Alien Bee Problem. Can Anyone Help?

Hello,

I inherited some Alien Bee B800 lights sometime last year from a friend. I basically just got the lights, stands, and an off brand transmitter that fits on the hot shoe on my Canon. No instruction manuals. Anyway, the lights will work fine for about 10 minutes, then, for no reason the lights will fire randomly. Sometimes about 20 or so times in a row. Can anyone please tell me how to stop this? I have a big photo shoot this week, and I don't want to give someone a seizure with these Bees going off involuntary.

If it matters, I have a brand new battery in the transmitter. I hope I've been clear, I'm kinda new to studio photography. Thanks in advance.

It could be an issue with the transmitter. Hook up a PCsync cable and see if the issue goes away.
I have some Pixel Kings that will do that occasionally if hooked up to a Bee. I don't know why it does it, but my Cybersyncs don't have that issue.

Make sure all of your transmitter and receiver connections are tight. The bee will flash whenever it gets a new signal, such as losing then regaining a wireless signal. Fresh batteries are a good idea too.

Low batteries on cybersync transmitters will do that. Replace all batteries...

Guido1947 wrote in post #15773877
an off brand transmitter.

I can only assume you also have an "off brand" receiver? If replacing its battery doesn't solve the problem, I would chuck that garbage and get a Cybersync transmitter and receiver (CST and CSR). A pair will set you back about $150 and they're as solid as anything on the market.