Lumintop FW3EL Not Suitable For Carry? Not so fast, me!

[Orion]

I got a Lumintop FW3EL [natural white] off ebay because I like the wide floody nature of the beam. I've had it in my apartment since I got it, but decided to take it out yesterday, clipped to a cargo pocket pocket. It's a cargo pocket...that has an open smaller pocket on the outside of it.

I thought all was well,...but last night, while I was at my sisters, I felt a part of my leg getting warm. The button must have gotten pushed without me knowing. This makes it unsuitable for carry....and it is currently unavailable for returns. :-(

I prefer the Anduril UI with the lockout. Now I have a light I really don't need, as I have others I can carry...and don't need another "inside the house" light.

 

[JimIslander]

All powerful lights should be physically disabled before putting in your pocket. The FW3EL requires the very slightest turn of the head to completely disable it.

I'll give you $5 for your useless light.

 

[Orion]

Well.....sonovovich! Sorry everyone for [what turns out to be] a dumb OP post.

Thanks, JimIslander. 🤭

 

[KITROBASKIN]

You can change the title of this thread? Something about physical lockout being important?

 

[3_gun]

I was going to offer $6, thanks for ruining the chance for a good deal. Just about every light can be made pocket safe with a 1/4 twist of the head or tail. I do have a copper light that it doesn't work on so I'm guessing the body is used in the circuit

 

[idleprocess]

All powerful lights should be physically disabled before putting in your pocket. The FW3EL requires the very slightest turn of the head to completely disable it.

The electronic lockout is also an option which avoids the finicky tailcap issue inherent to FW* designs.

 

[JimIslander]

The electronic lockout is also an option which avoids the finicky tailcap issue inherent to FW* designs.

I tighten the tail tightly on all mine so the head turns for lockout. But the tail is only a "problem" if you remove it. FYI, tail issue is tail parts coming apart and needing careful reassembly.

 

[idleprocess]

I tighten the tail tightly on all mine so the head turns for lockout. But the tail is only a "problem" if you remove it. FYI, tail issue is tail parts coming apart and needing careful reassembly.

Both of mine can be finicky about adjusting any part of the head:body:tailcap complex. Perversely the newer version with the retained tailcap innards is the most finicky.

 

[Orion]

Thanks for the replies. I swear I thought I had tried the "turn the head a little" method and it didn't work. But, needless to say, it does. I've been at this flashlight hobby far too long to make such an amateur mistake. I changed the title slightly.

 

[letschat7]

I melted my 5.11 pants with a Fenix.

 

[Orion]

letschat7..........WHOA!!!!! 😟

 

[letschat7]

I have a lot more respect for lights now. I got lucky. I can remember someone having batteries blow up in their light. I just felt my leg get warm because I accidently activated my light on the highest setting and the heat was causing a hole to burn in my pocket. I guess lights aren't toys and anything more than an incan mag and heavy duty batteries needs to be treated carefully.

 

[Orion]

Thanks for your story and pic!

 

[defloyd77]

Just my two pennies, but no good EDC light requires you to lock it out to be carried. That's just asinine, you might as well carry a twisty light.

 

[Orion]

True,.....but on the other hand, even a quick twist of the head, then having a button to go through the outputs, is better than only doing so by twisting the head [twist tight, twist off, twist tight, twist off, twist tight].
But yeah, I prefer carrying the FW3A as a carry light.

 

[JimIslander]

Both of mine can be finicky about adjusting any part of the head:body:tailcap complex. Perversely the newer version with the retained tailcap innards is the most finicky.

1. Hold body (I think you must be skipping this step)
2. Turn head or tail as desired.

 

[aznsx]

I'm an industry hardware guy who has spent most of my life also working with software guys. I've found that generally speaking, no software can fix crummy hardware design, and vice versa. It's generally a losing battle.

 

[idleprocess]

1. Hold body (I think you must be skipping this step)
2. Turn head or tail as desired.

How kind of you to assume that in the 4 years I've owned the light such an obvious step would not have occurred to me when I have in fact performed nearly every permutation short of physically modifying the light and it remains unpredictable whenever head or tailcap torque is adjusted.

 

[Lips]

LOL, I turned the tailcap on my FW3A and it took me 15 minutes to figure out how to get it to turn back on. This light was suppose to be a marvel of engineering in simplicity when it was first made, NOT...

 

[JimIslander]

How kind of you to assume that in the 4 years I've owned the light such an obvious step would not have occurred to me when I have in fact performed nearly every permutation short of physically modifying the light and it remains unpredictable whenever head or tailcap torque is adjusted.

The pleasure is mine. I can only comment based on what you wrote, so please interpret my reply with as much charity as possible. When you said "Both of mine can be finicky about adjusting any part of the head:body:tailcap complex.", my interpretation was that it was finicky in not locking out the light or in accidentally turning the tail instead of the head. This interpretation was based on several posts above yours that specifically addressed needing only a very slight turn of the head or tail to lock out the light. My further assumption was that the finicky part was that you were accidentally turning the tail instead of the head.

If by "finicky" you mean something else, please forgive my assumptions. And if you would please define what you actually mean by finicky, I would very much appreciate it. My FW3A lights all lock out with the slightest turn of the head or tail, but I turn the head. And the lights always work once retightened.