[Wired]

I've been having issues consistently fire off-camera lights with my K3... now I'm trying to cheat here, but it's just not working. And I fear it's getting worse.

I have the Yongnuo YN-622N trigger sets. Yes, these are supposed to only work on Nikon. BUT, I've found that I can fire them using the flash sync port. Or at least I was able to.... This past weekend it was sending the signal, but it wasn't trigger the receivers. BUT it would trigger a flash hooked up via sync cord from one of the receivers. Giving up no this, I switched back to my simpler setup of my Elinchrom universal transmitter/receiver combo (just center pin on the hot shoe) and even that wasn't firing now. Which consistently would fire every time in the past. I throw the same transmitter (elinchrom) on my K5 and D800 and they fire every time.

The funny thing is, it will fire with my Pentax flash on the shoe, but no triggers on the shoe. The Elinchrom trigger will still fire via sync cable.

[jatrax]

Just to mention the obvious but your shutter speed is below 1/180?

Another thing to look at is to see if the trigger is firmly seated on the camera, all the way forward. I've noticed with my triggers (Cactus) that if I'm not careful to push them all the way in they will act erratically, I assume because they are barely making contact with the flash pin. If I have the locking screw down just a little bit it feels like the trigger is seated but it isn't.

[Wired]

thanks @Jartax

yes, the speed is below 1/180. in fact I had it set to "x" but tried it as low as 1/40"

I tried reseating the trigger a few times, even as I speak I'm moving it back and forth. The Elinchrom one specifically as it's center pin. I don't expect the Nikon trigger to work (it never has on my Pentax, and to be honest it's a finkiy POS too)