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A Flash of Inspiration
I've always wanted one of those really big ring flash units, but as I'd only use it on rare occasions, I thought I'd have a "play" with some old disposable cameras.
So far from 20+ disposables, I've managed to get 12 that work. Two went up in smoke during testing, several didn't work at all and most had to be repaired to get them to work. I hasten to add that these were all originally sold as working cameras. So as another warning, don't buy cheap disposables (not that any of you would)
The batteries are from a BLM-1 that wouldn't work. The cells are great, just the circuit was dead. I was amazed to find I can get 18Amps out of them.
Anyway, this is the current stage of the production having just fired it for the first time. One of the units is smoking so will need to be changed but the flash it puts out is quite something.
Once I finish it, I'll fire it at something/body and post the results.
I'd better put in here a word of warning. What you see here could quite easily kill
There is 225V across the firing contacts with a lot of energy stored in those capacitors.
So far from 20+ disposables, I've managed to get 12 that work. Two went up in smoke during testing, several didn't work at all and most had to be repaired to get them to work. I hasten to add that these were all originally sold as working cameras. So as another warning, don't buy cheap disposables (not that any of you would)
The batteries are from a BLM-1 that wouldn't work. The cells are great, just the circuit was dead. I was amazed to find I can get 18Amps out of them.
Anyway, this is the current stage of the production having just fired it for the first time. One of the units is smoking so will need to be changed but the flash it puts out is quite something.
Once I finish it, I'll fire it at something/body and post the results.
I'd better put in here a word of warning. What you see here could quite easily kill
There is 225V across the firing contacts with a lot of energy stored in those capacitors.
(I use that word loosely) it was a tad unreliable and smoke would issue forth at regular intervals 
, but you have to credit me with the ingenuity) With the power pack and thyrister controls (
impressed now arn't you 
) made out of a modified Vivitar gun. An additional capacitor bank was also constructed with a truly lethal 1440 mF capacitance running at 360 Volts. 
you have to remember that it was horrible weather and I enjoy "Playing" with things like this...
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