Nikon SB-800 not working with Bolt CBP-N1

[User_1855600]

<p>I purchased a Bolt CPB-N1 from B&H late in 2012 as an additional power supply for one of my 4 SB-800's. I have two Nikon SD-8a's (holds 6 AA's), but hoped the 8 AA batteries in the Bolt unit would provide faster recycling and longer life. I use my SB-800's only as remotes and trigger them with Radio Popper PW units from my SB-900's mounted on Nikon bodies. I loaded the Bolt pack with my usual rechargeable batteries and plugged it into my SB-800. The Bolt pack failed to contribute any power to the flash and seemed to be defective. I unplugged the unit from the SB-800 and tried it on two other SB-800's and had the same result. To be sure, I plugged in my SD-8a into the SB-800's and they worked perfectly. B&H happily exchanged the Bolt for another and to my surprise, I had the same problem again. Stranger things have happened, so I exchanged the Bolt CBP-N1 for yet another. Yes, you guessed it, same outcome. I called B&H to talk with a rep who put me in touch with Bolt customer service. They felt I should try another pack, and so I did.... with the same problem. I searched the internet and found one other person who experienced the exact same issue. Is there anyone out there who has encountered this issue and has solved it? I would like to hear from you. Thanks!</p>

[frank_skomial]

<p>Makers of 3rd party devices for Nikon flashes, worked OK with older cameras like D70, and SB800, but failed to work properly on newer cameras with SB800.</p>

<p>They raised a conspiracy theory that Nikon deliberately changed something in the camera, to make obsolete their devices. However, Nikon SB800 is a pretty much "old" flash and works with old and new Nikon cameras, while some 3rd party devices fail on newer cameras while working OK on older Nikon cameras.</p>

<p>Simply, there is no conspiracy, but just 3rd party vendors inability to fully reverse engineer some Nikon devices.</p>

<p>SB800 flash was kind of peculiar, as some older purchased units had problem with when internal flash batterries became weak, and external power high voltage supply was strong. This was causing confusion in the SB800 internal logic, and flash either did not work, or misfired. Nikon applied the low voltage from the dinging PC connector, to feed also some low voltage from high voltage external power pack, into the flash sync circuit - is a sens making sure that if the high voltage capacitor is charged, so the low voltage signal is also provided, just in case internal batteries are not quite able or too slow and lag behind. <br /> SB800 purchased at the end of production cycle did not have this problem, even though there was no model version release, or upgrade - problem was mostly with 3rd party high voltage power supplies. I suspect that Nikon improved the SB800 internal logic to remedy this problem, without raising a verion number or model update.</p>

<p>With SB900/910, dedicated external battery pack does not have the PC sync cable, since the internal logic of SB900/910 is driven from whatever battery source is available first, internal or external, but internal batteries are required, even if external high voltage power supply is strong.</p>

<p>There are multiple users happy with this Bolt device, see comments on Amazon and other places, as well as many complaining. The life with 3rd party add-on devices is interesting...:)</p>

<p>I wonder how the generic high voltage AC powered flash adapter available from Innovatronics, works with SB800 ?</p>

<p>See if the Bolt would work with your SB900 ?<br>

What Nikon cameras are you using ?</p>

[elliot1]

<p>Did you try the unit using the sync cable? </p>