Anybody with an Ikelite 125 strobe?

[ulrikakroon]

Hi!
I have an Ikelite 125 substrobe (fantastic piece of equipment!) but unfortunately it seems to be broken.
Since I live on a fairly isolated island in the Philippines, I can't just send it to Ikelite to have it fixed, and so far they have not answered my message so I'm getting desperate.
Have any of you experienced the following: Everything seems to work, aim lights ok, battery is charging, but instead of giving the red "ok" light and then flash, the strobe just goes "beep beep beep beep beep".
Could that mean that the bulb is broken? Flooded? What?
Any help would be great.
Thanks
/Ulrika

 

[f3nikon]

I have three of them, how bright is the modeling light, is it as bright as normal? Are you using Nicad batteries? The "ok" light tells you that the caps are fully charge but the strobe should fire if they are fully charged or not.

Will the strobe fire when you short out the pins on the sync cord?

 

[cudachaser]

I had a weird problem with my Ike 125...It just fired randomly...It was perfect on my dives this weekend...No evidences of flooding etc...I think they are sensitive to humidity.

 

[oly5050user]

I had a weird problem with my Ike 125...It just fired randomly...It was perfect on my dives this weekend...No evidences of flooding etc...I think they are sensitive to humidity.

are you using a external sensor to fire the strobeor a sync cord??if sensor it most likely is picking up light changes as waves move overhead-especially when very shallow..if sync cord there is most likely a short in it and needs to be replaced..not sensitive to humidity-its made to go underwater..

 

[oly5050user]

Hi!
I have an Ikelite 125 substrobe (fantastic piece of equipment!) but unfortunately it seems to be broken.
Since I live on a fairly isolated island in the Philippines, I can't just send it to Ikelite to have it fixed, and so far they have not answered my message so I'm getting desperate.
Have any of you experienced the following: Everything seems to work, aim lights ok, battery is charging, but instead of giving the red "ok" light and then flash, the strobe just goes "beep beep beep beep beep".
Could that mean that the bulb is broken? Flooded? What?
Any help would be great.
Thanks
/Ulrika

sounds like flashtube is shot or electronics faulty..either way has to go to ike for repair..sorry..was sync cord shorted out to test strobe?if wrong pins shorted it will damage electronics..

 

[Cacia]

I had this problem...I cannot remember what it was. They ran me through some diagnostics over the phone where I connected two poles with tweezers, and responded that it did/did not fire. They sent me a new cord, if I recall correctly. It was two years ago. The reason I think it is a common issue, is that the diagram and diagnostic steps are all worked up and printed. call customer service at Ikelite and they will direct you to a page on a website they have set up for troubleshooting this.

I know this sounds a bit vague..but they solved my problem without sending the strobe in, so since you are in the PI, maybe it will be better for you.

Good luck!

 

[ulrikakroon]

Hi all and thanks for all good advice!

I opened up the strobe and had a look at the circuit board (that does have a little bit of rust on it so there's definitely been humidity there) and it looks like a part of the circuit (the silver colored line) has corroded and is gone. Somehow that seems to me that it could be the problem!
I know nothing about electronics and I'm sure there could be multiple problems but can a strobe function normally if part of the circuit is gone? It looks like it could be damaged VERY easily though, not very reassuring.
By the way, I don't use a sync cord, I use a sensor, so that can't be the problem.
/Ulrika

 

[AUTiger]

Try posting your question on Wetpixel.com. Ikelite monitors the strobe forum on that board. I found their customer service to be excellent when my DS-125 broke.

David

 

[Rogier]

Ulrika, I have been strugling with these Ikelite strobes.
Even new out of the box they fail.
I would not make any expenses on it. Sorry to say.
Enjoi it while the waranty lasts.... I know it sucks on an island (lived on Bonaire for 4 years...) but replace it with something German as soon as you can affort it!

 

[Jim Ernst]

Hi all and thanks for all good advice!

I opened up the strobe and had a look at the circuit board (that does have a little bit of rust on it so there's definitely been humidity there) and it looks like a part of the circuit (the silver colored line) has corroded and is gone. Somehow that seems to me that it could be the problem!
I know nothing about electronics and I'm sure there could be multiple problems but can a strobe function normally if part of the circuit is gone? It looks like it could be damaged VERY easily though, not very reassuring.
By the way, I don't use a sync cord, I use a sensor, so that can't be the problem.
/Ulrika

hi there ulrika!!! nice too see you here on the board, i was there with you in march, um... adams friend, ya the one that stagerd through the dinning area to see the clock at like 2 in the morning..... ROFL, ooopppsss.... sorry, i have not ever had any problems with my ds-125, but while i was there with you and paul it did quit working, it was the sync cord,and i was able to fix it while there, but you say you have some of the circutry missing and that is a sure fire problem as i do know a bit of circutry and pc boards , i am not sure how to help you but it does need some how to go too ike-lite, the only othere thing i can think of is that if we can ,we dolphin scuba center are coming there soon, if we can bring parts or you might send it back with us and we send it in and then send it to you, if i can be of any help let me know!! jim