Help with my 420EX???

I am using a 30D w/ 420EX, Shooting a 17-40 @ 125/f5.6 full manual. The only way I can get the flash to fire is full straight on. I am trying to use off camera flash with 2 other units (not tied into the 420), all I want the 420 to do is fire pointed straight up (to fire the other two units), is there a setting I can set so the 420 will fire no matter what?
TIA,
cntry

I presume you are trying to trigger some optical slaves. The 420EX cannot do that, as there is no way to put the 420EX into manual mode. What happens with the 420EX is the remote slaves will be triggered by the pre-flash from the 420EX. You'll have to upgrade your flash unit to one of the newer units that has manual control for the flash.

It sounds like you may have a problem inside the 420EX if it will not fire in tilted positions. A ribbon cable (or its connections) may be at fault internally. My 420EX will fire in any position.

Skip,
Thanks for the quick reply. The slaves I have will fire with the preflash, as for the 420 it will fire some times, I just need it as a trigger. I get the 50mm red light flashing, not sure what that means?

cntry wrote in post #2691082
Skip,
Thanks for the quick reply. The slaves I have will fire with the preflash, as for the 420 it will fire some times, I just need it as a trigger. I get the 50mm red light flashing, not sure what that means?

The flashing red light is a light source for use as a focusing aid.

Well @ 15 f/4 it is firing every time so I am getting to do what I wanted. Not sure why it wouldnt fire at the above setting, pic was way dark.
I guess I need a book on lighting or Flash/Lighting.
Thanks for the replies.