"Doubling up" a strobe PS?

[RJ*]

I have two old strobe power supplies. They are, I think, from the mid or late 80s - VAMA units, from before FedSig acqured VAMA. One is a 2-outlet and the other is a 4-outlet. They both work just fine, double flashing, but the flash pattern is very slow.


A technical question: would it be possible to connect both outlets to the same strobe light, to get a faster pattern? The output alternates between the two outlets, doesn't it? And I'm guessing all wires wouldn't even need to connect - one ground would be sufficient for the strobe light?


If this works, then by extension the 4-outlet could become a 2-outlet with a faster pattern? Or am I just going to cause a mushroom cloud if I try this?


Hopefully my explanation makes sense.

 

[Newberry13]

I've worked on an ambulance that had the center clear strobe setup this way. All you have to do is run the trigger wire to the lighthead from the second outlet.

 

[RJ*]

OK, thanks, I'll have to try it. Now I just have to figure out which wire is the trigger.

 

[Newberry13]

Usually the white wire is the trigger.

 

[RJ*]

Usually, yes... but there is nothing usual about this PS. It has a single 8-pin connector for everything (power, ground and two strobe heads it seems) and none of the wires are white. But I think I have it figured out now.

 

[Newberry13]

You should be able to call up VAMA, give them the model number, and they should be able to tell you what wire does what. That is a very odd setup though.