Do speedlights need to be powered on or fired periodically during long storage?
Asked 6/30/2020
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I've often heard that if a flash sits unused for months, you should put batteries in it and turn it on—or even fire it a few times—to keep it from deteriorating in storage. Is that still true for modern flashes, or is it outdated folklore? If periodic use does help, what part of the flash benefits and why?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
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Flashes have large electrolytic capacitors (sort of a wet variety inside) which when triggered, discharge into the flash tube to power the bright flash. When sitting around turned off for months or years, those capacitors can dry out and fail, or lose capacity. Turning them on causes them to recharge to full voltage, and triggering it a time or two repeats this cycle, which "reforms" them and prolongs their life. So it's not a bad idea to either use them, or to cycle them a time or two at least every several months. When other electronic equipment is stored a long time (radios, stereos, etc), these electrolytic capacitors are a First Concern about the likely suspected failure case if they can no longer "reform".
Overuse can be bad for the flash tube, but using it is good for the electrolytic capacitors. A couple of flashes every several months is Not overuse (but don't leave the batteries in them for long periods).
Originally by user38978. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user38978
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
There is some truth to it. The main concern is not usually the flash tube, but the large electrolytic capacitor inside the flash that stores the energy for the burst.
Electrolytic capacitors can degrade when left unused for long periods. Powering the flash on lets that capacitor charge up again, which helps “reform” the dielectric layer and can preserve performance. This is a common issue in older or long-stored electronics, not just flashes.
Based on the answers provided, you generally do not need to actually fire the flash for this purpose; turning it on so the main capacitor charges is the important part. Firing it a couple of times won’t usually hurt, but repeated use contributes more to flash-tube wear than simply powering the unit on.
So: for long-term storage, it’s reasonable to power a flash on occasionally—every few months is a sensible rule of thumb. It’s not something to obsess over, but it can help the capacitor age more gracefully. For normal use and ordinary storage intervals, it’s usually not a major concern.
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