bsphotography Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Hey guys, i want to double up my flashes to get some extra light, but i just want 1 PW to fire both of them at the same time? i tried a splitter but it did'nt work? you know the ones you would use for headphones? so you can run 2 headphones out of the one socket? any idea why this wouldent work? the flashes would fire when i inserted the plug into the splitter, but they wouldent fire when i tried to test them?</p> <p>Tim</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Headphone splitters are stero, (three conductor) not mono (two conductor) arrangements. Likely you're not getting the right actual contacts because of that.<br /><br />Are we talking about studio strobes, or hot shoe speedlights, here? Does either of your units have an optical slave trigger built in?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_s. Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>If you just plug in one flash into the splitter and press the test button on the PW does the flash fire?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsphotography Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>hey no just hot shoe lights, Vivitar 285's... so i just would need a mono splitter?<br> Tim</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two23 Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Either call up B&H and get one or go to Radio Shack and get a stereo to mono adapter plug. Another great place to get this kind of stuff is flashzebra.com. THey don't have gels though, if you were going to use those. (I would.)</p> <p>Kent in SD</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsphotography Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Hey Pete,<br> sorry mate no it wont work with just the one plug in either?<br> Tim</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_s. Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Hey Tim, I assume you plug the flash into the splitter and then the splitter into the PW? Could remove the splitter from the PW and shorten the tip and the sleeve with some metal (keys, paper clip or whatever). The flash should fire, does it?</p> <p> </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsphotography Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Hey Pete,<br> nope still no flash... it does still fire just when the plug is inserted into the splitter</p> <p>Tim</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_s. Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Tim, the problem is not that it is a stereo plug (I have several of those and they work fine). The problem is that some connectors are not 100% compatible with others, even though they should be.<br> <br /> Sometimes it can be on the PW side and if you stick the connector all the way in it doesn't work but if you pull it out ever so slightly it works. Sometimes it's the splitter or the plug from the flash. In your case it's the connector going into the splitter and the splitter combination that doesn't work. The 1/8" / 3.5mm plugs are far from industrial grade quality so sometimes it's just batch variation.<br> <br /> I suggest getting some in a store where you can return them if they don't work. When you find one that is good buy a few for future use as well.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Laur Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>Right. It's not the stereo-ness <em>per se</em>, but the fact that the position of the extra insulator ring on the connectors may not be lining up in a useful way with one or more of those male or female connections. It's super simple to create a hardwired mono two-fer from parts at Radio Shack, and avoid all of the adapter stuff in the first place. The more adapters and connectors you add to the picture, the less reliable it's all going to be, every time.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete_s. Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 <p>You're right about the reliability Matt. I have all my speedlights modified with a short cable and a small male 3.5mm phono that I can plug into the PWs. If I had as many PWs as speedlights I would have hardwired them together with no connectors whatsoever :-)</p><div></div> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsphotography Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 <p>ok i guess i'll just take the PW and flash in and try them instore... thanks Pete<br> Tim</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_osullivan Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 <p>Could be the added attenuation of using a splice. Not enough voltage getting to the terminals.</p> <p>I think the simplest fix is to just let the PW fire one flash and put a hotshoe optical slave on the other. $39 at B&H</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen_x Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 <p>paramount cords sells a solution for this. not cheap, but excellent product.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bob_bill Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 <p>For about $10-20 get an optical slave and possibly an adapter at flashzebra, let the pw fire the first flash and the light will trigger the second flash so long as it gets hit with the light. If you have great distance, those pws will trigger over 100's of feet and out of line of sight and can place that pwed flash there and then trigger the closer optical with the it or the pop up camera flash. If I understand what you mean by doubling your flashes, I think you mean in tandem say through the same diffuser. That close the optical slave should be no problem and they are smaller and WAY less expensive than another pw. Mine is totally reliable and I use it on a Vivitar if I am going with another flash for bkg, back or hair light. Light and easy to hang on a boom, small and easy to hide behind subject. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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