YS-01 Solis Strobe Dead

[MrChen]

On a dive the other night, one of my YS-01 Solis strobes started behaving oddly. I noticed after taking a photo, only one side of the critter was illuminated. Upon looking at the strong, I noticed the red light was blinking and the focus light was on. I turned the unit off and on again, same result. I was unable to turn off the focus light with the unit powered on. Each time I turned the power back on, the focus light illuminated, and the ready light blinked steady.

Fast forward to today... I turn the unit on and it's dead. No lights, nothing. I turned on the other strobe and it fired up no problem. I moved the batteries from the working unit to the non-working unit, and it still doesn't power on.

I've seen where others have had issues with the YS-01. I created a separate thread because this is the Solis model. Has anyone else experienced this issue? The crappy part, I'm 2.5 days from getting on a plane to Bonaire...

 

[MrChen]

Just to update everyone. I Iet it sit for a few hours, no batteries in it, and now it appears to be working again.

 

[scubadada]

Hi @MrChen

Have a great trip to Bonaire, look forward to hearing and seeing all about it

 

[MrChen]

I'm in Bonaire, the strobe powered when I put batteries in. A few min later, it won't power on.

 

[MrChen]

4 days into my Bonaire trip, shooting single strobe because one is dead, and my other one dies too. Both strobes died within weeks of each other. I was using new fully charged eneloop pro batteries. I was not on max power and was not rapid firing. Both strobes are marked made in Japan. I called and left a message with Tusa? a week before I left for vacation and they never called me back. Both strobes are about 6 months old.

I've been a sea and sea customer (housing and strobes) for 4 cameras. My loyalty is hanging by a thread.

 

[MrChen]

I'd like to note, if I leave batteries out for some time, the strobes will turn on and even fire. As soon as I turn the power off, they won't turn on and may just stop firing even when left on.

 

[David Haas]

Something likely in the trigger capacitor circuitry.

I maintain INON is the best $$$$$ for $$$$$ value in terms of long term reliability.

 

[MrChen]

Up to now, I've had good luck with Sea & Sea products. I finally found a good support # to call with Tusa and received immediate help with getting a return authorization # for both strobes. Though the support tech called my Nikon D850 a point and shoot, and then tried to claim the strobes weren't compatible, he heard me out and agreed with me that they should work.

If these strobes die again, not only will I be pissed off, but I'll also never buy Sea & Sea again, to include housing, strobes, ports, etc.

 

[Searcaigh]

@MrChen

Like you I've been an avid Sea & Sea user for years. When I moved from film to digital I bought my first Sea & Sea housing for a Nikon D70, then a D300, and a D7100.

I've had loads of Sea & Sea strobes, YS50, YS250, YS90 and currently using my YS110a while my YSD3 is being repaired due to a leaking Eneloop Pro battery. I still have a YSD2J that I pair with that strobe.

My support is in Singapore, which isn't local, but I've been dealing with Andrew Yeo for over 20 years and always had great service.

I will add though, the YSD2 strobes made in China were lemons.

 

[MrChen]

@MrChen

Like you I've been an avid Sea & Sea user for years. When I moved from film to digital I bought my first Sea & Sea housing for a Nikon D70, then a D300, and a D7100.

I've had loads of Sea & Sea strobes, YS50, YS250, YS90 and currently using my YS110a while my YSD3 is being repaired due to a leaking Eneloop Pro battery. I still have a YSD2J that I pair with that strobe.

My support is in Singapore, which isn't local, but I've been dealing with Andrew Yeo for over 20 years and always had great service.

I will add though, the YSD2 strobes made in China were lemons.

We have a similar journey. My first Sea & Sea housing was for a Nikon point and shoot, upgraded to a D70, then D300, and now a D850. My YS-90 strobes worked with the point and shoot all the way through to the D300, which I recently traded to a friend. I bought the YS-01's for the D850.