QUANTUM FLASH REPAIR?

[john_patronie]

<p>I have been a devoted Quantum Qflash user for many years. I have just discovered<br>

that Quantum will no longer service Quantum t2 flash units! One of my T2's just stopped popping<br>

and all Quantum will do is offer me to trade in my t2 +$450 for their newest model. I just want<br>

my T2 to work again. ...and if my others ever have a problem I will want to repair them also.<br>

I am completely disappointed with Quantum right now. I would totally switch over to another company if <br>

I didn't already have a lot of other quantum gear. DOES ANYONE KNOW OF ANOTHER COMPANY THAT<br>

WILL SERVICE QUANTUM T2 FLASH UNITS? </p>

[leighb]

<p>Some years ago I was a warranty service station for Novatron.</p>

<p>A customer brought me a Quantum to fix, and I found out that Quantum <br>

refuses to give any information or parts to anybody. At the time, any <br>

Quantum product had to be returned to the manufacturer for service.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[john_patronie]

<p>And I have three of them which I purchased new. They have been babied and are in <br>

mint condition including the one that is now not functioning. I can not believe that a pricey <br>

piece of gear like this can not be repaired for a reasonable fee. This </p>

[hjoseph7]

<p>Have you tried KEH, I heard they repair all types of equipment.</p>

[gerald_kraus]

<p>Sorry to hear that you were mis-informed. Even though the T2 model was discontinued in March 2004, we can still do limited repairs to the unit, depending on the problem. The unit will have to come in to us for testing and evaluation. If it is something that we cannot repair, we do offer an upgrade to a brand new T5d-R model Qflash. The price is current what was mentioned you you when you had called us.</p>

[john_patronie]

<p>I got off the phone with a quantum tech just a couple days ago and what he said was<br /> very clear. He in fact told me in no uncertain terms that it could/would not be repaired<br /> and that my only option was the $450 for the upgrade.</p>

[leighb]

<p>The simple solution for this problem is to not buy Quantum flashes.</p>

<p>There's absolutely no excuse for failing to support a product that was only discontinued eight years ago. <br>

You can still get parts for Hewlett Packard instruments that were made 30 years ago.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[john_patronie]

<p>And GK...I must say when I asked if the needed repair was very simple I was told in no <br /> uncertain terms that there would not be any repair provided whatsoever. The guy was a bit<br /> short with me as well. At the time it occurred to me that this hardest on your best and <br /> longest held customers who might have thousands of dollars wrapped up in multiple <br /> units and ancillary gear. Replacing a single unit is one thing....but replacing an entire system<br /> is something else entirely. You also might want to remind the people that answer the phones<br /> there at quantum that I along with others who might call are the ones that bring the money<br /> to your company repeatedly for many many years and to let that affect his phone-side manner.<br /> But thank you for the clarification. I suppose I will now send in my T2 in for a possible repair.<br /> The LCD readout on the back seems to be fine. I cross checked the flash tube with my other units and the problem is not the tube. It could be just a simple short somewhere.....I hope.</p>

[john_patronie]

<p>Wish me luck people!</p>

[leighb]

<p>98% probability it's a bad electrolytic capacitor. They deteriorate with age.</p>

<p>Did this unit sit unused for an extended period of time, like a year or more?</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[john_patronie]

<p>It had neither seen super heavy use nor was it stored for nearly that amount of time.<br>

I do have another unit that I just pulled from storage though. It is working at the moment.<br>

Can you tell me how long term storage becomes a factor?</p>

 

[leighb]

<blockquote>

<p>Can you tell me how long term storage becomes a factor?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This would actually require a lengthy magazine article, so I'll try to condense it by skipping a lot of details.</p>

<p>The insulating layer within the electrolyte ("electrolytic" capacitor) is formed from zillions of microscopic<br>

bubbles. The electrolyte itself is moist, although not very. The bubbles form from this moisture during<br>

the manufacturing process when voltage is applied to the cap in a controlled manner.</p>

<p>These bubbles break, as all bubbles do. Because they're so tiny, and there are so many of them, a loss<br>

of a few percent is not a problem. The bubbles re-form whenever voltage is applied to the cap, so a <br>

unit that's in constant use will replenish the bubble layer and all is well.</p>

<p>However, if the unit is not used for an extended period, too many bubbles are lost. If you then turn<br>

it on and try to use it, the cap exhibits electrical leakage through the bubble layer, which causes it to<br>

heat. If the heat becomes excessive, the moisture in the electrolyte "boils", which increases internal<br>

pressure, causing the safety vent to open. Once that happens, the cap is no longer sealed, the moisture in<br>

the electrolyte dissipates into the atmosphere, it dries out, and the cap is dead. It cannot be resurrected.</p>

<p>The solution to the failure problem is to bring up any unit that has not been used for a while very<br>

slowly, giving the bubble layer a chance to re-form before the unit returns to normal service.</p>

<p>Hope that wasn't go long.</p>

<p>- Leigh</p>

 

[john_patronie]

<p>'Very interesting. Thank you. So when you say "slowly giving the bubble layer a chance to reform" does this mean over a period of hours....start with pop or two...then a few more later on and then even more pops later than that....or should this take place over a few days or...what?<br /> And are you a photographer? If so do you have a preferred brand of portable strobes?</p>

[leighb]

<p>Yes, I've been shooting for almost 60 years. I use Elinchrom monolights and Novatron pack/head strobes.<br /> I used to be a warranty service center for Novatron. Excellent lights.</p>

<p>I normally recommend bringing a dormant pack up over a period of a week, as follows:<br /> (You should not fire the unit until the end of the week, as this stresses the capacitors.)</p>

<p>Pick a particular time of day, I'll use noon for the example.<br /> At noon on the first day, turn the pack on for ONE minute, then turn it off and leave it alone.<br /> Next day at noon, turn it on for TWO minutes, then off. Third day at noon FOUR minutes.<br /> Next day eight, then 16, 32, and an hour on the seventh day.<br /> At that point it should be ready to use.</p>

<p>The rationale behind this technique is that the failure mode is excessive heat buildup within the caps.<br /> By energizing them for a very brief period, the heat never builds up to the point of causing a problem.<br /> Each time you energize the caps, you build up more bubbles in the layer, so the next time you turn it <br /> on the leakage is less and the heat buildup is less.<br /> <br /> <br /> - Leigh</p>

[john_patronie]

<p>Thank you. That is very interesting. So I will energize the strobe I have just pulled from storage, which is the original quantum q flash with a turbo battery, without popping it until I complete the sequence you have described. I looked at the image of the colorful glasses that you did; Very nice. I will look at more of your work once I post this response. I have been shooting for about 30 years myself....http://PhotoPatronie.com and my last shoot was of cocktails for a beverage company and local magazine making it doubly nice to see your image. Thanks again.</p>

[gerald_kraus]

<p>John:</p>

<p>You can send the equipment into Quantum Instruments Repair Dept<br>

10 Commerce Drive<br>

Hauppauge NY 11788</p>

<p>Include you name address and contact information</p>

[john_patronie]

<p>Alrighty then....I will be sending in my T2.<br>

Thanks for clarifying your policy.</p>