Flash wont work on remote trigger but fine on camera?

[ajax_andy]

Dont know if anyone can help but I have 2 Yongnou RF-602RX remote triggers and my flash (Yongnou YN465) wont work with either of them... it used to but now it doesn't. However the flash works fine when mounted on the camera.

Now I know the obvious answer to this is that the triggers are faulty... yet both work with my back up flash (Yongnou YN460 II).

So the triggers aren't faulty, and the flash gun isnt faulty... so what the hell is going on?

[mshockley]

play around with S1 and S2 settings on the flash, I seem to remember having a weird thing like this happen to me once, but I don;t recall exactly how I figured it out, but I'm almost positive it was the slave setting on the flash.

[graciousness]

Batteries? Try to do an isolation test first and make sure this is not the issue.

Get some super duper alkaline batteries and they can't be generic brands. Flash really don't cope with cheap batteries (the bastards!!). Best thing is to get rechargeable batteries as flash do eat batteries like there's no tomorrow and they're not cheap. Make sure, though, that you do get slow charger and not one of the turbo ones as fast charging chargers will shorten the lifespan of rechargeables prematurely.

Anyhoo, hopefully that's the only issue. I can't think of anything else that would cause that.

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by graciousness

Batteries? Try to do an isolation test first and make sure this is not the issue.

Get some super duper alkaline batteries and they can't be generic brands. Flash really don't cope with cheap batteries (the bastards!!). Best thing is to get rechargeable batteries as flash do eat batteries like there's no tomorrow and they're not cheap. Make sure, though, that you do get slow charger and not one of the turbo ones as fast charging chargers will shorten the lifespan of rechargeables prematurely.

Anyhoo, hopefully that's the only issue. I can't think of anything else that would cause that.

Thank but I have eneloop batteries so it's definately not a cheap battery issue unfortunately

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by mshockley

play around with S1 and S2 settings on the flash, I seem to remember having a weird thing like this happen to me once, but I don;t recall exactly how I figured it out, but I'm almost positive it was the slave setting on the flash.

Good suggestion thanks, both triggers are set to channel 1 so will try switching to channel 2

[Mike367]

FWIW I've had a similar problem w/ cheap rf flash triggers when used w/ cheap rf shutter release....they interfere w/ each other, especially in metal buildings. Work around is to set camera on 2 sec. self timer. Press rf shutter release, 2 sec. later camera and flashes trigger.

[SwissJon]

It sounds like you're using radio triggers and have the flash set to "remote".

The triggers work as if the flash is actually on the camera, so you need to have it set Exactly as if you're shooting manual mode flash on camera. (ttl doesn't work with cheap radio triggers)

There's probably also a button somewhere on the radio transmitter to trigger the flash for test. Two things to check.. First, if you press it, does the flash go off? Second, if it doesn't, does the LED on the receiver change colour? (or light up)

If the flash goes off, then the problem is the way your camera is talking to the transmitter. If it doesn't and the light on the receiver blips, then the problem is the way your receiver is talking to the flash. If it doesn't and the lights don't change, then the problem is the way the transmitter is talking to the receiver.

There's too many options to go through each one without the results of this little experiment. Try it and post back here.

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by SwissJon

It sounds like you're using radio triggers and have the flash set to "remote".

The triggers work as if the flash is actually on the camera, so you need to have it set Exactly as if you're shooting manual mode flash on camera. (ttl doesn't work with cheap radio triggers)

There's probably also a button somewhere on the radio transmitter to trigger the flash for test. Two things to check.. First, if you press it, does the flash go off? Second, if it doesn't, does the LED on the receiver change colour? (or light up)

If the flash goes off, then the problem is the way your camera is talking to the transmitter. If it doesn't and the light on the receiver blips, then the problem is the way your receiver is talking to the flash. If it doesn't and the lights don't change, then the problem is the way the transmitter is talking to the receiver.

There's too many options to go through each one without the results of this little experiment. Try it and post back here.

Hi Jon,

I dont have the flashes on me just now but I performed the following tests last night:

Both receivers and trigger set to channel 1

Attached a flash to each receiver and the trigger to the camera

Flashes both in full manual mode and camera like wise

Press shutter half way and trigger light changes from red to green

Checked both recievers and they also change from red to green at this point

Take photo and only one flash goes off

Swap flashes to opposite receivers, both turn green as does trigger when shutter half pressed but same flash fires and same flash doesn't depsite now being on different receivers

So I thought it was the flash that was faulty, attached to camera and it fires.

There isn't a button on the trigger to test fire, but there is one that goes green when you press it and so do the receivers... checked this and they all turn green.

My thoughts are it's a problem with the receiver speaking to the flash, yet the thing I can't work out is why both receivers work with my other flash, and why the problem flash works fine when on camera.

Edit - flash doesn't have a remote setting, just on, off, strength and TTL.

[scootermcq]

Originally Posted by ajax_andy

My thoughts are it's a problem with the receiver speaking to the flash, yet the thing I can't work out is why both receivers work with my other flash, and why the problem flash works fine when on camera.

It's weird because it worked before. I have had triggers that had too low of a voltage to trigger some flashes. Some flashes require very little to fire, others more. I would say that is the problem, but since it did fire previously, I am stumped.

I didn't catch in the earlier posts, but did you try new batteries? Maybe they are providing limited juice, so still function but not at full capacity

[ajax_andy]

Originally Posted by scootermcq

It's weird because it worked before. I have had triggers that had too low of a voltage to trigger some flashes. Some flashes require very little to fire, others more. I would say that is the problem, but since it did fire previously, I am stumped.

I didn't catch in the earlier posts, but did you try new batteries? Maybe they are providing limited juice, so still function but not at full capacity

Thanks for the reply,

I'm using fully charged Eneloop batteries so I dont think this is the issue.

I'm glad it's not just me that's completely stumped

I'd be tempted to just replace the receivers or the flash if I knew which was the problem, I have some cash in the bank that was going to be spent on a 10 stop ND filter, so I have the funds there, but equally dont want to waste my money replacing something that doesn't need replacing.