PC Sync won't fire flash

Alright guys, I'm brand new to this. I have a Rebel XT with a 430ex. I have a hotshoe to PC adapter for the cameras hotshoe, a male to male PC cord, PC to hotshoe adapter for the flash and thats about it...Simple right? Btw, the flash works fine when it is directly on the cameras hotshoe.

So I plug everything in and it doesn't fire. The pilot light turns on and everything. However, none of the buttons work on the flash. For instance, I can't change the mode from ettl to manual.

Any help?

Thanks

try putting it in manual before you plug the cord in? But this shouldn't be happening anyway. Take it to a camera shop.

well if I take the hotshoe adapter off it does change to manual. When I start to put the adapter back on hit hits the first little metal thing on the flash and fires. Once I get it on the flash locks up again and won't change settings again. Last time I went to a local camera shop the guy didn't know what I was talking about when I asked for a PC Sync cord...so I went to BH lol. There really isn't any shops around here either.

If it's a metal hotshoe it could be that the pins are shorting together. You need to tape off the four pins and just let the center pin connect. Or buy a plastic hotshoe to connect to the flash that has just that center pin. But tape will help you diagnose the problem.

blackflame wrote in post #6283949
Alright guys, I'm brand new to this. I have a Rebel XT with a 430ex. I have a hotshoe to PC adapter for the cameras hotshoe, a male to male PC cord, PC to hotshoe adapter for the flash and thats about it...Simple right? Btw, the flash works fine when it is directly on the cameras hotshoe.

So I plug everything in and it doesn't fire. The pilot light turns on and everything. However, none of the buttons work on the flash. For instance, I can't change the mode from ettl to manual.

Any help?

Thanks

Do you have a CAMERA hotshoe adapter on the camera?

Do you have a FLASH hotshoe adapter on the flash?

I am not trying to be flippant.

I have seen several threads like this before where users are trying to use the wrong hotshoe adapter on a flash, or on a camera.

Post an image of your adapters or cite a links so we can see what they look like.

Enjoy! Lon

Flash: http://www.mpex.com/br​owse.cfm/4,7403.html
Camera: http://www.mpex.com/br​owse.cfm/4,901.html

Btw, I have found it impossible to tape off the ettl pins. The tape is too thick or it tears. Do the pins have to pushed down? I slide the adapter on just a little bit so it hit the main pin. When it hits that pin the flash randomly fires but then does the same thing it does when it touches the other pins.

blackflame wrote in post #6284180
Flash: http://www.mpex.com/se​arch.htm

You need to link to a product, not a search page.

Metal hotshoes do cause problems.

err...oops.

http://www.mpex.com/br​owse.cfm/4,7403.html

blackflame wrote in post #6284180
Flash: http://www.mpex.com/br​owse.cfm/4,7403.html
Camera: http://www.mpex.com/br​owse.cfm/4,901.html

Btw, I have found it impossible to tape off the ettl pins. The tape is too thick or it tears. Do the pins have to pushed down? I slide the adapter on just a little bit so it hit the main pin. When it hits that pin the flash randomly fires but then does the same thing it does when it touches the other pins.

Bingo.

Both of the hotshoe adapters you have are CAMERA hotshoe adapters.

Both are to place on a camera and provide a place to attach a sync cord with a PC connection.

Neither adapter has a top shoe that is "hot" (no electrical connection to the flash).

Either of the adapters you have will work fine on your CAMERA, but you need a different adapter for your flash.

You have two CAMERA hotshoe adapters and no FLASH hotshoe adapter.

Enjoy! Lon