Batteries get hot after heavy use on Yongnuo Flash

[tecboy]

When batteries get very hot, is it safe to continue using the flash in higher power mode? Will the batteries catch fire?

 

[e.rose]

Probably, yes. And then you die. :greendev:

 

[tirediron]

I doubt they'll catch fire, but if they're too hot to touch, I wouldn't continue using them.

 

[Derrel]

I was watching Fro Know Photo the other day, and he had a "speedlight expert" guy on. They did a long, like 45 minute video, and the speedlight flash expert mentioned that some battery brands "run hot", and that one of the Nikon speedlights did not like to work well on brands that "run hot".

What brand and milliampere-hour batteries have you been using? Are you using all batteries of the same brand and specification at one time? What "kind" of batteries have you been using, meaning the type of material in them--lithium? alkaline? Ni-Cad?

 

[tecboy]

I was watching Fro Know Photo the other day, and he had a "speedlight expert" guy on. They did a long, like 45 minute video, and the speedlight flash expert mentioned that some battery brands "run hot", and that one of the Nikon speedlights did not like to work well on brands that "run hot".

What brand and milliampere-hour batteries have you been using? Are you using all batteries of the same brand and specification at one time? What "kind" of batteries have you been using, meaning the type of material in them--lithium? alkaline? Ni-Cad?

I use Eneloop XX 2400mAh rechargeable AA. I charge 4 batteries at a same time and use on flash at the same time.

 

[astroNikon]

Probably, yes. And then you die. :greendev:

Tough crowd ...

 

[Big Mike]

It's pretty common for batteries to get hot when you're pushing the flash with high output in short succession. Most flashes (certainly the Canon/Nikon models) have a safety shut off that will disable the flash if it gets too hot. I don't know about the Yongnuo but I would hope that it did as well.

 

[KmH]

Heat kills electronics.
Hot batteries heat up the entire flash unit, and repeatedly getting the flash unit hot will reduce its life.

If used off camera with radio triggers, 2 speedlights set close together and set to 1/2 power deliver as much light as 1 speedlight set to full power, but won't get hot as quickly.
An additional benefit is that the speedlights can recycle faster.

Anothe tactic is to use an external battery pack so you can increase the number of batteries used. Some have done the relatively simple DIY conversion of adding a external DC battery pack connector jack to their speedlights that don't have one.

 

[lambertpix]

I've noticed my batteries are quite warm when they come out of my YN-568, but not alarmingly so. I don't know if the Yongnuo has overheat warnings, but that new Pixel I've been playing with does (supposedly). That's on my to-do list for testing at some point, though I'd like to get some other testing done prior to that in case I blow up the flash. ;-)