hjoseph7 Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 After 5 long years, I'm finally able to get my photography equipment out of storage. This includes cameras, lenses, Lights, Battery Packs, umbrellas, reflectors, mounts, soft boxes, etc. Due to my day job, I had to put all this stuff in storage, so I could work on assignments throughout the country. Now I think I'm finally able to get my stuff. I have to travel about 1000 miles, first by plane then by truck. What are the chances that this stuff still works ? I'm talking about the Flash units especially . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed_Ingold Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Flash units should be placed on charge for a few hours before use. The electrolytic power capacitors tend to de-polarize on long disuse. Applying power restores their capacity. The short term effect is a lower power rating. Batteries are another story. If they lose their charge, they may suffer permanent damage. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben_hutcherson Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 The only permanent damage might have come from leaving primary cells installed in equipment and having it leak. Also, you may find that rechargeable batteries don't last as long as they did, and you may want to look into replacements. As Ed said, though, your flashes will probably come back to life with a bit of effort. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmac Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 5 years is not terribly long for cameras or flash units, depends how they were stored. Check for the usual detriments, fungus, hazing, stuck helicoils. A 40ct4 Metz flash I stored for 25 years had dead rechargeable cells but sprang back to life after modifying it to take 4 ordinary AA batteries. Still a great flash unit but now looks a bit weird with this battery compartment from another flash araldited on the side of it to take the AAs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmac Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 This is how I kept the Metz in use. Drilled a hole in the side of the flash case to run the wires out and soldered to the contacts of the new battery case. I wouldn't wish this task on anyone else but it's what I did to prolong the use of this superb medium size Metz. Easy to change readily obtainable batteries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jochen_S Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 80%? for flashes Higher for cameras? pretty low for batteries? Please post your quota, once you 'll have it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDMvW Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Temperature and humidity are key variables. Dry, moderate temperature is best. It is large fluctuations in conditions that do the most harm. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Currie Posted July 9, 2018 Share Posted July 9, 2018 Depending on storage conditions I'd have a close look at the lenses for fungus too. Not hugely likely but possible, and something you might do well to attack before it gets too bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted August 26, 2018 Author Share Posted August 26, 2018 After about a moth of checking my equipment after I got it back there were some casualties. First the good news: All of my mono-lights(Alien-bees, Photogenic Studio-Max III's) seem to be working fine. I packed them really nice so there were no broken modeling-lamps or flash-tubes. All my stands, soft-boxes, umbrellas are in tip-top condition. No missing parts or bent or scratched units All my power packs(Norman) seem to be working fine. All my Norman flash heads are in good shape My 2 Paul C Buff Vagabond Mini Lithium power packs are working fine. My Metz 50 MZ potato-masher flash is working fine ! My Canon EOS3, Elan 7E, and 5D are all working My Mamiya 1000s is working fine(the battery held up !) My Nikon FE2, FM2 are all working fine(FE2 needed new battery) My Epson scanner seems to be working fine, but I need to calibrate it My Vivitar 285/283 flash units all work even the one made in China All my lenses look fine, some needed a little cleaning My Sekonic flash meter works fine My Beseler darkroom is back up ! The Bad: I lost or maybe they were stolen 3 Norman LH2400 flash heads($350 each) My Quantum Battery 1, Battery 2 and Turbo Battery are all dead and will not take a charge. The cables to my Quantum batteries are all lost or stolen My HP computer turns on, but that's about it My expensive NEC monitor turns on, but that's about it My Norman 200c and 400B power packs are dead and wont take a charge My Metz 76 MZ5 blew up, or at least it sounded like that. I think its the capacitors My Metz 76 power pack is kind of shaky, would not connect it to anything right now My Epson printer is dead My close-up/Macro flash unit of made up of 4 Nikon SB-15 flash units plus cables, lost or stolen 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck909 Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 I have 5 flash units that are all older than most readers here. They all work perfectly (KOW) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uhooru Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 Great about all the stuff that "made it". Sorry bout the other stuff. I really wanted a Quantum at one point not too long ago. Its great that all your Norman gear works. Sounds like your ready to party:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_h Posted August 30, 2018 Share Posted August 30, 2018 AGM (sealed lead acid) batteries like to stay charged. Charge about every two months or so. Most often, though, they aren't hard to replace. NiCd, NiMH, and Li-ion aren't quite as sensitive, often they work fine after years, sometimes they die even with normal use. -- glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjoseph7 Posted September 10, 2018 Author Share Posted September 10, 2018 After about a moth of checking my equipment after I got it back there were some casualties. First the good news: All of my mono-lights(Alien-bees, Photogenic Studio-Max III's) seem to be working fine. I packed them really nice so there were no broken modeling-lamps or flash-tubes. All my stands, soft-boxes, umbrellas are in tip-top condition. No missing parts or bent or scratched units All my power packs(Norman) seem to be working fine. All my Norman flash heads are in good shape My 2 Paul C Buff Vagabond Mini Lithium power packs are working fine. My Metz 50 MZ potato-masher flash is working fine ! My Canon EOS3, Elan 7E, and 5D are all working My Mamiya 1000s is working fine(the battery held up !) My Nikon FE2, FM2 are all working fine(FE2 needed new battery) My Epson scanner seems to be working fine, but I need to calibrate it My Vivitar 285/283 flash units all work even the one made in China All my lenses look fine, some needed a little cleaning My Sekonic flash meter works fine My Beseler darkroom is back up ! The Bad: I lost or maybe they were stolen 3 Norman LH2400 flash heads($350 each) My Quantum Battery 1, Battery 2 and Turbo Battery are all dead and will not take a charge. The cables to my Quantum batteries are all lost or stolen My HP computer turns on, but that's about it My expensive NEC monitor turns on, but that's about it My Norman 200c and 400B power packs are dead and wont take a charge My Metz 76 MZ5 blew up, or at least it sounded like that. I think its the capacitors My Metz 76 power pack is kind of shaky, would not connect it to anything right now My Epson printer is dead My close-up/Macro flash unit of made up of 4 Nikon SB-15 flash units plus cables, lost or stolen **UPDATE** I lost or maybe they were stolen 3 Norman LH2400 flash heads($350 each) (FOUND !) The cables to my Quantum batteries are all lost or stolen (FOUND !) My close-up/Macro flash unit of made up of 4 Nikon SB-15 flash units plus cables, lost or stolen (FOUND !) My Metz 76 power pack is kind of shaky, would not connect it to anything right now (BACK TO NORMAL !) Everything else remains the same... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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