Flash Slave Trigger

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Flash slaves are used when you need to supplement one flash unit with one or several more. This slave trigger simply triggers those other units. It does this by "seeing" the first flash (using a phototransistor) and triggering the other flashes a few microseconds later. The sensitivity of the circuit is adjustable to compensate for ambient light or dimmer than usual master flashes.

Schematic

Parts

Part	Total Qty.	Description	Substitutions
R1	1	47K Linear Pot
R2, R3	2	3K 1/4W Resistor
R4	1	220 Ohm 1/4W Resistor
R5	1	680 Ohm 1/4W Resistor
C1	1	10uf 25V Electrolytic Capacitor
C2	1	0.047uf 25V Ceramic Capacitor
Q1	1	2N5777 NPN Darlington Phototransistor
Q2, Q3	2	2N3904 NPN Transistor	2N2222
SCR1	1	400V 2A SCR
S1	1	1A 120V SPST Switch
P1	1	Plug to match jack on slave flash
MISC	1	Knob For R1, Wire, Board

Notes

Q1 should be aimed at the master flash. R1 should be adjusted for maximum sensitivity but no false triggering.

Keep your fingers away from SCR1 when the circuit is operating. It is at 50V-300V and will give you a nasty shock.

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Comments

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anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Tuesday, March 14, 2017 8:41:42 PM

Just sending greetings in 2017 :) It's nice to see this page is still online.

Bert Checa Flash Slave Trigger Friday, December 16, 2011 10:09:33 AM

I think is a missing resistor between base and emiter of Q1. The drawing shown a short between base and emiter of Q1. Will it work this way? Q1 will work as a diode? I dont know, please let me Know. BERT

JC Flash Slave Trigger Monday, September 27, 2010 5:40:16 PM

Could this be used with 12 volts? if not what adjustments would be needed for a 12 volt input?

H.Johnson Flash Slave Trigger Saturday, May 16, 2009 3:57:35 PM

Xcuse if naive question. I am trying to build a flash for photomicrography based on a luxeon LED (1W or 3W). The idea is to couple the LED to the camera flash with a slave circuit like this one, so that when the camera at one end of the microscope flashes, so does the LED at the other end. A short duration flash is desirable. i do this at the moment with a xenon flash slave unit, and a #8 ND filter which sort of works, but an LED solution would be more elegant. Ideally, one would use the LED for normal illumination, and the same LED in flash mode for photography. I wonder if you have any comments, of suggestions how I might modify the circuit diagram for this application? I am a hobbyist - not commercial in any way. Thanks and best wishes from Norfolk UK Hugo Johnson

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Tuesday, March 03, 2009 2:02:12 AM

nice circuit..well find and scr here ..a cheap one its very hard but i found one like 12 A/600 volts and cost about one dollar! nice ah! really i going to buit this ..and of course use a disponsable camera its a very good idea ..i buy one and disademble ..very nice hardwere and very cheap...but be carfully if yuo do that..a big electrolityc capacitor (all flash have one) can give yuo a bad day or can kill yuo..so be very carefully..its all depends on the capacitance of the high voltage cap..typically i dont think that a cap of a disponsable camera can kill yuo bucause they are not to big ..but i dont makke the experiment with nyself so i dont know...but if yuo shot the cap the spark its very big!..so be very carefully when work with this stuff..there mathematicall for this of corse ..yuo can calculete the power, watts of the divice..but i forget that...well its in some book there..i think that this can work whit a simple photo transistor too.of corso the darlintong have and internal amplifier ..more sensitivite and ..more expensive... so good look with yuo photography experiments...

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:22:56 AM

I wonder if R3 would not be more appropriately connected to the ground rather than on the Q2 collector . Q2 would working in pure switching ...

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Tuesday, August 26, 2008 5:29:54 PM

does not work

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Tuesday, September 11, 2007 12:26:35 PM

R5 - 680 ohm will do just fine with a (SCR1) TIC 106 a good sensitive contruction, ;) but only the first flash trigger this circuit. most camaras give two, or use manual mode on the camara. then you have to think again, but the digital cam give a preview. this way you can make a other picture. .

Ameya Flash Slave Trigger Saturday, July 07, 2007 9:38:10 AM

How much power supply I shoud give it?

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Thursday, July 05, 2007 5:33:21 PM

R5 please...you owe us that much
(Editor's notes: Search the forum.)

WildSwan Flash Slave Trigger Tuesday, July 03, 2007 2:33:59 AM

Is it possible to use the trigger voltage of the flash unit to power the trigger instead of using a separate 9V cell? If so, how do we go about this?

miguel_pork Flash Slave Trigger Sunday, April 15, 2007 1:11:45 PM

tip: dont construct a circuit before verifying all parts.;)

Yehya Flash Slave Trigger Tuesday, April 10, 2007 7:51:42 PM

What's the value of R5?
(Editor's notes: Search the forum (or for just read prior comments).)

delfuego Flash Slave Trigger Monday, April 09, 2007 5:52:11 PM

The exact value of R5 depends on the SCR being used. Try 4K7 (that's 4.7K in old money) as a starting point. If your SCR doesn't fire then reduce until it does reliably.

Sinister Dragon Flash Slave Trigger Saturday, March 31, 2007 4:06:40 AM

Thanks, been looking for something like this online for ages. NOw I can cheaply and easily make a slave trigger for my "disposable" flashs.....

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Friday, March 23, 2007 9:31:09 AM

yeah i also see that the Resistor 5 has no assigned value therefore we cannot complete that project or circuit whatever you called that.. pls tell us the value of R5.. Thnx
(Editor's notes: Search the forum.)

Charles Flash Slave Trigger Thursday, March 15, 2007 12:11:48 PM

Um yah - Was halfway through construction when I realised no value was supplied for R5.
(Editor's notes: Search the forum.)

anonymous Flash Slave Trigger Saturday, March 03, 2007 6:25:58 AM

r5?
(Editor's notes: Search the forum.)

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anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Tuesday, March 14, 2017 8:41:42 PM
Just sending greetings in 2017 :) It's nice to see this page is still online.
Bert Checa	Flash Slave Trigger	Friday, December 16, 2011 10:09:33 AM
I think is a missing resistor between base and emiter of Q1. The drawing shown a short between base and emiter of Q1. Will it work this way? Q1 will work as a diode? I dont know, please let me Know. BERT
JC	Flash Slave Trigger	Monday, September 27, 2010 5:40:16 PM
Could this be used with 12 volts? if not what adjustments would be needed for a 12 volt input?
H.Johnson	Flash Slave Trigger	Saturday, May 16, 2009 3:57:35 PM
Xcuse if naive question. I am trying to build a flash for photomicrography based on a luxeon LED (1W or 3W). The idea is to couple the LED to the camera flash with a slave circuit like this one, so that when the camera at one end of the microscope flashes, so does the LED at the other end. A short duration flash is desirable. i do this at the moment with a xenon flash slave unit, and a #8 ND filter which sort of works, but an LED solution would be more elegant. Ideally, one would use the LED for normal illumination, and the same LED in flash mode for photography. I wonder if you have any comments, of suggestions how I might modify the circuit diagram for this application? I am a hobbyist - not commercial in any way. Thanks and best wishes from Norfolk UK Hugo Johnson
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Tuesday, March 03, 2009 2:02:12 AM
nice circuit..well find and scr here ..a cheap one its very hard but i found one like 12 A/600 volts and cost about one dollar! nice ah! really i going to buit this ..and of course use a disponsable camera its a very good idea ..i buy one and disademble ..very nice hardwere and very cheap...but be carfully if yuo do that..a big electrolityc capacitor (all flash have one) can give yuo a bad day or can kill yuo..so be very carefully..its all depends on the capacitance of the high voltage cap..typically i dont think that a cap of a disponsable camera can kill yuo bucause they are not to big ..but i dont makke the experiment with nyself so i dont know...but if yuo shot the cap the spark its very big!..so be very carefully when work with this stuff..there mathematicall for this of corse ..yuo can calculete the power, watts of the divice..but i forget that...well its in some book there..i think that this can work whit a simple photo transistor too.of corso the darlintong have and internal amplifier ..more sensitivite and ..more expensive... so good look with yuo photography experiments...
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Thursday, November 06, 2008 4:22:56 AM
I wonder if R3 would not be more appropriately connected to the ground rather than on the Q2 collector . Q2 would working in pure switching ...
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Tuesday, August 26, 2008 5:29:54 PM
does not work
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Tuesday, September 11, 2007 12:26:35 PM
R5 - 680 ohm will do just fine with a (SCR1) TIC 106 a good sensitive contruction, ;) but only the first flash trigger this circuit. most camaras give two, or use manual mode on the camara. then you have to think again, but the digital cam give a preview. this way you can make a other picture. .
Ameya	Flash Slave Trigger	Saturday, July 07, 2007 9:38:10 AM
How much power supply I shoud give it?
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Thursday, July 05, 2007 5:33:21 PM
R5 please...you owe us that much (Editor's notes: Search the forum.)
WildSwan	Flash Slave Trigger	Tuesday, July 03, 2007 2:33:59 AM
Is it possible to use the trigger voltage of the flash unit to power the trigger instead of using a separate 9V cell? If so, how do we go about this?
miguel_pork	Flash Slave Trigger	Sunday, April 15, 2007 1:11:45 PM
tip: dont construct a circuit before verifying all parts.;)
Yehya	Flash Slave Trigger	Tuesday, April 10, 2007 7:51:42 PM
What's the value of R5? (Editor's notes: Search the forum (or for just read prior comments).)
delfuego	Flash Slave Trigger	Monday, April 09, 2007 5:52:11 PM
The exact value of R5 depends on the SCR being used. Try 4K7 (that's 4.7K in old money) as a starting point. If your SCR doesn't fire then reduce until it does reliably.
Sinister Dragon	Flash Slave Trigger	Saturday, March 31, 2007 4:06:40 AM
Thanks, been looking for something like this online for ages. NOw I can cheaply and easily make a slave trigger for my "disposable" flashs.....
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Friday, March 23, 2007 9:31:09 AM
yeah i also see that the Resistor 5 has no assigned value therefore we cannot complete that project or circuit whatever you called that.. pls tell us the value of R5.. Thnx (Editor's notes: Search the forum.)
Charles	Flash Slave Trigger	Thursday, March 15, 2007 12:11:48 PM
Um yah - Was halfway through construction when I realised no value was supplied for R5. (Editor's notes: Search the forum.)
anonymous	Flash Slave Trigger	Saturday, March 03, 2007 6:25:58 AM
r5? (Editor's notes: Search the forum.)