Need to remove the Battery Door on a 420EX

Well, after previously asking about Battery Packs for my 420EX in THIS thread, I decided to try the DIY approach. After reading all of the suggestions and a half dozen articles I realized it wasn't really that difficult. So I bought the materials and I am off to the races.

I generally don't do things if I can't do them right, so one thing I am determined to do is to cut the door on my 420EX so the cable can come out of the battery compartment with the door CLOSED. I do not want to use rubber bands as most of the DIY articles suggest.

Here is my problem, I am going to need to cut my notch on the hinge side of the door, which means it will be MUCH easier if I can remove the door. Trouble is, I can't figure out how to do that. Does anyone here know how to remove the hinged door from a 420EX?

I almost cut it off last night, and then had the thought that the hinge might be an integral part of the locking mechanism. I can't tell if the hinge is necessary to the door's closure, or if it is just a convenient "So you don't drop it and lose it" device.

I figured someone on here has taken a 420 EX apart in the past and would know the answers... So, does anybody know?

this is the closest thing I could find:
http://www.instructabl​es.com …-a-Speedlite-420EX-Flash/

Unfortunately, it doesn't appear to cover the dissaembly of the cover or battery area...

Not sure if this will help but it's PDF of the parts for the 420EX and shows the disassembled parts of the flash.

http://www.rzuf.com/SP​EEDLITE%20420EX.PDF

Thanks Guys...

the disassembly page is interesting... and what an interesting website! The only concern I have with is that after going through all the steps to disassemble the final instruction is "Re-assemble the unit". Yikes!!

Obviously, I could stop disassembling after the second step, and that may be what I have to do... Disassemble the entire lower portion of the flash. We'll see if I have the guts to do it later tonight!

Not sure about a 420EX, but I know my 430EX is a pain to try and take apart. My 540EZ's are pretty simple to get apart, and the door falls right out after you get everything loose. When I tried to take apart my 430EX, I couldn't get the front and back panels to snap apart. I tried a bit of pressure on the case, but didn't want to force it too much so I just put it back together and decided to not try it again.

With the 540's, all I needed to do was take out the 4 screws holding the foot on, and 2 screws at the top of the main case for the front panel. The front panel comes right off, and the door can be pulled right out with a very slight movement of the battery compartment. I've never actually held a 420 though, so I don't know if it would be more like taking the 430 apart or the 540.

I also do not know if the hinge would be needed to hold it together, or not.

PacAce wrote in post #6026412
Not sure if this will help but it's PDF of the parts for the 420EX and shows the disassembled parts of the flash.

http://www.rzuf.com/SP​EEDLITE%20420EX.PDF

Is there such a doc like this on the web for the 580EX II

dbdors wrote in post #6029298
Is there such a doc like this on the web for the 580EX II

I haven't been able to find one but there is one for the 580EX.

http://ozerki.net …ash/Speedlite%2​0580EX.pdf

SoccerRef, have you considered melting a hole in the battery door as opposed to taking it off and notching it? I haven't messed with camera flashes to alter them, but I have made modifications to a lot of other electronic gear and if there is no sensitive wiring in the immediate area, an inexpensive propane torch and a steel or iron object that is the right diameter works great to create a clean hole in the plastic.

Just a thought.

Interesting idea Dan...

I have been working on my external battery pack this evening. I got my "Fake Batteries" completed, connected the nomex wiring "house", and popped off a few test shots. It works beautifully!

Of course, I tested it before making any mods to the flash itself. So now that I know it works, I spent about an hour messing with how to "fix it" so I can close the door. I have several ideas, and decided to wait a day or so before I make a decision, because no matter what I decide, the next step is to cut the flash (or melt it) and honestly, that scares me, so I will contemplate until I am sure which will work best.

I won't list the 20 or so ideas I had during the hour, but I will share the top 3:
1 - Use smaller wire, reducing the size of the hole required.
2 - See if I can find a "Flat" wire" (i.e. PC cabling), then maybe I can simply trim some of the door.
3 - Carve out some of the plastic body underneath the door, creating enough space to run the wire, and possibly shave a piece of the curve of the door off, and run the cable straight out the bottom of the body of the flash.

I'll let you all know what I wind up doing...

Al Jacobs has some things to say about this:

http://www.aljacobs.co​m/Batterycables.htm

When I modified my 540's, I didn't take the door off. I just used a round file. I was carefull not to mess up the existing connections, thus the door wouldn't quiet close all of the way with the cord sticking out. So I covered the door with a piece of black gaffers tape. Honestly, if you don't know it is there, you can't tell it.
Mike

Titus213 wrote in post #6030707
Al Jacobs has some things to say about this:

http://www.aljacobs.co​m/Batterycables.htm

Yeah... i actually read this page during my research. It made me think and consider why I want the door closed.

I want the door closed for four reasons:
1 - Canon designed the flash to be operated with the door closed.
2 - A closed door is more secure than an open one.
3 - If Canon made this product, they would provide a means of closing the door.

For me, it's kind of like why I took the time to shrink cover and solder all electrical contacts. Is it necessary? No, I crimped them well enough, but the solder provides a bit more strength. And the shrink wrap provides no real needed benefit, the connections will work just fine without the covering. But the final project looks much nicer (i.e. professional), than it would without.

Closing the door isn't a vain thing. In my opinion, it's the right thing to do. If I were to purchase a product and enclosed in the package was a rubberband to hold the door closed, I'd be a little disappointed that the Manufacturer didn't take the time to develop the product 'correctly'. Why should I settle for less, just because I chose to do it myself?

I have a rule of thumb, "Don't do anything that you can't do very well. DO NOT settle for mediocrity." Basically, if I can't do it right, I'll find someone who can, or I'll save until I can afford to buy the product from the guy who can do it right.