580EX II random flashes

[Tom Camilleri]

I was using my two 580EX IIs off-camera in manual mode, with sync cord. At on point the master just started popping randomly (about one second average interval). I turned off flash, camera and reconnected cord, after which things seemed ok again. I'm concerned since this never happened to me before with this setup. Might I have fried something by removing the Speedlite from a cold shoe while it was on? Could it have been that I had been switching modes and settings frequently with the unit continuously on? Would a short in the cord cause this behavior? Thanks for any insights.

[ebann]

Any chance your thumb was resting on the * button? That's FEL and causes the flash... I had that mysterious random flashes too and it was exactly this.

[MarkNDixie]

Could the flash been accidentally switched to multi mode? The regular interval of the flashes seem to indicate that might be the case.

-mark

[Tom Camilleri]

Any chance your thumb was resting on the * button? That's FEL and causes the flash... I had that mysterious random flashes too and it was exactly this.

Thanks for reply. Could have been but not sure. The flashes were like FEL. Will have to see. I doubt I was continuously removing my thumb from the button and then putting it back on. If you keep your thumb down do you get continuous FEL pops?

[Tom Camilleri]

Could the flash been accidentally switched to multi mode? The regular interval of the flashes seem to indicate that might be the case.

-mark

Thanks for reply. Again, could have been but I didn't think to check. Since the flash was off camera I doubt it. Will try to be more observant if this happens again.

[apersson850]

If you keep your thumb down do you get continuous FEL pops?No.

[TMR Design]

An intermittent or bad sync cord could easily cause misfires. First thing to do is make sure that when the flash is not connected to anything that it behaves as it should. They swap the sync cord or try to use another trigger is possible. What you're describing sounds like a faulty sync cord especially because you're saying it fired randomly. If it were the wrong mode it would be a repetitive behavior.

[Familiaphoto]

Another vote for a bad sync cord.

[Hermes]

Sounds like a fault or loose connection causing a short somewhere in the cord or hotshoe (more likely the cord). You're not the first person this has happened to so try not to worry about it unless it keeps recurring.

[Tom Camilleri]

An intermittent or bad sync cord could easily cause misfires. First thing to do is make sure that when the flash is not connected to anything that it behaves as it should. They swap the sync cord or try to use another trigger is possible. What you're describing sounds like a faulty sync cord especially because you're saying it fired randomly. If it were the wrong mode it would be a repetitive behavior.


Thanks. Will try the troubleshooting tips.

[Tom Camilleri]

Sounds like a fault or loose connection causing a short somewhere in the cord or hotshoe (more likely the cord). You're not the first person this has happened to so try not to worry about it unless it keeps recurring.

Thanks. Will be more aware of possibilities when if and when this happens again.