[Blacknight659]

I purchased this flash used a few months ago, I am noticing some strange issues as of late.

Sometimes, the flash just wont fire. This is true for the camera triggering via hot-shoe and the manual test button. Removing/replacing batteries, re-seating on the hot-shoe does not fix the problem. Basically it just starts to work after a while with no help by me.

The time down went from a few seconds, to now a full min or so. The time between it Not working and Working seems to be increasing. I have a feeling it is starting to fail. I happened to hold it up to my hear when during a time when it wasn't working and pressed the Test button. I noticed a sound almost like a click, but the flash wouldn't fire. After a while, it just started working again...

Any ideas what is going on here? Possible DIY fixes or a estimated repair cost?

Thanks!

[enoeske]

I purchased this flash used a few months ago, I am noticing some strange issues as of late.

Sometimes, the flash just wont fire. This is true for the camera triggering via hot-shoe and the manual test button. Removing/replacing batteries, re-seating on the hot-shoe does not fix the problem. Basically it just starts to work after a while with no help by me.

The time down went from a few seconds, to now a full min or so. The time between it Not working and Working seems to be increasing. I have a feeling it is starting to fail. I happened to hold it up to my hear when during a time when it wasn't working and pressed the Test button. I noticed a sound almost like a click, but the flash wouldn't fire. After a while, it just started working again...

Any ideas what is going on here? Possible DIY fixes or a estimated repair cost?

Thanks!

Could it be overheating?

[mcgregni]

To be sure that it's not just recycling variations, have you tried it on manual mode at low power and fired a few rapid shots, then a pause , and then another burst? That would at least eliminate any charging delay caused by power drain. If it can't fire, at low power, every 1-2 secs with good batteries, then there is a problem.

[W.j.christy]

I had and 540FGZ that started to act a little like that. When I held it to my ear during charging I could hear a crackling (electrical). I opened it up and found that one of the surface mount diodes was on the blink and causing an arcing issue between itself and ground. I tried to replace it but, no dice.

I do know that they are still serviceable by Pentax, unfortunately the cost to repair was about as much to buy another good condition used. So I bought another good conditioned used one, salvage what I could from the broken one, and called it good.

Best advice I can give, open it carefully so you don't separate the photo sensor wires from the circuit board, and then (watching where you put your finger so you don't get a nasty shock) put the batteries in and allow it to charge in a dimly lit room to see if there is any arcing, then turn the lights on to see if there is any smoke.

If you don't want to to do that (and i don't blame you if you don't its a pretty harrowing experience) send it in or replace it.

[Apapukas]

I had the same problem.
540FGZ is unpredictable and unreliable.

My advice - sell it if possible and get a Metz flash.

[ivanvernon]

I purchased this flash used a few months ago, I am noticing some strange issues as of late.

Sometimes, the flash just wont fire. This is true for the camera triggering via hot-shoe and the manual test button. Removing/replacing batteries, re-seating on the hot-shoe does not fix the problem. Basically it just starts to work after a while with no help by me.

The time down went from a few seconds, to now a full min or so. The time between it Not working and Working seems to be increasing. I have a feeling it is starting to fail. I happened to hold it up to my hear when during a time when it wasn't working and pressed the Test button. I noticed a sound almost like a click, but the flash wouldn't fire. After a while, it just started working again...

Any ideas what is going on here? Possible DIY fixes or a estimated repair cost?

Thanks!

Two more things are likely to happen: (1) battery door will fail to close properly so that batteries are not seated properly to furnish current and (2) hot shoe will break off at bottom of flash unit, so you need to buy another failed unit to cannibalize parts.

[andy888]

I purchased this flash used a few months ago, I am noticing some strange issues as of late.

Sometimes, the flash just wont fire. This is true for the camera triggering via hot-shoe and the manual test button. Removing/replacing batteries, re-seating on the hot-shoe does not fix the problem. Basically it just starts to work after a while with no help by me.

The time down went from a few seconds, to now a full min or so. The time between it Not working and Working seems to be increasing. I have a feeling it is starting to fail. I happened to hold it up to my hear when during a time when it wasn't working and pressed the Test button. I noticed a sound almost like a click, but the flash wouldn't fire. After a while, it just started working again...

Any ideas what is going on here? Possible DIY fixes or a estimated repair cost?

Thanks!

There should be physical fail in it.

If you don't have the electric skills. don't try to "diy fix a flash". too complex and dangerous.

it worth no repair now, for it it cheaper to buy another.

[caliscouser]

There should be physical fail in it.

If you don't have the electric skills. don't try to "diy fix a flash". too complex and dangerous.

it worth no repair now, for it it cheaper to buy another.

+1, huge capacitor in those. It will give a nasty jolt if you touch the wrong place.

[Blacknight659]

To be sure that it's not just recycling variations, have you tried it on manual mode at low power and fired a few rapid shots, then a pause , and then another burst? That would at least eliminate any charging delay caused by power drain. If it can't fire, at low power, every 1-2 secs with good batteries, then there is a problem.

I did try this.

Set to manual, adjusted power to different settings and used the "test" button. Then tried new batteries, same issue. After a few min it just started working again. I just tested after it has been sitting over night unused, new batteries, no issues.

I don't think it is overheating since I only took about 16 photos before it quit working.

One thing comes to mind..... It didn't start happining until I turned the flash head to the right to do a bounce flash. Are you all aware of any wires that might be getting pinched?

[W.j.christy]

There is a a bundle of wires that go from the power circuit board to the capacitor, as well as the control board (which holds the LCD) to the flash itself. The likelihood of a pinched wire is minimal though not impossible.

when you said you heard a click is it a single click or is it more like an electrical discharge. You may have a wire that has come unsoldered from the power circuit board or from the capacitor and what you hear is the discharging of the current to ground.

Does the flash work better with the head in some positions than others? or does this occur in all positions? Does it do the same when optically triggered?