I have been doing some flash photography with my 2-cell Graflex Flashing unit (early chrome battery case) and now want to use my side lighting units (again, early units) for multiple flash. I want to start doing portraiture and maybe some multiple open flash work.

Some questions:
1.I have the 2-cell extention (for a total of 4 batteries) for one of my flash units and wonder how many side lighting units(possibly 4?)will this unit handle? Never done this.
2. In Morgan and Lester, there is a blurb about hooking up a 6 volt battery via the glass eye socket using the Kalart Focus Spot connector and wiring the battery to that connector for more battery power. Has anyone done this and is it a better option for multiple flash than the extention?
3. Can you connect two (or more)2-cell flashing units together to double the power like the Graflites? (I am not sure that you can)
4.Bayonet test lamps; where to find them? Also, what wattage screw base lamp can I use to check flashes?

I appreciate all you knowledgeable people who regularly respond with answers in this site. Many an answer was found here and I hope that I can contribute as well in the future.

I've not seen the chrome "Graflex" flash equipment, but it seems to be that if each extension unit has its own battery and you can find a way to cable them together, there should be no limit on how many you can trip at once. Some discussion of this point would be welcome.

You might try Cress Photo for the test lamp. He lists a screw base test lamp (under "Flash Equipment"). I've never seen one of those; I had a bayonet base test lamp -- they were all over the place, 50 years ago -- and it is a useful accessory. If worse came to worst, I think you could make one, starting with the base of an expended flashbulb.

Unless you want to use 110V. (and I wouldn't want to), I don't think you'll find a screw base lamp of sufficiently low wattage to serve for testing a 3-volt battery circuit.

On 2004-06-24 20:39, t.r.sanford wrote:
I've not seen the chrome "Graflex" flash equipment, but it seems to be that if each extension unit has its own battery and you can find a way to cable them together, there should be no limit on how many you can trip at once. Some discussion of this point would be welcome

T.R
Sorry for the previous empty post.Fat fingered the enter key.
The chrome units are the ones that the movie prop guys want.I have two units; two 2-cell battery cases with one 4-cell extention and 4 flash side lighting units.

Yes, I think you are right on possibly cabling the battery cases together but not sure if it can be done. I thought that there was circuit issues. As for bayonet test lamps, will go to Cress. As for screw based test lamps, I guess it depends on if I can get the power to the bulb. (Fuzzy basic electricity here)

Anyone else have opinions to my power problems?

I have two of the screw base test devices; they have a flashlight bulb (screw type) socket built into the top under a wire guard. So if one has to be made instead of bought, it could probably be cobbled together pretty easily.

In fact, if crude is not an issue, just take a light bulb and break off the envelope. Take care not to damage the innards of the bulb. Solder a flashlight bulb in place of the filament and it should do the job. Use the glass filament stem to hold/remove it with. Smooth the ragged glass edges with emery paper.

You may not want to let other people see such a highly refined device to avoid awkward questions.

Why not just use a low voltage, standard base 24V. or 32V. DC light bulb?
It would light dimly, and still test the flash, without burning out.
Most Marine supply stores carry them.

Hello all,
Just wanted to provide and update to my earlier power problem of firing multiple flashes using the early Graflex Syncronizers and extention side lighting units. I aquired a couple of the BC cartridges that Graflex put out and put a Radio Shack Everready 22.5 volt battery in the cartridge. Inserted cartridge in Syncronizer unit, inserted bulb and poof! All is good.
Started connected 4 side lighting units one at a time, all bulbs went off. All is good again.
Started thinking that this should not happen as the terminals on these Syncronizer flash units are wired in parallel. Same for the extention flash units. So, in thinking that I needed a bulb in the Syncronizer to fire the 4 side lighting units, I loaded up the 4 side lighting units with bulbs and did not put a bulb in the Syncronizer unit. All 4 bulbs in the side lighting units went off! All is still very good!

Not that I have a problem, but according to other posts on BC cartridge use in flash units the extention flashes are supposed to be wired in series, not parallel.

IF my memory serves me right, in series circuits, the total voltage is the sum of all series connected loads. Amperage remains constant and resistance is again the total across all loads.
In parallel circuits, the voltage remains constant across parallel loads, amperage is the total sum across all loads, and total resistance is less than the total voltage across all loads in a parallel circuit.

Apparently, my extention side lighting units are firing due to the constant voltage across all parallel units and will do so until available amperage falls beyond a certain point. (I think it's like 5 amps)Is my thinking correct here?

I guess I just want to understand why it works. I always have thought that a BC cartridge only works with multiple extention flash units when wired in series.