YS-110 crapping out

[Larry C]

Aargh! Three weeks to Alaska live-aboard and one of my YS-110's is dying. Halfway through the dive, the strobe just shuts off. I recharged the batteries, it happened again. It will restart later, but then die during the dive. I bought a new set of batteries yesterday, charged them to make sure. It made it through the first dive, quit half way through the second. I left the switch on, and noticed the power light back on as I surfaced.
The shop says 3-4 weeks to fix it. Can't wait that long, but really can't afford right now to shell out $699 for a YS-D1 to replace it, much as I'd like to. Any thoughts?

 

[bvollrath]

I recently had to replace a YS-110. In my case the strobe simply wouldn't fire. I sent it in for service and was told in advance that due to a strobe's relatively simple design, that typically if there's a problem that the circuit board needs to be replaced. And that this costs just about as much as a new strobe. Sure enough, after they took a look at the strobe my options were to buy a new strobe or to save $60 and have the old strobe fixed. I wound up buying a new unit.

No way to really know if you'll have any more luck with yours getting fixed. If I'm in your situation, I'd seriously consider buying a new strobe and taking the problematic unit as a backup. I'd hate to spend all that money to be on a liveaboard in Alaska only to be down a strobe.

There aren't too many Alaskan liveaboards operators. Are you doing the Nautilus Swell? I've been trying to workout a trip on the Swell, without any luck. One of these days!

 

[gurnie]

Try it without rechargable batteries. Some brands offgas more than others and cause overpressure in the device. I know there is a overpressure valve, but I have seen this before.

 

[bvanant]

I had a similar problem. The strobe would work fine but if I left it turned on for more than 10 minutes without shooting it would go dark. My simple minded solution (eventually I got an Inon Z240) was to shoot it then turn off the power switch until I found a new subject. Then turn it back on. Seemed to work. It isn't the batteries I don't think especially if you tried new ones. If it is really cold, you might try some Li batteries but I would bet that is not the problem.
Bill

 

[Larry C]

I recently had to replace a YS-110. In my case the strobe simply wouldn't fire. I sent it in for service and was told in advance that due to a strobe's relatively simple design, that typically if there's a problem that the circuit board needs to be replaced. And that this costs just about as much as a new strobe. Sure enough, after they took a look at the strobe my options were to buy a new strobe or to save $60 and have the old strobe fixed. I wound up buying a new unit.

No way to really know if you'll have any more luck with yours getting fixed. If I'm in your situation, I'd seriously consider buying a new strobe and taking the problematic unit as a backup. I'd hate to spend all that money to be on a liveaboard in Alaska only to be down a strobe.

There aren't too many Alaskan liveaboards operators. Are you doing the Nautilus Swell? I've been trying to workout a trip on the Swell, without any luck. One of these days!

Sounds like what I've been worried about.
Yes, we're going on the Nautilus swell. My wife's tech instructor made the arrangements. Looking forward to a fun trip.

Gurnie, I've been using these same strobes for over 5 years, with rechargeable batteries the entire time. One's been flooded a couple of times and still worked after cleaning it out, but I've had to periodically clean the inner contacts because they tend to oxidize more frequently now. I've also replaced the caps on both of them, as the contacts wear out after a while and also corrode some, eventually.

Bill, I might try that, but I'd hate to blow a great trip on the chance it might work. Maybe I'll give it a shot this weekend. I suspect a dying capacitor or something of that sort.

 

[jcclink]

If you shoot with fiber or can use a slave, try a YS27. Cheaper than 110 with basically same light output. Considering repair costs I'd buy a new strobe vs repairing old one. Been thru that cycle a few yrs ago. Should have saved my repair $$ because same strobe crapped out again next trip.

 

[Larry C]

Agree. I've been through that with lots of stuff. I may have to just convince the wife that our trip will be ruined if I don't break the bank on a new strobe. I've done compromises before. If I get a new one it will be a YS-D1. I spent my first two years of UW photography messing with cheaper strobes that were problematic. My S & S housing doesn't let the flash open, so it's sync cord only for me, this leaves the YS-27 out. I've been wanting something stronger for wide angle anyway.

 

[bvanant]

Do you want to borrow a 110a for the trip?
You could have it tomorrow
Bill