Thrunite Ti - The perfect little pocket light no more

[BillSWPA]

The few times I have had warranty issues with Surefire, I paid to ship the light back to them. Surefire is acknowledged by most, including me, to have good warranty service. This practice is also in line with most other companies I have dealt with.

So far, I have not heard any complaints about the single mode Ti's I gave out for Christmas, although they have only been used for a short time.

 

[SoulCraves]

Actually, we did get a response here, but not a follow-up response to my response.

They will replace the item but it appears that the consumer must pay to have it shipped back. An odd burden considering the light is ACKNOWLEDGED by Thrunite as being DEFECTIVE.

In a similar situation as this topic, I just had a Kidde smoke detector fail after 9 months of ownership. I called Kidde to see if they would replace it. Even though they initially said they would do nothing about it, they ended up agreeing to ship me a new one, free of charge, WITHOUT me having to send the old one back. Pretty good service. Especially when you consider that it's not a KNOWN defect (could of failed due to electrical power surge).

I don't know how big of a company Thrunite is, but the right thing to do is get new units shipped to all owners who have reported failures, without expecting those owners to be further inconvenienced with packaging time and shipping costs. Heck, we have already been inconvenienced by the defect.

Oh, what i meant was, I pm Thrunite previously about my issues, they responded and asked where i bought mine, to which i replied from their online store. After that, that graveyard silence came. To me paying for return is fine, but for that graveyard silence? It's a no no.

 

[jbrett14]

I don't understand how any consumer would be fine to PAY to ship a KNOWN DEFECTIVE DESIGN item in order to get it replaced with the CORRECTED design item.

I can understand paying to ship back an item that simply wore out under normal use within the warranty time period, but this was a KNOWN design flaw from early on. In a nutshell, we were sold lemons. It ought to be on the makers\designers shoulders to get these replaced, not the consumer who never even had a chance to use the item to it's fullest.

I have dealt with MANY companies that issue RMA labels to have their defective items returned to them. It's fairly common actually. And it should be the standard IF the item is DEFECTIVE (not merely worn out within a warranty period).

I just thought of something: I wonder if Thrunite would agree to replace ALL of my lights (10+) with the re-designed model, including the ones that I have not even used yet. If so, then I might consider paying to ship them all in one box. After all, it is a KNOWN design flaw.

 

[Oztorchfreak]

I have been using the ITP A3 EOS AAA pocket light for quite a few years now.

I also bought many for family and friends as presents and they are all still working great as long as you clean and lube them occasionally.

The Olight I3S AAA light that I bought for myself and friends are all still work flawlessly as well.

You barely know that it is in your pocket and it has been through the washing machine and dryer many times without problems.

They really are cheap enough to replace if one ever stopped working in my opinion.

Nothing else I know beats either of the above lights for value and durability.

I have some small Thrunite pocket lights that are AAA powered and they have never let me down either.

One was a gift with a couple of Thrunite TN31 lights that I bought a year or two back on one of their web promotions.

Michael (Saabluster) at OSTS has the AA powered REV Ardor that I have one of as a gift that came with my DEFT-X and it has great throw for a single AA pocket light.

He may sell them seperately but it is pretty hard to beat the AAA Olight I3S and it even has a strobe function if needed.

The keyring attachment point has been improved on this model.

The Thrunite single mode Ti light usually hold up pretty well from what I have found.



CHEERS

 

[ThruNite]

Please kindly contact [email protected] for service!


Thanks and Regards


THruNite

 

[fyrstormer]

You get what you pay for and with chinese products you tend to get less than you paid for.

Chinese manufacturers don't give you less than you paid for, they give you *exactly* what you paid for. The factories aren't owned by the companies who sell the products, so they don't have a public reputation to worry about. Someone who makes their own product may be inclined to donate extra effort to make inexpensive products better-than-spec, even though it means they're getting paid less than they deserve, but why should a factory that never gets its name put on any of its products care about that? The factories make what they are contracted to make; if there is any fault, it falls on the company that specced overly cheap products so they could earn a few extra cents on each sale.

 

[fyrstormer]

Anyway, I don't think there are any really good 1xAAA clicky lights available. The diameter is too small to accommodate a high-quality clicky switch. Also, while some 1xAAA lights have strong-enough electronics to handle running on a 10440 cell, there's still the problem that the 10440 is *also* too narrow to accommodate a protection circuit, so you have to err on the side of caution and change the battery frequently to avoid any possibility of over-draining it.

My favorite 1xAAA lights are both twisties: the Fenix E05 and the McGizmo Sapphire. Both have served me well and not given me any problems. If you want a really bright light, suck it up and get a 1xRCR123 light with a pocket clip. A de-burred pocket clip can be worn even with slacks and it won't damage the hem of the pocket; that's what I've been doing for years now, since I work in an office with a dress code. 1xRCR123 is too big for in-pocket carry, but clipped it's quite inconspicuous.

 

[jbrett14]

I have been using the ITP A3 EOS AAA pocket light for quite a few years now.

I also bought many for family and friends as presents and they are all still working great as long as you clean and lube them occasionally.

The Olight I3S AAA light that I bought for myself and friends are all still work flawlessly as well.

Just goes to show that these lights are inconsistent. I have owned several of both of these models with failures within the first year, and with very light use.

Many have commented that we tend to get what we pay for, as if these are cheap lights. They may be, compared to Zebralights and others, but when I consider that I have owned even cheaper lights from Walmart that have lasted far longer than these, it makes me wonder what's going on.

 

[jbrett14]

If you want a really bright light, suck it up and get a 1xRCR123 light with a pocket clip. A de-burred pocket clip can be worn even with slacks and it won't damage the hem of the pocket; that's what I've been doing for years now, since I work in an office with a dress code. 1xRCR123 is too big for in-pocket carry, but clipped it's quite inconspicuous.

Perhaps I need to re-think my habits and try this.

 

[Highbandwidth]

I don't understand how any consumer would be fine to PAY to ship a KNOWN DEFECTIVE DESIGN item in order to get it replaced with the CORRECTED design item.

I just thought of something: I wonder if Thrunite would agree to replace ALL of my lights (10+) with the re-designed model, including the ones that I have not even used yet. If so, then I might consider paying to ship them all in one box. After all, it is a KNOWN design flaw.

I didn't see any admission by Thrunite that there was a "design flaw." I saw that they had come up with an improved design. That happens with everything subject to mechanical wear. I'm not angry when my car's brakes go out, nor when my headlight switch wears out. Those aren't design flaws, just where my car first breaks when it's used. If it's an item you pulled from the box and used twice before failure, I'd call that a "design flaw." But you say you used this thing every day and it lasted what? A year? For a $10 item? To me, that's a ringing endorsement, not a condemnation. Two cups of coffee at Starbucks is $10. Could the light have been better? Sure, and the company is improving reliability by eliminating the mode switching. Now with just on/off I'd expect it to last even longer. I'd also expect them to do more customer service for a $100 light customer than a $10 light customer. Just as I'd expect better quality and service from Mercedes-Benz on an S600 AMG ($200,000+) than on a C300 ($35,000+). That doesn't make the C300 bad nor mean the company is bad. It's just that you get what you pay for. If you want a bulletproof aaa powered light, as others have noted, buy a Peak Eiger. If you only want to spend $10, set your expectations accordingly. Again, I was drawn to this thread as I am considering a Thrunite aaa light and after reading everything here I will buy a couple. Sadly, now they appear to be $20ea, but on/off only. If by some chance they still work after two years I'll be completely satisfied. I'm just grateful I live in an era when some magical object like this exists and can light up a dark room safely for a few minutes' wages. Obviously everyone has a different view - again your condemnation served as an endorsement for me.

 

[Highbandwidth]

Just goes to show that these lights are inconsistent. I have owned several of both of these models with failures within the first year, and with very light use.

Many have commented that we tend to get what we pay for, as if these are cheap lights. They may be, compared to Zebralights and others, but when I consider that I have owned even cheaper lights from Walmart that have lasted far longer than these, it makes me wonder what's going on.

Cheap is a relative term. A $3 flashlight purchased in 1980, plastic, incandescent, disposable, is equivalent to that $10 LED today. Also consider complexity - that $10 LED of which you complain had an electromechanical mode switch which any engineer would tell you is the most likely point of failure. Obviously you weren't the only customer to see such a failure and the company updated its design to eliminate mode switching, sacrificing features for long-term reliability.

With regard to inconsistency, these are small electronic or electromechanical devices with manufacturing cost of a couple bucks. There simply won't be much QC at that price point. They likely test one in twenty or one in fifty to see that they'll light up when given power (head onto fixed power jig only).

Keep in mind that a $10 item purchased from Amazon, if it fails, won't even be returned. Amazon will simply take your word that it doesn't work and refund the $10. The amount of time I've spent posting two replies in this thread, if done at work, would significantly exceed the $10 price of your year old failed light.

I'm assuming you are, like me, no spring chicken. It amazes me when I pause to reflect on owning multiple *flashlights* that cost well north of a C-note. It is, frankly, insane. But that C-note ain't what it used to be. Filling my gas tank and buying a few cups of coffee at Starbucks will leave me a few coins in my pocket. The only redemption is that a $150 flashlight can be sold in the forum here for $100+ a couple years later so it's not just consumed like fuel and coffee. (... and let's not even get into $2.50 CR123 batteries my lights can chew through in an hour ...)

 

[jbrett14]

I love your perspective, Highbandwidth, I really do. Much appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts.

I agree with much of what you write, but in my opinion, there absolutely was a "design flaw" in that light. And it was acknowledged by THEM, that these were having problems. Hence the reason for the design change. Many people, other than me, had the same problems with the modes, within weeks of owning the light.

And for the record, some of mine were experiencing the design flaw, while practically never being used at all.

Also, another perspective: (10) $10 lights = a $100 customer.

 

[leon2245]

Yes, I noticed that they now have a TiS single mode model. It seems obvious why they did this. Sounds like grounds for a recall, in which case I would like all 15 of mine replaced with the single mode models, since I only need high mode.

L3 ILLUMINATION L10 or the new L08 might be a consideration.

I have the L10 and these work very well. The L10 is slightly larger, but it takes AA batteries which last longer. The L08 is new, so I can't say how good they are.
I also have the Klarus Mi10 which cost more, but it has been very reliable over 2 years on my keychain.

Does the redesign now have a spring inside, like the l08, or only changed the modes?

 

[Highbandwidth]

And for the record, some of mine were experiencing the design flaw, while practically never being used at all.

Also, another perspective: (10) $10 lights = a $100 customer.

At $10, it would also be a good business gift and I could see buying a hundred of the things. Failures there would be a bigger concern than one I bought for myself or for family. At that price point I'd always prefer an on/off to much more complicated and failure prone multiple modes.

Anyway, glad you took my comments in the spirit intended. Did you ever get a further reply from Thrunite's email address? As another commenter noted, that's my biggest issue with the affair as well. I'd rather get an unsatisfactory reply than no reply at all.

 

[jbrett14]

At $10, it would also be a good business gift and I could see buying a hundred of the things. Failures there would be a bigger concern than one I bought for myself or for family. At that price point I'd always prefer an on/off to much more complicated and failure prone multiple modes.

Anyway, glad you took my comments in the spirit intended. Did you ever get a further reply from Thrunite's email address? As another commenter noted, that's my biggest issue with the affair as well. I'd rather get an unsatisfactory reply than no reply at all.

I agree with all your comments above.

No, I did not get any replies.