery pack when doing the rest of
this stuff.
Bud
- -----Original Message-----
From: Greg Bicket <GBicket@email.msn.com>
To: LUG <Leica-Users-Digest@mejac.palo-alto.ca.us>
Date: Monday, October 12, 1998 11:25 AM
Subject: [Leica] Electronic Flash maintenance question

>Hey LUG,
>
>I use the the Metz 40 MZ-3 electronic flash on my R8 [to keep things on
>topic], but not very often.  In the cobwebby corners of my memory, I seem
to
>recall the admonition of a strobe manufacturer about keeping electronic
>flashes healthy.  Was it with Vivitar's 283?  Anyway, there was a
>recommendation to occasionally fire the strobe at a white piece of paper at
>close range four or five times in quick succession in order to exercise the
>thyristor, if memory serves.
>
>Has flash technology marched on, or are there things one should do to
>maintain modern electronic flash units in good condition?
>
>Thanks, and enjoy the light [ambient or filled-in]!
>
>Greg Bicket
>
>
>
>