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office888 · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Southwest Michigan

I own a Kodak Ektalux flashgun with the syncro-switch and a solenoid flash cord. I recently bought batteries and attempted to work the flash. When i press the solenoid button, the solenoid trips but the flashbulb doesn't fire. I opened it up and all of the wiring appeared intact. I tried my entire bulb collection of #25, 5B, and #40 bulbs. None worked.

Any suggestions?

Micah in NC · Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 94 Location: North Carolina

Office,

Hey there. My Ektalux no longer works properly, either. It did when I first bought it -- only about four or five years ago -- but now doesn't.

I don't use it as a solenoid tripper, though.

I suspect there might be a open circuit in the capacitor, maybe. (Some capacitors do this as they age, and these are pushing 50 years old, if a day.)

This bad-"cap" explanation would be feasible IF the Ektalux is wired so the solenoid jack receives voltage straight from the batteries while the voltage to the bulb holder must travel throught the capacitor.

If this is the case, it would explain both our non-flashing Ektalux units.

Having never opened up my Ektalux, though, I have no idea how it's wired inside and this is pure supposition.

--Micah in NC

[ This Message was edited by: Micah in NC on 2004-03-20 10:46 ]

[ This Message was edited by: Micah in NC on 2004-03-20 10:49 ]

office888 · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Southwest Michigan

You're right. The solenoid travels an almost nearly direct route to the solenoid connector through only one of the capacitors. Judging by the way the wiring is set up, the flash goes through both. I'm a little bit frightened to switch out anything in this myself.

Anyone know of any good flash technicians I could call?

alecj · Joined: 09 May 2001 Posts: 853 Location: Alabama

If you can find a copy of an old Kodak data book: "Use, Maintenance, and Repair of Professional Equipment", you'll find a section devoted to the care, problem diagnosis and maintenance of the Ektalux flash systems. It was part of the Kodak Professional Handbook.

And, if you're afraid of the Ektalux capacitors [I would be too], wait until you see the warnings in there about working on a Kodatron Studio Speedlamp!

office888 · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Southwest Michigan

Well, he managed to fix the flash but now the solenoid doesn't work. The solenoid-sync cord disentegrated. Literally, it became a fine copper powder. So now, I have a working OPEN flash. Problem two...I need an Ektalux-to-Solenoid or Ektalux-to-Shutter cord. I've been watching ebay and there seems to be a lack of anything ektalux related.

Micah in NC · Joined: 26 Jun 2003 Posts: 94 Location: North Carolina

Office,

Hmmm. I don't know. I wonder if Paramount company makes such a critter, or could be convinced to make them in small quantity?

http://www.paramountcords.com

I would be interested in one...

--Micah in NC

t.r.sanford · Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2004 9:52 am Post subject:

I'd give Paramount a call. A few years back, I needed a "Focuspot" cord, and Paramount agreed to make one if I'd send them a "Focuspot" to look at! So I did, and so they did; it worked out very well.

I don't know what kind of connectors the "Ektalux" cord uses, but if Paramount has them, I'm sure they will make the cord.

office888 · Joined: 19 Feb 2004 Posts: 41 Location: Southwest Michigan

I thank the added boost of 45 volts that this flash has. It's so far proven itself to be reliable. Out of forty bulbs that i've spent so far as an open flash, all of them have gone off.