It has come to our attention that some Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system owners may be using their systems beyond recommended standards. We want to remind you of the warnings and safety precautions for the system in order to promote safe usage, to ensure longevity of use, and to avoid damage that may void your warranty.
As with all devices that use lithium batteries, Vagabond Mini™ Lithium users must observe all warnings and safety precautions.
DO NOT operate, store, or charge the Vagabond Mini Lithium™ system in or around water, rain, ground moisture, salt spray, dew, or any other liquids. Exposure to water (especially salt water) increases the risk of a potential battery fire.
When moving the system from one environment to another where condensation can occur due to temperature changes, do not operate or charge the system until all condensation has fully evaporated.
If your Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system becomes immersed in water for any reason, DO NOT operate or charge. Discard the battery properly and return the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium inverter to Paul C. Buff, Inc.™ for evaluation.
DO NOT operate, store, or charge the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system on or around flammable materials such as newspaper, carpet, wood sawdust, gasoline, etc.
Keep all components away from fire, flames, and heated surfaces.
DO NOT operate or charge a Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system if the battery gets uncomfortably hot to the touch. Unplug all cords and discontinue use immediately. An excessively hot battery may be damaged.
DO NOT operate or charge the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system unattended.
Turn the system OFF and unplug the battery charger when not in use.
DO NOT operate or charge the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system inside a carry bag or backpack.
Air circulation around the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system and charger must be provided.
Do not obstruct the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system’s internal fan during use or when charging.
If you suspect that any components have become wet or are in any way damaged, discontinue use immediately and contact Customer Support.
Refer to your owner’s manual for a complete set of warnings and safety precautions. Failure to follow the warnings and safety information for this product may void the warranty.
If you have any questions or concerns about safe operation of the system or charging of the battery, please contact our Customer Service Team by email at info@paulcbuff.com or by phone at 1-800-443-5542 (Monday through Friday, from 9:00am to 5:00 pm, CT).
DO NOT operate or charge the Vagabond Mini™ Lithium system unattended.
Turn the system OFF and unplug the battery charger when not in use.
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Most is common sense. But this part contradicts earlier statements from PCB when the Vagabond Mini Lithium battery was released. They previously stated it was okay to leave the battery/charger plugged in....
Never charge lithium batteries and walk away not leave them charging.
You can get by with little devices like telephones but the bigger batteries are to be watched over. Once charge unplug them and store them as said above.
I know the high voltage LiPo we use for model airplanes are susceptible to burning up when they fail while charging.
Running past their ratings in use will weaken the limits of recharge safety.
Yeah, I got this email as well. edit: [Scarlet letter] put it best............Common sense wins every time. But, in an effort to cover their "assets", it probably needed stateing.
I've been guilty of using them near the ocean. It may not be the smartest of things to be handling these on wet sand and barefooted. Hey man, don't taze me!
There have been reports of them bursting into flames. Apparently there have now been more of them. I read it and then began a 20 minute struggle to get one of my Einsteins to release the soft box so I could pack it up for the shoot I'm going to in an hour... the same one that has been sent in 3 times for repair because it was dropping the softboxes onto the set... and decided I need to switch to a different vendor. I love the cybersync with the Einstein and vagabond mini, but SOMETHING in the gear fails on every shoot and I am either fixing it on the set or swapping out gear when I should be shooting.
Buff is innovative and has good customer service, but there is too little concern about quality.
this is such a no brainer. The gist of the warning email was saying you should not take the battery pack into the ocean or dump coffee on it.
It's a sad time that we live in where they have tell you stuff like that. They are probably getting sued by some idiot who decided to take his battery pack out in the rain and got fried.
Intensity Studios wrote: this is such a no brainer. The gist of the warning email was saying you should not take the battery pack into the ocean or dump coffee on it.
It's a sad time that we live in where they have tell you stuff like that. They are probably getting sued by some idiot who decided to take his battery pack out in the rain and got fried.
Reminds me of the movie Idiocracy
perhaps you missed the rest of the e-mail? starting with the bit about having to baby-sit the pack every time you charge it?
perhaps you missed the rest of the e-mail? starting with the bit about having to baby-sit the pack every time you charge it?
True,, but without this warning I had two on a charger on their own for long periods without me sitting with them. Much of this is covering for future suits, but a little of it looks like a prep for a possible recall....
The word "around" is so vague, this could mean never use Vagabonds at the beach, which is the number one place I use battery systems.
It seems pretty pointless to have a battery system that you are not supposed to use at the beach. Or around water.
Look... this is a cover their ass statement. It's so if the one in 100,000 units does decide to explode after 44days left unattended on the charger, PCB isn't held liable. It's so the dummy who sets up his Einstein on a stand in 3' of sea water with a Mini hanging from it and a wave splashes into it and it blow up, they're not held liable.
Safety limits are established to be WELL within operating limits.
I know that if I drop my Alien Bee 1600 into a pool attached to a Vmini, I don't expect either of them to work ever again, and I absolutely don't expect PCB to replace or fix it for free. However, I probably didn't kill anyone by this action, as I might have if the AB was just plugged into a non CFI outlet.
I got the email. I read it. I will not alter how I use or charge my Vminis. I accidentally dropped an Einstein onto a concrete floor and some parts of it broke. I ordered replacement parts, paid for them and the strobe endures. PCB products are awesome, but they're not perfect and they're not indestructible.
I don't own a unit so I have no stake in this issue but I was thinking about it. If I got a letter or e-mail like this I would immediately write back saying ever-so-politely
'so you are telling me that as a professional photographer who purchased your kit to shoot sunsets at beaches your product is not useful for this application?' and
"so I have to baby sit my unit while it charges?"
and
"so I put in hardwood floors in the studio at great expense. Now you tell me I cannot charge the vagabond on or near the floor?"
etc etc.
In fact I would probably go on MM and encourage everyone who has one to complain. This is just silliness and should not be tolerated.
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