Canon 600EX II-RT drops link- HELP!

[Phillyphoto]

Scenarios I have tried: 

Using Canon Transmitter ST-E3-RT as the master and (2) 600 EX II-RTs as slaves.

Using A 600EX as master and B 600EX as slave.

Using B 600EX as master and A 600EX as slave. 

I get the same result of the slave dropping link. The time varies. Sometimes it drops link in 4 mins, sometimes 10mins, sometimes 20 or more minutes. The only way to relink them is by turning everything off and back on.

All channels are the same. Yes, I have scanned for the best connection as well as every other channel and AUTO.

All IDs are the same. 

Not near a wifi-router or airport, I'm in a row home in Philadelphia. 

Using NiMh rechargeables and using freshly charged batteries for every test. Batteries are about 2 years old. 

I have spoken to 2 Canon service reps and neither of them has any idea what the problem is. I really don't have the money to spend on sending everything in for "repair". 

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks!

[halocastle]

I hadn't planned on ego wrestling today...

Having completed yet another two hour test with my four 430EX III-RTs & ST-E3-RT (v1) -- all on channel 15 and ID 9999 -- without a SINGLE drop, I KNOW the following:

1) Canon RT IDs are HIGHLY relevant, 2) FCC rules are not "practices" but rules, and 3) Yongnuo (i.e. Canon RT) -- having owned them -- is garbage!

If anyone wants to bail on Canon, go Adorama/Flashpoint (aka Godox) and enjoy their customer service (I've read that Godox CS isn't so great).  Again, there is no Panacea.

P.S. Good luck on your device!

[crlyhds]

I can find nothing about noise flash sleeve anywhere. Can you provide a link?

[halocastle]

[Commercial link removed per forum guidelines and replaced with screenshot to facilitate discussion.]

[Steppy]

Pocket Wizard make (or made) 2 versions. The AC5 is effectively a sock which covers the entire flash, including controls.
The AC7 is a hard shell that I haven't seen until today. It would appear to be open at the back but would appear to only allow the flash to be used in the "straight up position". This would probably ok for most purposes if using stands. However, the rigid shell of the AC7 might not be compatible with the form factor of the 600RT series flashes - this would need to be verified.

Bear in mind that they were intended to reduce interference from the flash unit. They are RF shields. Blocking RF leaving or entering the flash is likely to reduce the range or may even completely prevent the communication. If you want to try this idea I'd just start by trying it on just one flash first, before investing on a complete set.

[Mannies17]

Got my AC5 sock in today. Testing tomorrow!

[adelong]

I am having the exact same issue. They were reliable and now they are useless to me. How would I update the firmware in the flashes. I don't want to send them in, have them gone forever, pay crazy amount just to get a factory reset on return. Does canon not respond to these threads?

[ajlockwood]

On these flashes, there is no way to update firmware. When I sent mine to Canon, they said they were fine and then sent them back, only to experience the same problem. The best solution seems to be finding a frequency that is less disrupted, or using a different trigger system ... which negates the whole point of using Canon's RF.

[ajlockwood]

One clarification, I'm talking about the 430ex RTs. I don't know if the firmware on the 600s can be updated.

[ncolarusso]

I have discovered the interference. It is coming from my HomePod minis. Solution is to unplug them. I enjoy listening to music when photographing and can no longer.

[Steppy]

That sounds very familiar 😞