Graflex.org

[zmanphotog]

I bought a Speed Graphic that came with a Heiland flash that holds 3 D cell batteries. Can someone tell me which plugin the household connector goes in on the flash handle? The other end of the cord goes to the bipost on the shutter.
There is one that is directly in the back and one on each side. I've tried doing searches on the net, but keep getting instructins on how to make a damn Darth Vader Light *****. Thanks George Lucas!

[Les]

Heiland made several models and not all had every type of socket. There are three names usually found. "Shutter" "Solenoid" and "Extension."

Now if you're plugging directly into a shutter, such as that on the back (in this case it's the focal plane shutter built into the camera) or the shutter between the lens, then you need to plug the cord into the "shutter" outlet.

If however your plugging into a silver cylinder thingy near the front shutter, then you need to plug into the "solenoid" or "Extension" outlet. In this latter case, you fire the camera and the bulb by pressing the button on your flash unit.



_________________
"In order to invent, you need a good imagination and a lot of junk" Thomas Edison

[alecj]

"...plugging into a silver cylinder thingy ..."

Getting right down to the basics, huh Les?

[larrys]

Assuming the connectors on the flash are not labelled, you can eliminate the solenoid connector by looking for the one that gets voltage across it when the button on the flash is pushed. On the Graflite, this does not require a bulb. Yours is probably wired in a similar manner. Not knowing what the third one is, I'd have to guess. Remote?

[jdman]

If you have a unit with no markings it probably is a SOL. This flash has an interlock so you cannot press the red button when the plug is in the shutter inlet. looking from the back at the button the left and right outlets supply 4.5 volts to either the solenoid or another flash when the button is pressed. If you wanted to use both the solenoid and shutter sync from the camera you are out of luck. If this is not the unit you have, just disregard this info. Russ

[zmanphotog]

Thanks Russ,
this is the unit. The red button will not work when the plug is in the back. So, to use the shutter with flash the plug needs to be in the back? I wished I had a manual for the flash.

Thanks for the info.
Mark Z

[Lensman]

'Early'- Aprx.1949 and up to about the late '50's - Heiland battery case sockets were not identified/labelled. However the one at the 'rear'-(opposite the 'Trigger' button) - was always used for plugging in a cord that went to the external shutter flash contacts...Dual pin or PC or bayonet ASA Kodak type, etc...OR the focal plane shutter flash contacts as mentioned in another post.

Either socket- on the sides - was for a cord that went to a Solenoid, &/or an extension flash. (Various plug' tips' were available for different Solenoids. Most were either Graflex or Heiland) The plug end that goes on the Graflex Solenoid is a 'Male' dual prong, and a 'Female' dual prong for Heiland). 'Household' type plugs fit in the side and rear sockets.

If a plug is inserted into the 'rear' socket, this disables the 'Trigger' button. As this rear connection flashes the bulb from the shutter through its external dual post flash sync contacts, one would not want to inadvertantly flash the bulb out of habit using the 'Trigger' button. Once a plug is removed from the rear outlet and you wish to use the 'Trigger' button for tripping a shutter through a Solenoid, and thus the flash, you may have to press the 'Trigger' button a few times -(without bulbs in the battery case, and no cord going to a solenoid) - as on an early battery case I have, the 'Trigger' button 'sticks' until 'freed-up'. This may not occur on your battery case, or newer ones.

There is also a 'special outlet' for "electrical focusing devices" such as a Kalart Focuspot' which provides battery power to the device. This socket has dual round holes which take a Kalart cord..if you can find one.

One thing not possible with the Heiland battery cases is to be able to trip a shutter with a Solenoid, AND get flash sync through external shutter contacts, as this means a plug is in the rear socket, and as explained, this 'freezes' the 'Trigger' Button. However, if you have an electronic flash, you can have the solenoid trip the shutter, and connect a cord from the external shutter flash contacts TO the electronic flash unit. Graflex/Graflite DID allow the use of tripping a shutter from a 'Trigger' button, AND flashing a bulb using a cord from the shutter flash contacts up to one of the sockets.

'Later' labelled outlets battery cases identified the three 'household' sockets as: "Remote'(Rear); the two others as: "Tripper" or "Extension". Also on later labelled cases such as the model 24-3 'Synchronar', the 'REAR' socket was 'Polarized'. They made one of the two slots .186" and the other .250". This meant that most cords could not be inserted unless stated as 'Polarized' - and likely a Heiland brand - OR, if one ground down one or both of the prongs on an older 'Household' plug it then would fit the socket.
The purpose of this 'Polarized' outlet was for use with a twin gun -i.e.battery cases -
arrangement and connected with a Heiland 54-1 Polarized cable.
Other battery cases - without a 'Trigger' button -(Later ones were called a "Microswitch")- may or may not be labelled.

P.S. After submitting I noticed_some points I made had already been mentioned.
Hope this helps.________________


[ This Message was edited by: Lensman on 2003-01-16 20:10 ]