Interchangeable flash tubes

<p>Can anyone suggest a resource (other than trial and error) that would help me determine if different flash tubes are interchangeable? I use Photogenic, and most of the flash tubes have identical physical interface to the head: three 1/8" pins in a circular base. I can tell from the catalog that certain ones are directly equivalent, the H4-1 and H4-4 both work in the same head with only a length difference, ditto the C4-19 and L4-19.</p>

<p>My gut tells me that while specific tubes are desiged to accomodate the shape of certain reflectors and have different maximum power levels that they're all interchangeable, but I don't want to fry any of my gear finding out. When someone on eBay offers new oldstock Photogenic-branded tubes for $15 that look like they should work in a head that normally takes a $100 tube, it's worth a little research.</p>

<p>Van</p>

<p>If you try an inapropriate tube, you will only fry the tube, either instantly, or life of the tube will be short.</p>

<p>Most tubes nominal parameters (energy) are rated higher than the actual flash implementation, and that extends the life of tube to many many more shots than nominal.</p>

<p>If flash produced voltage is different than the nominal for the tube, the flash may not produce desired light output for lower voltage, or can easily get much shorter life. Most extreme mismatch could be flash tube explosion - and that could damage mechanically your flash head.</p>

<p>You are facing a $15 versus a $100 spending. The $100 would last perhaps for few years of professional daily use (?), while the $15 tube you can never know until you try.</p>

<p>There is another tube parameter, and that is the very high voltage low power porarization applied to the center lead, but most tubes will get xenon polarized starting with about 4K VDC and up to 20 K.</p>