DSLR canon sl2 flash error 50

[liquidzorch]

Hello. I repaired a canon sl2 for personal use, it had a bad sd card slot, bad battery connector, plus a little bit of water residue on the motherboard. The water damage seems to not have caused any damage, just salt deposits that have been cleaned. After repairing everything works except for the flash.

When shooting with the flash turned on, i get a "wait" message once, then on the second try I get an error: e50. I have disassembled the front to get a look at the flash board, and everything seems good, the flash board also controls the shutter, which works, so it does have communication with the motherboard.

I have probed the transistor that switches the transformer (that goes to the flash capacitor), it has battery voltage, but never gets switched. No voltage change was detected on the gate pin with an oscilloscope. It seems this gate pin is connected directly to the motherboard via a flex, I can trace it al the way to the motherboard connector, then I cant seem to find where it goes.

Does anyone know what I should check? I don't have pictures, I have closed the camera and I am using it daily, so I don't want to open it again until I have some new ideas. But I can´t find schematics.

What has to be working for the flash capacitor to charge up? Does it do any check before so? Maybe check the flash bulb somehow. Sorry, I have absolutely no experience with flashes.

[CapLeaker]

error 50 = An electric control malfunction has been detected. maybe a corroded trace?

[R_J]

There are new flash charge boards available, did it look like this?

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by CapLeaker

error 50 = An electric control malfunction has been detected. maybe a corroded trace?

I would think that is the issue, since it had white spot from the water, but it was very little localized spotting. I cleaned it up and there seems to be no damage to any traces or components, but the key word is "seems". I wish I knew where to be looking.

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by R_J

There are new flash charge boards available, did it look like this?

That seems to be it. But I don't want to spend much on ordering one just to have it not be the issue. I would like to diagnose first, then if needed, order one.

[stj]

flash capacitors have limited life.
but even if it's bad you should hear the invertor trying to charge it with a few hundred volts.
be very carefull around those caps/boards - they hold a lot of energy for a long time!!

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by stj

flash capacitors have limited life.
but even if it's bad you should hear the invertor trying to charge it with a few hundred volts.
be very carefull around those caps/boards - they hold a lot of energy for a long time!!

Yeah, it's not even trying to charge it. Thanks for the warning, I work on switching power supplies so I take my precautions. The camera also does not want to focus using the autofocus points (not live), I didn't notice this until now since I use it for videos, video uses live autofocus, a different system. I can still focus for photos with live view, just not normal shooting point mode (dont know the name). This could be something I connected wrong, but I'll check it next time I get a chance to open it up. For now it's working for what I need, videos.

[liquidzorch]

I have opened it and made sure all connections are okay. I definitely has lost it's autofocus capability. I can still autofocus and take pictures in live view mode. But while using it's mirror, the autofocus just drives the lens in then out, then it won't take the picture.

[CapLeaker]

maybe there is something wrong with the af/mf switch? or something is off with the af sensor.

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by CapLeaker

maybe there is something wrong with the af/mf switch? or something is off with the af sensor.

There seems to be no damage to the phase detection auto focus flex cable. It is just the phase detection system. If I disconnect the phase detector flex, the lens will focus in our out but not both. If I connect it, it will focus in then out with one pulse of the button, but never actually focus.

[CapLeaker]

Check the second mirror that reflects to (and) the AF senor. Maybe their position changed?
watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk-Y34nMkeY&t=174s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV7DizzkiiE&t=83s

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by CapLeaker

Check the second mirror that reflects to (and) the AF senor. Maybe their position changed?
watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk-Y34nMkeY&t=174s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MV7DizzkiiE&t=83s

Thank you, great info. I have removed the phase detector, just to clean the outer glass. Mine is separated into 3 divisions, unlike that nikon in the video. But it did not fix the issue. The mirror that reflects on the to sensor is clean and does not seem to have any movement as to where it could have been vs where it is now, so I don't think it has moved. I'm guessing the processor that is under the SD slot (which my SD slot was very damaged) might be to blame. It sucks since I know the autofocus was working after fixing the SD slot, but after the first time I used it for photos, when getting home, I realized it no longer focused.

If there is a way to confirm that this processor is to blame (since I have both a missing flash signal and missing phase detect focus) I seem to be able to order from aliexpress. It is the F74966A, located underneath the SD slot, where someone seemed to have forced something in it since the slot was completely destroyed. I just don't know if this processor controls both things.

[CapLeaker]

I did check the error 50 thing and and everything I came across, they were changing a capacitor. Just Youtube "canon error 50". However that doesn't help your focus issue. Did you try a known good lens?
The F74966A is a system control processor (MCU). I would guess there should be another IC between it, the flash and AF... besides the MCU needs programming?

https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/in...?topic=17596.0

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by CapLeaker

I did check the error 50 thing and and everything I came across, they were changing a capacitor. Just Youtube "canon error 50". However that doesn't help your focus issue. Did you try a known good lens?
The F74966A is a system control processor (MCU). I would guess there should be another IC between it, the flash and AF... besides the MCU needs programming?

https://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/in...?topic=17596.0

I own a t3i, and both lenses focus perfectly with the t3i. So I can rule out it being the lens. The MCU might need programming, so I guess that's out of the question. I can't seem to find what controls the flash switching transistor, I swept the whole board with a copper wire, and found no continuity to anything, so definitely it's one of the bga ic's. I have given up on the flash, I don't even plan on needing it, but the af was working and it is a must for photography.

[raider988]

If the base trace is disconnected, you won't go anywhere with continuity. Try to follow the trace visually.

[liquidzorch]

Originally Posted by raider988

If the base trace is disconnected, you won't go anywhere with continuity. Try to follow the trace visually.

I can't. The trace goes from the flash board to the flex connector on the motherboard, then the trace from the motherboard goes into the second layer of the board. I does not come out the other side. I have continuity up until it goes unto the mid layer. Then no other component has continuity. It must go to a bga (guessing).