Almost a Sunpak Traitor ...

[SeaYoda]

I sent my flooded strobe back to LeisurePro and they received it last week. I had emailed the manufacturer a second time before sending the strobe back. I asked them if they had plans to redesign the battery door which caused the leak (from my opinion and their reply to my first email). I never got a reply to my second email so I decided to try and get merchandise for my out of commission strobe rather than get a replacement that will leak again. I had not heard from LP so I called them today and they said due to the holiday they "have not been able to mail my replacement until today". I asked if they had not seen what I filled out on the form (asking for merchandise rather than the strobe). He said they had not noticed, but that the strobe was on it's way. He said he had read the copy of my first email to Tocad that I forwarded to him. I also told him others have had some problems with the strobe and made sure he understood my misgivings about the door design. I agreed to try this third strobe in less than a year, and he said to send it back for merchandise if it has a problem again. I have until October to test this latest strobe. LP customer service dropped the ball on exchanging my strobe for merchandise, but has been very responsive otherwise so I hope that if I flood again that they will follow through for me.

I still think this could be a great strobe for the price, but it has some issues that would take it off my list if I were buying now. Tocad seemed to be very responsive at first but then they clammed up. The battery door has always been a concern, and I was very careful with it. It is a bad design for diving (it may be great for rain or humidity use). The fact that my first strobe had a manufacturing defect and Larry C has had some problems with his new Sunpak worries me.

Wish me luck as I stress this thing out over the summer. I hope that if it is going to poop out it does so before October.

 

[justleesa]

I'll cross my fingers for you!

 

[SeaYoda]

Thanks JL!

 

[vkalia]

Yoda, could there be a variation in the models perhaps? The reason I ask is that I have the GPak as well, and my battery cover sits quite tightly, actually. Sometimes, getting it off is a struggle. I agree that the design doesnt inspire confidence, but it doesnt seem to be all *THAT* prone to coming loose provided you insert it properly.

Anyhoo, it is time to invest in a slave TTL strobe anyway...

Vandit

 

[Larry C]

So far, I have had no response whatever to my polite e-mails to Tocad America. I explained that my unit had not flooded, nor was there any apparent damage whatever, and asked for warranty service instructions. Haven't received any reply. Next step will be a phone call. Good luck with your new unit. I must say that until it failed, I had really good results in my brief 3 dive weekend with the Sunpak.

 

[DesertEagle]

That battery compartment is a huge design problem. At least with Tocad you may have some response. I've heard quite the opposite about Epoque.

On a personal note, I've used Sea & Sea strobes for a long time. 10 years ago one of my YS-50s flooded. It was fairly new and when I told Underwater PhotoTech, they called Sea & Sea and gave me a replacement.

 

[SeaYoda]

Yoda, could there be a variation in the models perhaps? The reason I ask is that I have the GPak as well, and my battery cover sits quite tightly, actually. Sometimes, getting it off is a struggle. I agree that the design doesnt inspire confidence, but it doesnt seem to be all *THAT* prone to coming loose provided you insert it properly.

Anyhoo, it is time to invest in a slave TTL strobe anyway...

Vandit

Mine fit so tight I had to use the tool that comes with it to pop the door open on every dive except the flood dive. I knew something was wrong, at the end of that last dive, when the door came open by just pressing the orange tabs. I was very careful to be sure all was well because I knew the design looked weak. I made sure the tabs were in position and pulled all the way out like it says in the instructions. The only thing that was different was that the tabs kept losing more and more "spring back" over time. I believe this may be what Tocad meant in their email to me. If the springs don't lock the door, by keeping the tabs pushed out, it may wiggle and allow water in. I'll be watching the tabs very closely on this next unit.

Epoque has a new design for their doors so I would feel more comfortable with one of those. I think a lot depends on who you buy the strobe from as to how much recourse you have. Tocad referred me back to my distributer and never a word from them again. LP seems to be handling this pretty well and I did some research with a place called Marine Camera that comes highly recommended and I would feel comfortable with them. Time will tell where things will eventually end up for me.

 

[vkalia]

Mine fit so tight I had to use the tool that comes with it to pop the door open on every dive except the flood dive. I knew something was wrong, at the end of that last dive, when the door came open by just pressing the orange tabs.

Yeesh... that's mucked up. Re. the design - I agree that it is really dumb. Sometimes, you feel like taking a large cod and slapping people upside the head with it, and asking them "what the HELL were you thinking when you did this" - this is one of those designs, innit?

Thanks for the warning - I'll keep my eye open for the springs coming loose suddenly.

Vandit

 

[dbh]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?p=1679829#post1679829


Dave

 

[SeaYoda]

So tell us how you really feel Dave .... .