540EZ started smoking

I've got a 540EZ that has started to emit a very small puff of acrid smoke when the flash is fired at full power, 1/2 & 1/4 power and the fresnel panel has a couple of dark marks on the underside. I've found a tutorial on how to dismantle the head so that I can get to the flash bulb and fresnel panel and can also get a replacement panel for a lot less than either a 2nd hand 550EX/580EX or new Yongnou 560. My question is, does any else have experience of this problem and if it's just the fresnel panel getting really old or if there's a more expensive/complicated fault causing the burning?

I appreciate it's an old flash but as I'm currently out of work I really don't have the spare funds to buy a replacement at this time

Thanks in advance for any help or advice

Chris

Chris L wrote in post #13152377
I've got a 540EZ that has started to emit a very small puff of acrid smoke when the flash is fired at full power, 1/2 & 1/4 power and the fresnel panel has a couple of dark marks on the underside. I've found a tutorial on how to dismantle the head so that I can get to the flash bulb and fresnel panel and can also get a replacement panel for a lot less than either a 2nd hand 550EX/580EX or new Yongnou 560. My question is, does any else have experience of this problem and if it's just the fresnel panel getting really old or if there's a more expensive/complicated fault causing the burning?

I appreciate it's an old flash but as I'm currently out of work I really don't have the spare funds to buy a replacement at this time

Thanks in advance for any help or advice

Chris

I suppose it could be the plastic front getting old but a "small puff of acrid smoke" does not sound too good. My guess it's a more expensive problem

watt100 wrote in post #13155039
I suppose it could be the plastic front getting old but a "small puff of acrid smoke" does not sound too good. My guess it's a more expensive problem

Thanks for the reply. I must admit I can't think of a logical reason why there would be smoke as well as that would indicate something's getting fried each time I trigger it.

I have since found that it only happens when the flash is zoomed out to 24mm and 28mm. At 35mm+ there's no smoke at any power setting