Cactus wirleless flash wont fire

[Frank p]

I'v just bought a Vivitar 285HV and a Cactus v2 wireless flash syestem.
It worked fine on Saturday, firing everytime.
But today i set it up and nothing.
The flash works fine on camera and all batteries are fully charged.

Any ideas to why it wont fire?

[mmahoney]

First thing you need to do is replace the batteries in both the transmitter & receiver .. the supplied batteries are for testing only.

Then ensure your settings are correct .. perhaps one of the small swithces got moved accidentally. Refer to the user sheet for the setting combinations.
Mike

[mrbeagle]

would you happen to know off the top of your head what batteries to replace them with?

thanks

[mmahoney]

The receiver is a CR2 lithium and the transmitter is an alkaline 23A.
Mike

[Frank p]

All the channels are set correctly and when i hit the test button both red lights light up.
Ill pick up some new batteries tomorrow.
Can i just pick them up at the supermarket?

[Curtis N]

The receiver battery is a type typically used in film cameras. Most places that sell film & such should stock them.

The transmitter battery is a type typically used in remote transmitters like garage door openers.

I would try a good hardware store.

If the receiver light comes on when you hit the test button, I would guess the problem is somewhere in the flash-receiver connection. Do you have the flash mounted in the receiver's hotshoe (make sure it's in the right direction), or is it connected with the sync cord that comes with the flash?

[Frank p]

I have the flash mounted in the receiver hotshoe.
Its mounted in the right direction.
When i attach the flash to the receiver. The flash fire automatically. But when i hit the shutter. Nothing happens.:confused:

[Curtis N]

Do you get the light on the receiver when you take a shot, or only when you hit the test button?

Does the flash fire when you hit the test button?

[Frank p]

when i take a shot both red lights come on. But the flash doesn't fire.
When i press the test button. The red lights flash but the flash doesn't.
Ill buy some new batteries today and see if thats the problem.

[Lotto]

I read somewhere the 285 only works with the V2 when fresh batteries are in the Vivitar. Maybe give that a test.

[Frank p]

Another receiver i ordered for my Canon 420ez arrived today.
It fires every time with both the Canon and the Vivitar.
But the original receiver still doesn't work.
I tried changing the battery and nothing.
Im guessing its broke.
Going to email Gadgetinfinity now.
Thanks for your help guys :)

[godzakka]

sorry to drag up an old thread, but I'm having the same problem with my 285hv's. I
just bought some V2's (3 receivers) and while both red lights activate, and the flash fires normally (via hotshoe and PC sync), it won't fire but 5-10% of the time when in use with the V2's.

Anybody come up with a reliable solution/answer why its doing this? According to the seller the CR2's have been replaced.

Thanks

[tma888]

believe it or not, i also just got my cactus today.

had the same problem both with my 580exii and sunpak 738af.
after scrunitzing whats happening (both trigger and reciever are lighting up, set on
same channel, fresh batteries) still any of the 2 flashes wont work.

as i found out, the contacts on the flash and the hotshoe are not touching especially the
middle contact. what i did is i soldered the middle contact and melted some lead to it to
make it higher, the i pried open the steel sheet on the hotshoe, removed the screw and
found that the contact at the bottom of the plate is actually loose. again i soldered the
contact to make it reach the plate and close it all together.

now everything works fine.

i'll try to post some pics tomorrow so you guys can see what i did with it.

[Joe300]

I just got my cactus items yesterday and is the only way to hook them up is to set the flash to slave mode only ..???
but then will that allow any others in the room to grab your flash and fire the slave before you shoot...???
I have two sigma flash units, 500 & the 530 super...

Thanks,
Joe

[Bob D.]

Check their site but I thought I read that the V2 is for flash units with trigger voltages OVER 12V, and the V2S is for flashes with trigger voltages UNDER 12V.