Z240 Manual Problem

[serge 2]

I am having a problem with my 2 Z240 type 3. They only will work in TTL mode and not do manual. When i set to manual they only give a tiny flash that is not showing on the picture. the settings are correct (magnet, 7d on manual, 1st curtain ... all that is not the reason). So i figure it might be the magnets stuck and the flashes are still preflashing? so what i want to try is to open tha magnet buttons and see if they are maybe stuck from the magnetic sand here in lembeh ... now my problem is, that i cannot figure our how to open the magnet button ... anyone knows how to do it? can it be done? or do i brake the strobe?

 

thanks for any advise ... i'd really love to be able to have manual strobe control again

 

 

Serge

Edited October 31, 2011 by serge

[davirond 2]

Hi Serge,

 

There is no magnet on the Z240, so I'm assuming you are talking about the pre-flash mode switch, the button on the bottom-right, just below the power dial.

My setup is an EOS50D and two Z240 (one Type 2 and one type 3). I set both of them on "Push" position ; both flashes are obviously in Manual mode, and everything works fine.

[serge 2]

In that button, there is a magnet ... that's the one i mean, yes. Anyone knows how to open it?

[pbalves 54]

Hello Serge

 

I have exactly the same problem with one of my Z240 type 4.

 

My rig is a Canon 40D on an Aquatica housing, so I am not able to use the strobe at TTL. So I always have the right side button on "Push" position, to use it with electrical cable. When the strove is on External or manual, I only get a tiny flash, but when I put it on TTL, slave from the one that is working fine, it is capable of fire at full power.

 

As the position for the manual setting is with the button pushed in, I do not know if the magnet has been lost/broken, or same sand went under the magnet and now it is not able to reach the deep enough to activate the internal switch.

 

I do not like the 2 push buttons on the inon strobe. It is something that inon should improve on the design of the Z240 strobe. Several time is is quite difficult to activate this 2 buttons probably due to small grains of sand. Specially with gloves and cold water!

 

As you I also tried to find the way the top capsule of the button could be taken out to clean inside and see if I could find the problem.

 

I gave up. I have send the strobe to the dealer to "repair".

 

If you find a way, please share.

 

Best regards

 

Pedro Alves

[serge 2]

Hi Pedro,

 

i found out how to open the button (a friend send me a message), but it did not help in my case. You can give it a try though: Push the button in (don't turn it) and push a wire or a pin through the holes on the site to fix it. Than turn out the whole thing anticlockwise. This is by the way also the method to open the lightswitch button.

 

After having opened, it turned out, that only half of my magnets was still there ... the rest was already corroded

 

cheers,

 

Serge

[pbalves 54]

Hi Serge

 

Thanks for the tip how to take out the button.

 

Unfortunately for me it is a little late as I have sent the strobe to repair one week ago.... But symptoms of the problem with my strobe are exactly the same ones you had. Most probably the problem with my strobe is the same that you have (the magnet corroded or broken or something like that). Never the less is interesting to know this from you because I can argue better if the price of the repair is not under control.

 

And for you, you can contact an Inon dealer and ask if he has a magnet as spares. If you can do that, it gets quite cheap to repair the strobe. I have already bought a cap for the batteries compartment and a screw for closure of the electrical compartment cap. So, there are spare parts... For sure that the magnet is also a spare part. I do not believe that we have been the only ones to have this problem....

 

Best regards

 

Pedro Alves

[serge 2]

A little update: I tried to mount the magnet of a friends strobe and it is perfectly fine. so the reason for manual mode malfuction was the corrosion of the magnet.

 

serge

[Alison Perkins 29]

Any chance you could offer a little more information on how to remove the bottom-right button on the strobe? I am not sure how to do it.

 

There are two holes in the side of the button, a very small one (top), and a slightly bigger one (bottom). I can only get a pin through the smaller one, and it doesn't hold the button down when depressed. I can't get a pin through the bigger bottom hole, whether the button is depressed or not.

[I-NSC 1]

A little update: I tried to mount the magnet of a friends strobe and it is perfectly fine. so the reason for manual mode malfuction was the corrosion of the magnet.

 

serge

 

Glad to hear that your strobe is working again.