Replacing the Battery Door on a Nikon SB-25 / SB-26

<p>I want to swap out the battery door cover on a Nikon SB-25 Parts Flash and replace a mangled Battery Door Cover on a Nikon SB-26. How hard is it to remove, and replace the Battery Door Cover / Lid on a Nikon SB-25 / SB-26 without breaking it?? Do I need to remove the front of the SB-26 in order to access the opening to the Battery Door Cover?? Or is there are "Secret" way to do this without having to disassemble the front part of the camera?<br>

Thanks</p>

<p>Sam, I looked at photos of SB-25 and SB-26 on mir.com</p>

<p>It looks like it has a similar door to my SB-28 and SB-800. At least on the SB-800, you slide the cover lengthwise - parallel to the length of the flash. After the sliding operation, then the door hinges open and you can open it a little more than 90 degrees from the flash body. The SB-800 cover is only held in place at this point by a couple plastic pins. You can rock the cover to the side and pull the whole thing out. On SB-800 the door is supposed to be removable because there is an option for a 5th battery holder. Not sure if this is relevant to the SB-26. Have you tried playing with the battery door after sliding it open? It does not take a lot of force to remove the SB-800 door so long as you are working the right geometry. </p>

<p>It's easy. First take out the screws on the bottom plate, then swivel the head 90d to expose the four top screws on the body. Unscrew, separate the two halves. Simply pull out old door, pop in new one, and carefully snap the halves back together. Hold the body tightly together, screw the top screws back in, replace the bottom plate and screw it back on. Simple. </p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>It's an easy job if you manage to avoid touching any circuit boards, wire ends,cap terminals etc.<br>

A jolt from a flash cap makes you drop/throw the unit on the floor - completely involuntarily.<br>

I realise you guys will already know this stuff, this is just in case any other readers don't. <br>

When I'd get a bad one I'd curse so loud & long I'd hear the neighbours laughing. </p>

<p>A jolt from a charged capacitor inside of even these little flash has actually put people in the hospital. The big ones on my White Lightning X3200 could easily kill you. Just be careful, oh, and watch for any little wires dangling from the foot etc. that they don't get pinched when snapping the covers back together. I've never been shocked by these flash, but I am careful.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>OK here is the latest: I just bought the used SB-25 "parts flash" -- it is non-functioning so *it* should be quite DEAD. Having to open it up was my greatest fear: The 4 screws on the bottom and 4 screws on the top is the *easy* part. The question now becomes how hard will it be to separate the front section which holds the battery door so I can safely remove it without breaking it?? Are there a whole bunch of clips etc, that hold the two halves together etc., or... do I luck out and the two halves separate without too much fuss?? Judging from the responses it seems the posters know where of they speak, and have taken one or more of these flashes apart before.<br>

While I'm at it I plan to simply keep the flash foot off (the SB-25) and put it aside and ready to go in case the one on the SB-26 should break. Later on I plan to order one or two more to have them on hand as back ups. One other small problem I should know in advance: Do I need to disconnect the flash foot on the SB-26 when it is time to separate the halves on the SB-26?? On the SB-26 (the one which will receive the donor door), do I have to remove all four top screws or just the two that hold the front side (which has the door in it) to the back side?? The less I have to take that flash apart the better.<br>

Depending upon how bad -- or good with luck -- my experience is getting the door OUT of the SB-25, I may take the flash and door to a camera shop and let *them* remove and replace the mangled one on the SB-26. I am hoping that swapping out the door will take no more than 15 -20 minutes tops, but I'm never *that* lucky.<br>

One last thing you might find "interesting" : When I went in search of obtaining just battery door I contacted NikonUSA, here is what Nikon wrote me:</p>

<p>"Thank you for contacting Nikon. We no longer make, sell, or service the SB-26 so we would not have the parts for it. If you have any more questions please contact us again.<br /><br />Thank you,<br /><br />Alaetra<br />Nikon Technical Support <br /><br /><br>

.... so when I switched to Plan B -- finding a "Parts Flash", I asked them the question that I posted here. Here is Nikon's response:<br>

<br />"Thank you for contacting Nikon. Unfortunately I cannot provide any steps or suggestions to help you replace your battery door cover. If a part is broken or needs to be replaced we always recommend that you send it into service.<br>

"You can locate a Nikon authorized camera repair shop in your area (if it is outside the warranty). Or you can send it in to our Nikon service center for repair.<br>

"To find the Nikon Authorized Repair Station in your area please click on the link below.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nikonusa.com/Service-And-Support/Nikon-Authorized-Repair-List.page" target="_blank">http://www.nikonusa.com/Service-And-Support/Nikon-Authorized-Repair-List.page</a><br /><br />"For Nikon Service information, please see:<br /> <br />Title: How do I get my Nikon product serviced?<br />URL: <a href="http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/336" target="_blank">http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/336</a><br /> <br>

"The service approval will require you to pre-authorize the costs (for non-warranty repairs only) based on your input to the issue you are having with your Nikon Product. This is done to expedite the repair process. If the costs are different from what you initially pre-authorized, we will advise you.<br>

"There is no need to call in advance for any approval or authorization; simply send the product in for evaluation with no accessories, unless part of the issue, and a photocopy of the receipt. Once logged in, service will send you a confirmation. <br /> <br />"Sorry for the problems you have had with your Nikon product; Nikon Service strives to evaluate and repair all items as quickly as possible.<br /><br />Thank you<br /><br />Matipa<br />Nikon Tech Support</p>

<p>On one hand they tell me they do not service or have the parts because my SB-26 is too old and decrepit, on the other they imply that if I take my old and decrepit SB-26 into an authorized Nikon repair facility PRESTO!! they can locate the battery door cover.<br>

Well Plan "B" it is. The "Parts Flash" will arrive sometime next week, and the first step will be to REMOVE the door from the SB-25. I sure hope the two halves come apart easily...</p>

<p>Hospitalised from a 330 volt DC buzz across a finger or two? I don't think so. I've been shocked for several seconds by 240 v AC mains (peak voltage 340), and I'm still here.<br>

The main danger from electric shock is if it passes across the whole body and through the heart. That's not likely to happen from touching the two close "live" terminals inside a speedlight. Touching just one of them won't give you a shock. Touching both would be painful, yes, and it might cause a small burn blister. But I think you'd have to try quite hard to do yourself any serious harm or die.</p>

<p>I was recently in a hospital bed opposite a poor guy that had had about 80 percent of his body burned from a severe electric shock. He still survived it. The jolt he had must have been several thousand volts and with a lot of current behind it. Several hundred times more energy than in a flash capacitor.</p>

<p>All you need to do is take sensible care. Discharge the capacitor as much as possible by firing a full-power manual flash and then <em>immediately</em> switch the unit off. Take out the batteries and leave for a few hours before dismantling. Then it'll be safe enough.</p>

<p>There are no clips etc. that fall out. You don't have to disconnect the foot to replace the door. (The little wires all go into a plug making that easy anyway. I would do this over a table, and make sure none of the little screws disappear. It's a little tricky to get the swivel head back into its groove, but certainly not a big deal. Just be careful when snapping it all together you don't have any little wires protruding and you should be good. I have eight of these things and take them apart several times a year for one thing or another. Never been shocked, but I don't touch anything that isn't plastic.</p>

<p>Kent in SD</p>

<p>Just a quick follow-up: The parts flash did come in and I bravely decided to operate on the dead SB-25 first. I made one BIG mistake: I took out all four screws on the top. There are two metal splice plates that hold the unit together removing the four screws cause the splice plates to fall out, and then it is a huge headache trying to realign the splice plates and re-insert the screws. You only need to remove two screws. The whole thing was ridiculously easy to take apart -- much harder to put back together. The battery door was then very easy to remove and replace. I was a lot more careful when I took the SB-26 apart removing only two of the top screws. I removed the side that held the battery door, slipped out the damaged door, slipped in the salvaged door, and put it back together. The salvaged door needed a wee bit of work to clean up some rust and corrosion first however. Once the SB-26 was put back together I inserted some fresh batteries and test fired it. Works like a champ!!! Mounted it on the camera and tested it. Still worked. Tried it off off camera on a SC-17. Still worked. Finally set it in a flash shoe set it off to the side. Mounted my SB-22 and test fired it. Worked liked a charm. As long as I have line of sight between the two flash units I can use the SB-26 remotely. Apparently I can not use flash triggers with my ancient Nikon F2, but so long as I have line of sight I'm golden. I am also glad I bought that SB-25 as I now have an extra "foot" should I need one -- hopefully never -- but I can see how easy it would be to have that thing break. The other thing I learned was not to leave batteries in the flash. I've taken to removing the batteries at the end of my shooting to prevent the corrosion and rust I saw. </p>

<p>Thank you to all who replied. The SB-26 is the perfect flash for the Nikon F and F2. I've just started to explore some of the wonders of strobe and dual flash photography.</p>