damn, my first burnt out Q5

[Gunner12]

The driver doesn't push any more current through the LED when using 2 RCR123s. From what I see, the driver might actually be giving LESS current to the LED with 2 RCR123s.

Numbers from Light reviews(Turbo of P3D-CE Q5):
2 CR123, 3920 lux at 1 m
2 RCR123, 3760 lux at 1 m
Turbo pf P3D-CE:
2 CR123, 3247 lux at 1 m
2 RCR123, 2990 lux at 1 m

If my assumption that the driver gives less current with 2 RCR123s is right, then the LED should have a longer life with RCR123s.

 

[HKJ]

Here are the specs from the Fenix factory. http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=zh-CN&u=http://www.fenixlight.com/&ei=goDfSYWCL4eMtgf42o2zDA&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=2&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dfenix%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den

Your do not need to use a translator to read the website, it also has an English version.
The website does specify two CR123 batteries, but as most flashaholic knows, this usual means it will work with any voltage above 5 volt and up to somewhere between 9 to 16 volts.

The problem arises with lights designed for one CR123 battery, they can not always work with a LiIon cell.

 

[choaticwhisper]

So its time for a R2, Right?

 

[nbp]

I had an L2T v2.0 burn out like that. I contacted fenixstore, and sent it in to them. They inspected it, and since it was no fault of mine, they replaced the head for free. :thumbsup: I'm not sure if they would do that for you based on the scenario in which it went , nor would I feel comfortable asking them to if I were in that situation.

 

[crofty]

Thanks guys, I guess I`ll just contact the supplyer and see what they say. The light at no point was so hot that it was uncompfortable to touch, in turbo mode it didn`t got much hotter than on high mode while resting on the heatsink but the whole light did get warm on turbo mode instead of just the head end like it did in high mode hence why I kept dunking it in water.

I suppose I should of just left it in a big bowl of water to be double shore in the first place, but imo this shouldn`t of failed as easily as it did. It`s not like I left it on in a hot climate to bake.

nbp, that`s interesting that yours was found to be faulty, If there`s a way to determin if mine didn`t fail because of a fault I`d have no problem paying for another one.

Will see what the shop says anyway, thanks again.

 

[Patriot]

In re-reading your comments I see that you state "slightly warm to the touch but not hot" and also "it was getting hotter than I felt comfortable with." I probably read that the wrong way I guess.

My first intuition wasn't of course the batteries but I strongly suspected heat. If according to you the light only got slightly warm to the touch I'm somewhat skeptical of a heat related failure since it doesn't sound to me like the LED could be ruined under those circumstances. I've accidentally left a couple of LEDs on or they got switched on in my pocket and did get too hot to handle with bare hands by the time I realized they were on. I'm going to guess about 170 degrees or so but the LED didn't kill itself. In other words, I've had at least of couple of lights that got way hotter than what you're describing and they weren't damaged. In any case, I think it's going to be very hard to determine unconditionally what caused the exact failure.

 

[Gunner12]

I'm thinking maybe the light got impacted enough and the thermal glue that they use was weak enough (as in you weren't lucky) that the LED partially separated from the heatsink which cause the heat buildup and cooked the LED.

Did the tint ever shift blue?

 

[crofty]

In re-reading your comments I see that you state "slightly warm to the touch but not hot" and also "it was getting hotter than I felt comfortable with." I probably read that the wrong way I guess.

The first statement referes to the high mode while on the heat sink, the second statement referes to the whole light heating up as apposed to just the head.

It`s hard to put into words the level of heat but yeah it never got super hot.

 

[crofty]

I'm thinking maybe the light got impacted enough and the thermal glue that they use was weak enough (as in you weren't lucky) that the LED partially separated from the heatsink which cause the heat buildup and cooked the LED.

Did the tint ever shift blue?

This is the type of failure I suspect although can`t be sure if the tint did shift, it`s definitely not blue now.

 

[EngrPaul]

There is a chance the thermal epoxy let go under the LED. I have opened several of this style Fenix, and the epoxy isn't very rigid. On one light, the emitter didn't pop off when pryed, it just sorta walked off. The epoxy underneath was brown instead of white. Once the thermal epoxy isn't attaching the LED properly, the emitter temperature goes wild.

 

[EngrPaul]

4sevens sells the RCR 123. On the sales page, it says:

These cells are not meant for use in any Fenix but the P3D, T1, TK10, and TK11 flashlights. Use in the P2D and P1D is not recommended and could damage the light.

Based on this information, I would expect your seller would support your warranty.

 

[crofty]

I got it from thephotonshop btw, who I contacted and their going to have it back then ship it to fenix for repair.

It`s had daily use for the past 9 months so it didn`t do too badly I suppose, for the price of it.

A borrowed LD01SS will have to take over untill it comes back.

 

[1996alnl]

I only use RCR123's in mine and i use turbo all the time for 30 min sometimes.
The light does get hot but i never had any problems.

 

[f22shift]

Sorry I thought you were just messing around because you didn`t remove the instance in the first post aswell, I`m not sure why you want that word removed, it`s not swearing or offensive. At least not in my country, strange. :thinking:
.

was it, oh male rooster? :laughing:

 

[crofty]

I only use RCR123's in mine and i use turbo all the time for 30 min sometimes.
The light does get hot but i never had any problems.

Mine must be faulty then. Either that or your is extra hardy.

It`ll be interesting to see if fenix bother to repair it or just put a new head on. The latter would be less costly I would of thought and is what I`m hoping for.

 

[LIGHTSMAD]

i gave my P3D Q5 to my 4yr old daughter in the back of the car while i was driving, to look for something she had dropped.

she turned the head to operate turbo mode, i forgot about the light and when i stopped at the shop i remembered the light was in the back somewere, when i found it under my seat, i picked it up, it was that hot i could,nt even hold it for a second, it had burned out, i was pretty freeked about it

 

[crofty]

Your a braver man than I giving a lithium light to a child, the light would be the least on my worrys.

 

[1996alnl]

Your a braver man than I giving a lithium light to a child, the light would be the least on my worrys.

It's not anymore dangerous than giving a child a cell phone.

 

[LightWalker]

It's not anymore dangerous than giving a child a cell phone.

Have you seen this: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/227173

 

[HKJ]

Have you seen this: https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/227173

And? It is also possible to find pictures of exploded mobil phones and exploded laptops.

Regular LiIon batteries can explode, this mostly happens with cheaply manufactured brands and/or with mistreated cells.

The episode above was in a car, I wonder what the risk of a car crash is, compared to a battery explodes? It is probably many times more dangerous to be in the car, than using LiIon batteries, especially when including the consequences of an accident.