FL-50R flash - to speed-up recycling time

Joein · 17th November 2008

There are several options offered by Olympus to do that, and some third-party products, too. What I would like to try is to connect additional battery to the front terminals, aka emulate the powergrip. This is not intended to make a potato smasher from the flash, but sometimes you simply need a couple of shoots immediately in quick sequence.
I have examined the front terminals and my observations were: When looking from the front - there are two bigger pins and two smaller, more recessed ones. I supposed that the bigger ones are used for low voltage supply, and the smaller ones for high voltage (the later is out of my interest at present). When I measured the voltage at the bigger ones, there was about 4,8 V DC with plus at the leftmost pin (flash with inserted batteries). Well, I thought, that I am on the right way. Next, I connected a 5V DC from a PC supply to these pins and tried to pop a flash at full manual power and counted a recharge time. Unfortunately, nothing changed dramatically. Still a couple of seconds (3-5). Well, I removed the internal batteries, flash was still powered on, no complaints from it

. Tried a second pop at full power. After this the flash did not fully charged at all, after a minute it gave up with the LEDs flashing = low battery. Strange. Then I tried it again and measured the current flowing into the flash through these pins - about 150mA only. When I connected the 5V DC supply to the terminals of the internal batteries, it worked quite well. It seems to me that these pins are just to supply the power for the control electronics in the flash and not for charging the power electronics. But how the Powergrip with 4xC size batteries get the juice into the flash? Did someone discovered how it works? My searching on the internet for the pinouts of the FP-1 powergrip cable was not successfull. I do not want to attach the external battery pack through internal batteries terminal.
One more question: Do you know for what purposes is the threaded hole at the left side of the flash body (when looking from the back)?

Joein.

OlyFlyer · 20th November 2008

Hi there and welcome to ClubSNAP.

Interesting experiment. I made the same conclusion as you did, except that I went further. I think that the original battery pack actually is converting the battery juice to high voltage which is then used for charging the flash.

BTW, even if you manage to fix something you MUST read the manual about maximum number of repeated flashes in a row. If you exceed that number you may fry your flash.

About the screw contact, I have no idea. I only have the old FL-50.

Joein · 21st November 2008

Hi OlyFlyer,
Yes, I did read the manual, I understand the 10 full pops limitation due to heat dissipation. That is one of the reason I try to get the batteries out from the flash, since they add a substantial amount of heat when under load. I hope that doing that I will get some additional margin.
No, I do not want to fry my flash. But I have found that sometimes when I miss I need an immediate retake possibility. If happened that pop was at full power, the recharge is slow.

I do not think that that the powergrip FP-1 could supply 330V to the flash, that should be a job of the SHV-1 high voltage pack. IMO/NT.

Maybe a little bit higher voltage is needed for the terminals? I think about 6 VDC (maybe the grip was designed with alkaline batteries in mind?)
I think the answer could be get by evaluating a voltages and flowing current with the flash a and FP-1 connected with test leads.

Do someone has a FP-1 and FL-50 / FL-50R that could test it?

OlyFlyer · 21st November 2008

Originally Posted by Joein

Hi OlyFlyer,
Yes, I did read the manual, I understand the 10 full pops limitation due to heat dissipation. That is one of the reason I try to get the batteries out from the flash, since they add a substantial amount of heat when under load. I hope that doing that I will get some additional margin.

The heat problem mentioned is not for saving the batteries, but the flash. The flash head gets very hot if you fire repeatedly and moving the batteries out of the flash won't help that.

Originally Posted by Joein

I do not think that that the powergrip FP-1 could supply 330V to the flash, that should be a job of the SHV-1 high voltage pack. IMO/NT.

You are probably right, the old grip for the T32 was working that way, thou that does not mean even the new one must be like that. It is possible that Oly put in some electronics to pump up the voltage. Would be interesting to know.

shyam · 21st November 2008

[quote=OlyFlyer;4537770]The heat problem mentioned is not for saving the batteries, but the flash. The flash head gets very hot if you fire repeatedly and moving the batteries out of the flash won't help that.

I think he meant that getting the batteries out of there helps the heat to dissipate quicker since there isn't something in there radiating more heat... (damn those batts get HOT!!)

Joein · 21st November 2008

[quote=shyam;4538253]

Originally Posted by OlyFlyer

The heat problem mentioned is not for saving the batteries, but the flash. The flash head gets very hot if you fire repeatedly and moving the batteries out of the flash won't help that.

I think he meant that getting the batteries out of there helps the heat to dissipate quicker since there isn't something in there radiating more heat... (damn those batts get HOT!!)

Yes, exactly.

17th November 2008	#1
Joein New Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3	FL-50R flash - to speed-up recycling time There are several options offered by Olympus to do that, and some third-party products, too. What I would like to try is to connect additional battery to the front terminals, aka emulate the powergrip. This is not intended to make a potato smasher from the flash, but sometimes you simply need a couple of shoots immediately in quick sequence. I have examined the front terminals and my observations were: When looking from the front - there are two bigger pins and two smaller, more recessed ones. I supposed that the bigger ones are used for low voltage supply, and the smaller ones for high voltage (the later is out of my interest at present). When I measured the voltage at the bigger ones, there was about 4,8 V DC with plus at the leftmost pin (flash with inserted batteries). Well, I thought, that I am on the right way. Next, I connected a 5V DC from a PC supply to these pins and tried to pop a flash at full manual power and counted a recharge time. Unfortunately, nothing changed dramatically. Still a couple of seconds (3-5). Well, I removed the internal batteries, flash was still powered on, no complaints from it . Tried a second pop at full power. After this the flash did not fully charged at all, after a minute it gave up with the LEDs flashing = low battery. Strange. Then I tried it again and measured the current flowing into the flash through these pins - about 150mA only. When I connected the 5V DC supply to the terminals of the internal batteries, it worked quite well. It seems to me that these pins are just to supply the power for the control electronics in the flash and not for charging the power electronics. But how the Powergrip with 4xC size batteries get the juice into the flash? Did someone discovered how it works? My searching on the internet for the pinouts of the FP-1 powergrip cable was not successfull. I do not want to attach the external battery pack through internal batteries terminal. One more question: Do you know for what purposes is the threaded hole at the left side of the flash body (when looking from the back)? Joein.

20th November 2008	#2
OlyFlyer Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Europe, Sweden, outside Lund Posts: 2,038	Re: FL-50R flash - to speed-up recycling time Hi there and welcome to ClubSNAP. Interesting experiment. I made the same conclusion as you did, except that I went further. I think that the original battery pack actually is converting the battery juice to high voltage which is then used for charging the flash. BTW, even if you manage to fix something you MUST read the manual about maximum number of repeated flashes in a row. If you exceed that number you may fry your flash. About the screw contact, I have no idea. I only have the old FL-50. __________________ Welcome to my Blog: http://olyflyer.blogspot.com/

21st November 2008	#3
Joein New Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 3	Re: FL-50R flash - to speed-up recycling time Hi OlyFlyer, Yes, I did read the manual, I understand the 10 full pops limitation due to heat dissipation. That is one of the reason I try to get the batteries out from the flash, since they add a substantial amount of heat when under load. I hope that doing that I will get some additional margin. No, I do not want to fry my flash. But I have found that sometimes when I miss I need an immediate retake possibility. If happened that pop was at full power, the recharge is slow. I do not think that that the powergrip FP-1 could supply 330V to the flash, that should be a job of the SHV-1 high voltage pack. IMO/NT. Maybe a little bit higher voltage is needed for the terminals? I think about 6 VDC (maybe the grip was designed with alkaline batteries in mind?) I think the answer could be get by evaluating a voltages and flowing current with the flash a and FP-1 connected with test leads. Do someone has a FP-1 and FL-50 / FL-50R that could test it?

21st November 2008	#5
shyam Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 80	Re: FL-50R flash - to speed-up recycling time [quote=OlyFlyer;4537770]The heat problem mentioned is not for saving the batteries, but the flash. The flash head gets very hot if you fire repeatedly and moving the batteries out of the flash won't help that. I think he meant that getting the batteries out of there helps the heat to dissipate quicker since there isn't something in there radiating more heat... (damn those batts get HOT!!)