Not much luck with flashlights  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2012, 07:50:58 pm
content: This bloody ultrafire WF-501B has been damaged so many times by ... PEBKAC1) First few days resulted in a damaged regulator with the SSC P7 because the darn thing didn't have a warning on it that it can't be operated above 4.2V2) New XML-T6 came ... sent me wrong model sent me the 1mode3) It was okay, but 3W is just too much all the time ...4) Weighed the older SSC P7 heatsink to find out which is heavier and i didn't notice the heatsink groove was larger than my XML-T6So what happened? It started but the board soon shutdown, and now it's a lot dimmer, then i opened it up and smelled smokeMust have shorted the led out and killed one of the AMC7135's .... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! *in hitler's voice*It escaped again ... magic smoke fairy

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 28, 2012, 08:19:23 pm
content: Erm, I'm totally lost here. Is this in reference to another thread ?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2012, 08:51:55 pm
content: First, you do get what you pay for. The lights you referenced seem to be of the lower priced, poorly engineered variety.And try to go a bit slower, be a bit more careful, and think more before you act. It only takes a moment's mistake to have an eternal regret.

author: markus_b
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2012, 09:21:10 pm
content: I have a low cost flashlight I got from dx.com. It is simple and solid I like it very much. It has a tailcap button for on-off and feeds off a single 16850 li-ion cell. The make and model in Fandyfire 501b, sounds similar to yours.I'm very fond of mine. Was a good buy.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 28, 2012, 09:24:28 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on July 28, 2012, 08:19:23 pmNahQuote from: IanB on July 28, 2012, 08:51:55 pmLower price yes, poorly engineered no.It was just my moments of foolishness that caused me to degrade the driver, never knew those heatsinks had different size designations!Quote from: markus_b on July 28, 2012, 09:21:10 pmJust another rebadge, it's a good one but i hated the SSC P7 ... and now all i have to do is to order another driver

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2012, 04:02:29 am
content: Quote from: DaveXRT on July 28, 2012, 09:24:28 pmDidn't you say it was an UltraFire brand from DX or someplace like? Then how do you figure it is not engineered down to a price?

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2012, 04:19:12 am
content: It's made of 7075 aluminium, heat treated and designed to withstand a dropThe led modules are just off the shelf standard modules

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2012, 05:19:14 am
content: Quote from: DaveXRT on July 29, 2012, 04:19:12 amThe LED modules are the bits that are breaking. What about the design and engineering of those?

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2012, 03:37:03 pm
content: User error. That's what it is.If it wasn't for my fault it wouldn't break

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 29, 2012, 09:08:00 pm
content: What I keep expecting to see in the small print on warranties -" This product is guaranteed for 3 years assuming it is kept in the original packing and never used".Mind you - who reads the small print on warranties?YoursNeil

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2012, 02:12:12 am
content: I initially thought t4p's complaints were a little harsh, till I looked up "PEBKAC"...

author: Fallingwater
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 30, 2012, 11:35:38 pm
content: Quote from: T4P on July 28, 2012, 07:50:58 pmLink the product page of the specific 501B you got; they sell them with different modules, and they usually specify how you can drive it.QuoteXM-L LEDs are 10W, though cheap lights typically underdrive them at 6W due to heatsinking issues. Single-mode-driving a XM-L at 3W doesn't make a whole lot of sense.QuoteIt probably got badly overheated. I'll copypaste here what I recently posted onDaniel Rutter's blogabout the 501B and other flashlights using the P60 drop-in modules:----------- you can't make any assumptions about the voltage of the drop-in. Some can take anything from one primary CR123 to four 18650s (losing some efficiency to the multi-voltage regulator), others are made just for one LiIon and won't even run from a primary; if they're also too hot for smaller cells, this restricts them to just one 18650. Look at the product page; if that is not available experiment with a variable power supply (and cross your fingers).- most have lousy heatsinking. I have no doubts that SureFire bodies mate perfectly with SureFire dropins and transfer heat well (you'd want them to, for the money), but Chinese bodies and Chinese dropins come in all sorts of slightly different sizes. Often the only thermal contact you can expect them to make is through the terminal springs. A 3W LED might survive a decent time in there, but I've seen things like nine-watt MC-E LEDs in dropins that had a big fat insulating layer of air between themselves and the rest of the body. *shudder*- This problem can usually be made less terribad (I'm fond of the word "terribad", by the way) by wrapping the dropin in aluminium foil until it solidly contacts the outer body. This is far from an optimal thermal solution, but a damn sight better than nothing at all. Still wouldn't run a MC-E like that, though.- Even then, the surface on which the LED sits is often dangerously thin. The same MC-E dropin I mentioned earlier has a laughably thin "bottom"; even if it had perfect transfer with the outer body, it's far too thin to effectively transmit to it all the heat from the LED.- If you happen to have a P60 light with lousy heatsinking and a weak LED and would like it to make MOAR light, a cheap and effective solution isthis. Incandescents don't much care about heatsinking and this particular one makes rather a lot of light; it's inefficient compared to LEDs, of course, but with a beefy 18650 powering it that's not much of a problem, and it's very cheap. I put one in the flashlight that originally housed the aforementioned MC-E dropin and it's been my light of choice in the rare occasions when I need a beam colour that doesn't make everyone look like zombies.----------

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2012, 05:17:32 am
content: Yes, it's really 3W operation.3.3V@1000mA

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 12, 2012, 02:03:28 pm
content: I bought a "cree" torch off eBay for 7 GBP it runs off 1 lion battery or one AA. It's 7 watts and can focus down to a narrow blinding beam. It never gets hot and I carry it around in my pocket. I warn people when lending it out to be careful as it's dangerously powerful.

author: adauphin
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2012, 04:06:45 am
content: These are great lights.http://www.fenixlights.com/I have one similiar to the PD30 and is ridiculously bright at just 220 lumens. There are much more powerful versions now and they hold up well to being tossed around. Definately get the rechargeable batteries.

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2012, 11:53:44 am
content: Fenix is certainly wallet busting.I got a throw-flood XM-L T6 now ... 700lm is alot

author: Fallingwater
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2012, 12:19:19 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on August 12, 2012, 02:03:28 pmCounter-intuitively, the fact that it doesn't get hot is actually a bad thing. High-power LEDs, such as the 3-watt Cree XR-E or XP-E that flashlight almost certainly has, produce a decent amount of heat that must be dissipated. To do so there must be a good thermal path between the LED and the flashlight's body. The light not getting hot means the thermal path is blocked, and the LED is barbecuing itself. If you don't crack it open and find the problem, that LED is going to get dimmer and eventually die altogether. Check for lack of thermal paste under the LED and bad mounting of the LED/reflector assembly to the body with lots of empty space.Also, multi-cell ability requires a multi-voltage-compatible driver. You can make such drivers reasonably efficient, but not for 7GBP. It's a virtual certainty that the one in your flashlight is wasting a lot of power.Quote from: adauphin on August 15, 2012, 04:06:45 amFenix lights are too expensive for what they are, in my opinion (with the exception of the tiny E01, which is a tank and should be included in all survival kits). Fenix's tendency to glue everything solid, making emitter/driver swaps a huge pain, does not improve my feelings for them.

author: activevisual
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 20, 2012, 06:12:10 am
content: i buy the torch from ebay.com has shopping site..at this you can buy the things according to your budget.i have this with on and off button you will also try this.screen installation

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2012, 07:32:32 am
content: advertising fail?

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2012, 02:23:24 pm
content: It certainly is, but after reading reviews I bought one last year for field use, it is robust. I'm not sure about the bigger models, 80 lumens very useful. What we use is actually lux, and lux is distance dependent, if you use it upclose its plenty bright.http://www.epinions.com/review/fenix-ld01-r4/content_577193741956I treat it fairly badly and its held up. I tried casing what it would cost for me to build it myself and it comes to at least $20 in parts [ assuming I had a lathe and robrenz skills!]. Its sold for $40 typically, and $35 on the low side ... delivered. So that's about $20 in labor equivalent.The reflector/Cree module alone is ~ $10.http://www.ebay.com/itm/CREE-XP-G-R5-370Lms-5-Mode-LED-Drop-in-Module-Torch-Flashlight-Replacement-Bulb-/261070748497?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item3cc9077b51A clone of the Fenix by another Chinese firm Olight is about $20, and worth exploring:http://www.ebay.com/itm/Olight-i3-EOS-Cree-XP-G-3-Mode-AAA-LED-EDC-Waterproof-Flashlight-Hand-Torch-Blue-/190596474865?pt=US_Flashlights&hash=item2c606f67f1Quote from: T4P on August 15, 2012, 11:53:44 am

author: T4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 20, 2012, 06:24:10 pm
content: I'll stick to me 18650 powered XML-T6's thanks.