Problem with D-Mini

I had to return my D-Mini to Battery Junction yesterday.

It came in the mail on Saturday. I opened it up and looked it over...nice light! The problem came when I went to remove the tailcap. It turned pretty smoothly, but it took quite a bit of effort (much more than I think it should) to unscrew from the tube. I checked out the threads...my eyes aren't what they used to be...the threads in the tailcap looked ok, but the ones on the tail end of the battery tube looked pretty rough. I wiped them down pretty well and applied some lubricant, swapped out the standard switch for the clickie, threw a battery in, and put the tailcap back on. The first couple of turns weren't bad, but after that it turned pretty stiff. I played around with the light for awhile (very nice light...great throw!), but when I went to remove the tailcap, I had to use a towel to grip it enough to turn it! Once I got it off, I tried to clean and lube them again, and I worked it back and forth several times but it didn't help at all. I checked the threads on both the front of the body and the bezel and they both turn very smoothly and with much less effort. All I can figure is that the tail threads were either machined very poorly of somehow cross-threaded at the factory. I was really surprised at this...I've done alot of reading about this light, and I don't remember anyone having any problems...I guess it's just a fluke.

I REALLY like this light, and I hope the replacement that Matt sends me works well. Has anyone here had any problems with the Mini...especially with the threads?

Mine arrived Friday and it is smooth. Sorry to hear about yours. I think it must be a fluke with the machining or a chip got stuck in the threads. Since the outer rear O-ring is already engaged before you reach the threads it's a little harder to cross-thread I think since there isn't much room to wiggle it wrong. Hopefully your new one will be smooth and have a great beam too. I really like mine and I'm debating about getting the F1. My Deal Extreme 1.25W Cree 1xAA's arrived today but I have to retrieve them at the Post Office tomorrow. After testing them I'll decide about whether to get that smaller Lumapower to join the D-mini.

Sorry to hear about your D-Mini Raoul99. You are the first one I have heard of with problems. The feedback has been brilliant on these lights. I'd say its probably just a misshap rather than poor threading. As rebel suggested, maybe a chip got in there or something.

It's a brilliant little light. I'm sure your replacement will be perfect.

They call it the Flashlight lottery

TORCH_BOY said:

They call it the Flashlight lottery

Click to expand...

Yup...I did as well on this lottery as all the other lotteries I've ever played! More lottery luck:

Good news: USPS tracking says D-Mini was delivered to Battery Junction around noon on Wednesday.

Bad news: As of Friday evening, Battery Junction says they haven't received it yet...they think
that the P.O. may have delivered to the
wrong place.

Good news: The 2-stage switch I ordered from Luma Power arrived yesterday...thanks Ricky!

Bad news: I now have an OP reflector and a 2-stage switch, and no flashlight to put them on!

Now, you'll have to excuse me...while I'm on a "roll", I'm off to buy some lottery tickets. Hopefully the house doesn't burn down while I'm gone!
:lolsign:

There's a very common problem I've had with flashlights that might be the cause here.

Unscrew the bottom cap and look inside the cap. You'll see an aluminum piece with a couple or more holes. This slug unscrews for access to the switch, using the same threads the main body uses to mate with the end cap. With the D-Mini you get two switches that you can change yourself by unscrewing this slug.

In a lot of cheap lights I've gotten, the slug isn't tightened well, and it could easily happen with the D-Mini. So when you unscrew the end cap from the light, friction causes the slug to unscrew a bit. This continues each time you open the light. Eventually there are not enough threads for the main body to properly screw to the tailcap. One common symptom is that the switch and/or light quit working. The solution, of course, is to screw the slug fully down tight. (Not having the proper tool, I use some needlenose pliers stuck into the holes for this.) You could add a dab of blue Loctite if it doesn't stay down.

I could see this being a possible cause of the symptoms you've described, where the barrel screws down normally for a few threads, then hits the partially unscrewed slug. From there on, you're trying to screw them both into the end cap, and binding is bound to occur.

c_c

I have an M1 issue and just emailed Amondotech to return it. I tired everything to get it to work 100% of the time. My hands are sore form all of the assembling and taking apart and back together again.


I think I lost the lottery also but man is this a solid torch!!! I hate to send it back but will be more then happy with a new one!