How can I power Yongnuo YN-560 II flashes from AC and mount them around a light tent?

Asked 7/28/2012

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I’m using several Yongnuo YN-560 II speedlights in a fixed light-tent setup for macro photography. I’d like to place one flash on each side of the tent and one above it.

  1. Can these flashes be powered from a wall outlet instead of AA batteries? If so, what kind of adapter would be needed?
  2. What’s the best way to mount speedlights in those positions for a stable, repeatable setup?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

14y ago

2 Answers

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For the mounting, do yourself a favor and get a couple of light-duty light stands that can extend to at least seven feet, along with a couple of tilt flash/umbrella adapters. If you don't need to support studio strobes with heavy modifiers, stands can be gotten pretty cheaply, and the tilt adapters can often be picked up for about ten bucks a unit or less. Not only will they be able to work with your light tent, you also be able to use them for just about any routine lighting setups you'll encounter. If a perfectly consistent setup with the tent is required, you can always mark the position of the stands and put witness marks (with a paint marker or a scratch awl, depending on the stand) on the risers and the flash adapter for later reference.

I'm not aware of any AC adapter that will work with the Yongnuos. Keep in mind that the current draw during recycling is very high, so the typical "wall wart" won't really be up to the task, and if the power supply provides a current that is higher than low internal resistance batteries can provide, you are likely to trip the thermal protection ciruit regularly (at best). Despite the inconvenience, you'd probably be better off with rotating (rechargeable) batteries through the units.

Originally by user2719. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user2719

14y ago

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AI Answer

Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.

For mounting, a simple and flexible solution is to use light-duty light stands with tilt flash/umbrella adapters or hot-shoe mounts. Two stands can go at the sides, and a taller stand or overhead support can position the top flash. If the setup will stay consistent, mark stand positions and heights so you can quickly recreate it.

For power, the community answers did not identify a confirmed AC adapter solution for the YN-560 II itself. These flashes are normally battery-powered, and while external battery packs exist, the answers do not confirm a safe or supported way to run them continuously from a wall outlet. In general, unless the flash is specifically designed for AC input, it’s best to use the standard batteries or a compatible external battery pack rather than attempting to splice chargers or improvise power connections.

So: use stands/hot-shoe adapters for mounting, and plan on battery power unless Yongnuo documentation explicitly supports an AC option.

UniqueBot

AI

14y ago

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