Overview

These instructions are for connecting the output of a HiViz trigger circuit to a flash unit using a PC Cord Adapter. The flash unit must have a PC jack that will accept a standard PC plug. A typical jack and plug are shown in the photos below. Click on either image for a larger view.

This will allow your trigger circuit to actuate the flash directly. One end of the PC cord will be cut and its wires wrapped tightly around the appropriate ones from the trigger output cable. The solder joints will be covered with pieces of heat shrink tubing and/or electrical tape for electrical insulation.

Before you begin, gather the parts and tools below. It's not essential to have some of the parts and tools such as soldering iron or heat shrink tubing. However, you do need your HiViz trigger circuit or delay unit for testing. You also need to provide the gray 2-conductor output cable that came with your circuit.

Preparing the PC cord

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If you purchased a PC Cord Adapter, then you received with that a PC cord with one end already cut as shown to the left.

Now, using a pair of wire strippers, carefully strip back the cut end of the PC cord a distance of 1 inch. You'll see a copper sheath surrounding white insulation. Pull back the sheath and twist the wires together as shown to the right. Then strip back the white insulation to within about 1/8 inch from the black jacket. It's important to make sure there are no stray wires from the copper sheath that touch the other wire.

Next, you'll need the gray 2-conductor cable that came with your trigger kit. From one end of the cable, strip back the gray insulation about 3 inches. Then strip back the red and black insulation about 1 inch. The result is also shown to the right.

Splicing the wires

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There are 2 sizes of HST, 3/32-inch diameter and 3/16-inch diameter. Cut the 3/32-inch piece into two equal lengths of 1 inch. Then slide them over the red and black insulation as shown to the left.

Next, twist the following pairs of wires tightly together as shown to the right: i) black wire and copper sheath ii) red wire and white wire.

Soldering the splices

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If you're using a soldering iron and are new to soldering, see the Soldering Tips below. If you don't want to solder, you can wrap the two spliced pairs individually with electrical tape. Be sure that the two pairs are completely isolated from each other electrically.

If you're soldering the splices, the result should look similar to the photo to the left. Again, make sure there are no stray wire strands that could bridge from one splice to the other.

Soldering Tips Solder in a well-lit, well-ventilated, open area. Avoid contact with all metal surfaces on the iron. Keep the tip of the soldering iron clean by wiping it against a wet sponge or towel before and after each use. A clean tip should look shiny and silvery; any yellow or black material on the tip will get into the solder and may weaken your solder joint. Once the tip of your soldering iron is clean, touch a bit of solder to the tip just before use. This is called tinning, and helps the solder run more evenly. Heat the connection to be soldered by holding the soldering iron to it, until solder applied at the junction between the two melts and flows freely. This ensures the connection and the solder are both hot enough to yield a good solder joint. This should take no more than 10-15 seconds. After the connection is heated, try to get solder along the entire length of the connection by briskly moving the solder and iron along. Avoid touching only the solder to the connection, and then the soldering iron to the solder to melt it onto the connection. The connection will be cooler than the melted solder and won’t form a good solder joint. Let new solder joints cool for several seconds before examining them. There should be solder all the way around the connection, forming a rigid joint. When done, unplug your soldering iron and let it cool.

Shrinking the HST

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If you're wrapping your splices with electrical tape rather than soldering them, skip to the next step. Otherwise, slip each piece of 3/32-inch HST completely over the corresponding splice. Then, using a lighter or a match, move the flame smoothly back and forth along the entire length of the tubing, with the tip of the flame just beneath it. If you hold the flame too long in one spot or too closely to the tubing, you will notice smoke. If this happens, lower your flame and continue moving it back and forth. The tubing will visibly shrink, and will be acceptably tight-fitting after only 10-15 seconds of heating. See the results to the left.

Securing the splices

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If you're not using HST, wrap both spliced wires securely together with electrical tape. Start about half an inch from the stripped end of the gray 2-conductor cable, wrap the spliced wires together, and continue to about half an inch onto the black insulation of the PC cord.

If you're using the 3/16-inch HST, slide it over the gray 2-conductor so that it completely covers the two spliced wires as shown to the left. Then use a flame as before to shrink the tubing. The result is shown to the right.

The final, complete cable is shown below. Connect the red and black wires to the output of your trigger circuit and the PC plug to your flash unit.

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