How to remplace push button with a on/off switch on 600 watts flash strobe ?

This type of button is (usually) under microprocessor control, so it cannot be easily replaced with a slide or toggle switch that retains its state even after power-off. Sometimes this is the result of the product manufacturer not understanding how people will use the product.

The easiest option may be to wire a push-button switch on longer wires unfortunately. To do that, you could fit a connector in parallel with that button, and then connect wires and a button to it. It would void warranty and could be unsafe unless done carefully away from the mains wiring. If you're careful you should be able to implement it safely, but it will still void the product warrantly most likely.

Another problem is that the distance is quite long, and it could cause issues. A quick fix could be to use a relay close to the unit, and wire the relay coil down to ground level, and then use a battery and push-button. The battery would last for years if you're only turning the device on and off a few times a day (or replace with a mains to DC adapter). Let me know if you wish me to sketch the scheme and suggest some part numbers.

Thank Shabaz for such a FAST reply!!!

wow you rock !

I bet you're right cuz the buttons are working with a LCD screen, so I can see the printed circuit going down to microchip in the middle on the back of the board. I don't really care about the warranty, it's better have a broken flash strobe then have myself falling off a latter from 25 feet high....

I don't really understand it without a diagram...but what you say is doable.

Would you be kind enough to make a quick drawing of 'how' you see it exactly ?

Just to be sure I'm not breaking off this strobe in 5 mins..

No problem at all : ) Here is what I'm thinking should be the easiest way to ensure it all works. The push-button on the right is the one you currently have on the PCB. If you can solder two wires to it (the button has 4 pins, slightly flattened as you can see because they are stamped metal, but internally they are just two pieces of stamped metal not 4, so you only need to use two of the pins, one from each piece of stamped metal as shown in the diagram below) and wire them to a relay Common (C) and Normally Open (NO) pins of a relay.

The coil of the relay is connected to two long wires that go to near where you want to locate the remote push-button, and wired as shown to a battery.

The diagram above shows how it should be wired electrically, but practically you may wish to also use connectors and a small box and a battery clip too, to make the whole thing more neater/maintainable.

What the proposed design is doing, is that every time the remote switch is pressed, it completes the circuit that provides power to the relay coil. The energised coil makes the Common and Normally Open pins of the relay momentarily connect together for as long as the remote switch is pressed. Since these pins are wired across the existing push-button switch on the circuit board, it behaves like someone has pressed that push-button. The relay has an internal gap between the switching contacts and the coil, so that provides a lot of safety. Furthermore, any electrical noise in your workshop that is picked up by the long wires won't accidentally trigger or damage the flash unit, because the electrical noise cannot cross the gap between coil and the Common/Normally Open contacts.

Here are some typical parts you might want to use, but to be honest any generic push-switch, 9V or 12V relay that is SPST or SPDT will be fine, placed in any enclosure. For the cable, you could use telephone wire or bell wire. I've also placed a link to terminal blocks below, you could use them to provide screw terminals for slightly neater wiring. Epoxy resin glue could be used to secure the terminal blocks to the outside of your strobe unit, and at the end where the remote switch will be. You'll also need a soldering iron and solder of course.

9V Relay9V Relay

Terminal blocksTerminal blocks (as many as you need)

9V battery clip9V battery clip

Push-button switchPush-button switch

EnclosureEnclosure

wow !!!!!!!

I'don't feel '' thank''will be enough for this very detailed and very well explained post !

You blew my mind shabaz ! thanks

I've already got relay, mechanical as well as solid state ones, buttons, and box to embedded theses remotes.

I think this solution is very easy to make and is as by far safer than a latter!

let's build this!

If you start with it unplugged, hold the button, and plug it in, does it do what you want it to do?

If so, simply put a thin wire across the pins.  You probably won't even need to solder if you can give each side a couple of wraps.

it worked!