Flashwave2 won't fire Vivitars

[tom_johnson2]

<p>I got my Flashwave 2 kit, and found that it won't fire my old Vivitar flash units. I tried it using the pc cord, and the hotshoe. The day it arrived I got it to fire them, but only intermittently. I tried them today, and they would not fire these units at all, but It works fine with my Excalibur monolights. Everytime I hit the button they would flash, but I really bought it to use with the smaller flash units, for the portability. I am puzzled as to why the Flashwave works with one flash, and not the others. Am I missing something here, is there something I should try, before sending them back to Amazon?</p>

[aucoins]

<p>Make sure the chanel on the transmitter and receiver are the same .<br>

I have been using mine with canon and metz flashs for 2 years.</p>

[john_narsuitus]

<p>

<p>I had a similar problem with my old Vivitars and a different radio remote flash controller. I solved my problem when I put a Wein voltage regulator between the flash and the receiver.</p>

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.</p>

[bob_sunley]

<p>A couple of things, Vivitar hot shoe contacts are turned off when you plug the cord into the flash unit. Corrosion in the contacts inside the shoe will make it never fire. Did you test the vivitars by shorting the contacts in the PC plug on the end of the cord? Have you used a volt meter to determine the trigger voltage polarity of your flashes? Some triggers are polarity or voltage sensitive. </p>

<p> </p>

[tom_johnson2]

<p>Thanks for all the replies. Special thanks to John Narsuitus, who nailed it. I just happened to have a Wein voltage regulator, and it works like a charm.</p><div></div>