Tag: high voltage

I love working with flashguns, but believe me they are highly dangerous and potentially deadly pieces of kit, once you get under the skin otherwise known as its protective casing. I inherited this one from a good friend of mine who is a professional photographer, the post regarding what he passed on to me can be found here: Cameras…i need more!

Now please do not go delving into the back of these things unless you know what you are doing. Yes they might only be powered by 6-9v of power from your batteries, however in the process of getting to the point where they unleash a lightning flash for your photographic opportunity, they have passed through a component called a capacitor, that greatly amplifies the voltage from that measly 6-9v from your batteries up to what is now between 3-400v for the flash. Yes, you read right, 400 VOLTS.

That can kill, and if it doesn’t, you have been very fortunate, but will probably bear an entry and exit burn where you made contact with that very component. You have been warned – take heed!

Here’s a little about this flashgun. They were manufactured circa 1979.

The Metz 45 CT-1 is a classic, powerful handle-mount flash gun known for its “hammerhead” design, high light output, and versatile features like a swivel and tilt head. It was a popular and durable accessory for professional photographers. 

Key Features

• Guide Number: The flash has a high guide number of 45 metres at ISO 100, indicating powerful light output.
• Exposure Control: It features an analog control display and offers five different “tele-computer” automatic aperture settings, allowing for easy exposure control in automatic mode.
• Versatility: The flash head can swivel and tilt, allowing for bounce flash techniques to achieve softer, more flattering light. It also includes a built-in wide-angle diffuser.
• Compatibility: The 45 CT-1 is a non-dedicated flash with a standard sync cable connection, making it universally compatible with many cameras, both film and digital (with caveats).
• Power Source: It typically uses a rechargeable NiCad battery pack or a holder for 6x AA batteries.
• Durability: Known for its robust, professional construction. 

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Assessment:

To be honest on first receiving this unit, you didn’t know what was coming, but you could certainly smell it. Within the box the smell of battery corrosion was heavy. It’s a hard smell to describe but once you have dealt with it you know what’s coming, and this smelt really heavy.

The smell was coming from two battery pods that play in to the base of the flashgun arm. Thankfully they had been kept separately, and their spread of “Corrosion” was not able to get to the main unit.

The main unit itself had a problem in that the head was floppy, unable to be at any other angle than straight up or, flat down and nothing in between, and something was rattling about inside of it.

So bearing in mind my sermon at the start of this post, I gloved up, armed myself with my capacitor discharge probe and cracked the unit open.

Repair:

Straight in at the head of the unit and I went in search of my nemesis. The charge capacitor. And it wasn’t that hard to find. Sitting there all inoffensive and bright yellow, it was rated at 360 volts. As I had put a small load on it earlier to test its operation it was sitting there still holding a charge of 260 volts, needless to say I made sure this was discharged before I commenced any work in the area.

The “Knuckle” that the head pivots on is just behind the capacitor, so it made sense to discharge it.

The piece that was rattling about was relevant to the reason the head wasn’t able to pivot, it was once part of a rectangular washer that had a serrated side that would mesh up against the head that was also serrated to create a clicking action to angle the head at any point between zero and ninety degrees.

As parts for these had ceased production years back it was time to improvise.

Here is the setup as it was originally.

You will see a chrome bolt, that has a spring along its length that would have applied pressure on the mesh washer that is now broken, allowing the head to click into varying angles. To make up for this I have now added a washer on either end so the spring no longer gets depressed, and where the old mesh washer used to be I have now added two small “crinkle” washers that should now take over where the mesh washer was originally placed. the washer at the other end prevents too much compromise, allowing more pressure to be added at the securing end with out damage to the plastic frame.

I’ve tried moving the head and although there isn’t the clicking now, the head does remain in position, whatever angle it is placed in. There is free movement around all axis, and the head stays where it is placed. I’m happy this has been repaired in that sense. Let’s get the casing back on.

The next issue is the corrosion issue. Below you will see before and after photos, all that was used here was an old tooth brush, cotton buds, tooth picks and isopropyl alcohol. And a lot of time and patience

Once these were cleaned, I used a multimeter to check their continuity and all seemed fine. A final clean with some antibacterial cleaner has left them looking and smelling a lot sweeter than when they first arrived.

A very brief video showing its operation.

And with that, apart from a good old polish I think we are done here.

Result:

And doesn’t she look gorgeous after a good Polish?

This flash was really destined for the dump, and has now been given a new lease of life. Perfectly usable, in a very good condition and a lovely piece of photographic history. I’m so pleased with how this project has gone and so proud of myself for saving yet another classic item from landfill.

Thank you so much for passing by, as always you know it is very much appreciated.