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  • Replacement flash circuit board

    I first want to thank Tretee from the other forum for his help troubleshooting and everyone who has worked on ways to refurbish GC2 flashes. When I saw that the superflash price was way more than I would want to pay when my flash eventually burns out, I went ahead and designed my own circuit board since I didn't have a spare. I followed goatbarn instructions for taking apart the housing which are here.
    As I posted awhile back the flash module is really easy to disassemble with a heat gun and a utility knife. I finally got around to replacing the xenon flash


    Once you get the case apart once, it is easy to swap out circuit boards as many times as you want. I'm not sure how long my circuit board assembly will last, but I have the 3.5.1 firmware with the flash counter so I can at least track it. I played a round this evening and did not have a single missed shot. To be totally upfront, I'm not trying to claim that this is as good as the superflash. I am using the same $6 tube ($13 for shipping it) that is referenced in the thread above, plus a trigger coil off aliexpress. All I am claiming is that the performance should be comparable to refurbishing one of your old flashes according to the tutorial and that this would be easier if you don't feel comfortable soldering.

    Is a circuit board assembly like this something that other people here would be interested in? Replacing it still has some DIY element of getting the case apart, but at least you wouldn't have to wait several weeks for the xenon tubes to come from overseas or do any soldering. If there is enough interest, I would go ahead and get a run of circuit boards made and order a larger batch of components to save on shipping costs. A pricing structure that I was thinking of would be something like this.

    Assembled replacement circuit board: one for $40, two for $75, three for $100 (including shipping to the US)
    Opening old flash case: You pay for shipping it to me plus $10 fee for opening it

    So if you didn't want to do anything, you would send me your burnt out flash and $50 and I would open the case and replace the circuit board.

    It took about 3 weeks last time for me to get the flash tubes, so these could potentially be ready to ship in about a month.

  • #2
    Great initiative!

    The only issue for me would be how long these flashes actually last. What data do we have on that from the people who have been using them?

    Comment


    • #3
      Wow andygg1986 , I’m totally impressed. You designed and fabricated your own circuit board for the GC2 flash module? If so, I am totally impressed, as I have no idea how that would even be done.

      I have tried without success to refurbish a burnt out flash module by replacing the bulb assembly, but failed . I’m assuming it’s because the trigger transformer is shot, and I don’t have the skills/know-how to replace that. Replacing the bulb assembly was the first time I had ever soldered anything.

      The boards you made look even better than the Foresight ones I’ve seen. I love how you have a separate spot on the CB to solder the white wire to, as opposed to having to try to solder it to the trigger transformer, as the one I had had a pin that was too small to see.

      I would be very interested in ordering some boards from you if they prove to work for a decent amount of time. I too am annoyed at the exorbitant price of the new super flashes. The prices you are proposing sound very reasonable to me.

      Comment


      • #4
        I'll take one!

        Comment


        • mthunt
          mthunt commented
          Editing a comment
          I thought you did your own?

        • goatbarn
          goatbarn commented
          Editing a comment
          He's making the actual board itself, not replacing the flash tube. I'm just replacing flash tubes on the board that foresight makes. I'll get one for the instance my board ever crops through bed.

      • #5
        I have a load of the xenon tubes that I bought for a project like this! When my flash goes, I am going to make my own PCB and make up a few spares. We make PCB's at work... so it won't cost me anything.

        Saves having to pay Foresights ludicrous prices until I buy a GCQ!

        Comment


        • #6
          I'll eventually get some from you

          Comment


          • #7
            I'm in for 2.
            My Courses:
            World Par 3's by mthunt
            Toronto GC (L) mthunt
            Burlington G&CC by mthunt
            Weston G&CC by mthunt
            London Hunt Club L mthunt
            Park CC Lidar mthunt
            Sunningdale GC Robinson L
            Sunningdale GC Thompson L
            Muirfield Village (liDAR) First Ever Lidar course
            Country Club of Castle Pines (liDAR)
            The Sanctuary GC ProTee L
            The National GC L mthunt
            Mississaugua GC L mthunt
            Shaughnessy G&CC L mthunt
            Markland Woods CC mthunt
            Hidden Lake Old L mthunt
            Magna GC L mthunt
            Barrie CC L mthunt
            mthunt Range

            Comment


            • #8
              I'm in for 3

              Comment


              • #9
                This is great! Very nice work, man! I'm glad to see someone put together a true aftermarket flash replacement option.

                Comment


                • #10
                  Id be in for 2

                  Comment


                  • #11
                    In for 2 maybe 3.

                    Comment


                    • #12
                      I'm definitely in for a couple

                      Comment


                      • #13
                        Since there seems to be a reasonable amount of interest, I will go ahead and order parts to build a batch of 20. I will update this thread when they are ready to ship. Hopefully as people use them they an report back how long they last. Longevity testing is definitely going to be more efficient if we can have several people playing at the same time.

                        Comment


                      • #14
                        Hell yes, count me in! I'll order a few as well. Just curious to know how long these are lasting. If they last a year or 2 then be prepared to have hundreds of order requests =)

                        Comment


                        • inorkuo
                          inorkuo commented
                          Editing a comment
                          that was me with a few hundred swings before it quit but that was because i probably melted my transformer when installing the new bulb. after replacing the transformer, i'm going on 3 weeks on the diy flash and around 150-200 shots a day.

                        • docsmilez
                          docsmilez commented
                          Editing a comment
                          Knowing foresight, I'm sure there will come a day when they say... GC2? Replacement flash?... Sorry, your going to have to buy a GCQuad.
                          So it is nice to know that when that day comes, we may possibly be ok with the help of the guys that put in the time to find these solutions.

                        • andygg1986
                          andygg1986 commented
                          Editing a comment
                          Thanks inorkuo for clarifying. Please keep us updated when it does fail for you. You get to hit as many shots in a day as I do in a week so your input will be very valuable.

                      • #15
                        I'd be in for 2-3.

                        Comment

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