strange behaviour of my A2

yellow · Jul 1, 2012

a recent thread "forced"

me to dig for one of the few incans I keep useable ... my A2.
Took it out of box and pulled the trigger --> the leds worked, the strion kit bulb not.
Put other batteries in; dis- and reassembled, ..., but only when I took the bulb out of the holder and connected the pins to the circuit, it lit up.

Now reassembled again, the main bulb did work, but it was dim and even more "warm white" than the warm white led from calipsoii's led ring.
Also there was a faint of hissing to be heared from the head ...
Just out of curiosity, I let the A2 run and within a few mins the main bulb was on full power again.
Now, when turning off, waiting, turning on, the main bulb starts low and within 1/2 sec goes on full.
:thinking:
is that the ramping up?
Did the main power of the ramping did not work at the beginning?

It has rested about 1/2 (at least) in the box, but I never noticed that low-then-high before
(I know it has a spike protection, but that it is this visible is new to me)

Any ideas, or own findings with Your A2s?

archimedes · Jul 1, 2012

yellow said:
a recent thread "forced" me to dig for one of the few incans I keep useable ... my A2.
Took it out of box and pulled the trigger --> the leds worked, the strion kit bulb not.
Put other batteries in; dis- and reassembled, ..., but only when I took the bulb out of the holder and connected the pins to the circuit, it lit up.

Now reassembled again, the main bulb did work, but it was dim and even more "warm white" than the warm white led from calipsoii's led ring.
Also there was a faint of hissing to be heared from the head ...
Just out of curiosity, I let the A2 run and within a few mins the main bulb was on full power again.
Now, when turning off, waiting, turning on, the main bulb starts low and within 1/2 sec goes on full.
:thinking:
is that the ramping up?
Did the main power of the ramping did not work at the beginning?

It has rested about 1/2 (at least) in the box, but I never noticed that low-then-high before
(I know it has a spike protection, but that it is this visible is new to me)

Any ideas, or own findings with Your A2s?

For the A2, when the LEDs work but not the lamp, that means the batteries are nearly exhausted.

The sound of "hissing" is worrisome for (potentially catastrophic) battery failure, either pending or completed.

I would NOT run that set-up, unless and until everything checks out properly.

Multiple cells (batteries) in series have the potential for dangerous reversal under current load, especially if significantly mismatched (in terms of voltage and/or capacity) :poof:

- which is even more likely if they are old and/or drained.

This can result in a very serious situation, similar to this recent post -

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?340028-Flashlight-Explosion

calipsoii · Jul 1, 2012

Sounds like batteries, yellow.

I'd get yourself a good pair of brand new CR123's and try it again. The low->high behavior of the main bulb is usually an indicator of dead batteries.

As for the hissing noise, 2 of my 3 Strion sockets make it. I'm not sure why but replacing the Strions with a Surefire MA02 bulb makes the hissing go away. I think it's just the bi-pin legs rattling or something - I wouldn't worry about that too much.

Definitely your first troubleshooting step should be brand-new batteries though.

^^Nova^^ · Jul 1, 2012

Is it hissing or humming? Sometimes a regulated bulb will humm as the filament vibrates from the PWM controlled current it is getting. I have a multimode incan driven mag and it hums on certain drive levels.

Nova

yellow · Jul 2, 2012

now, asked that, I would say, it was a humming. Was only there when the bulb did not go high.

Now its gone and the only thing is the visible switch from low/high at startup (under 1/2 sec)

... I'm gotta get new batts,
but am really wondering: they have never (less than 5 mins) been used before; and I though that should be a "safety" light, working any time in the future, when needed
(as long as it is within the 10 years shelf life of the batteries))

archimedes · Jul 2, 2012

Personally, I strongly prefer single-cell torches for (infrequent use) emergency/safety lights ....

yellow · Jul 2, 2012

SIX batteries here, three different makers, all "2016",
all in lights (three) that get no use and have real switches (no electronic ones)
and all are nearly dead?

... so much for CR123 Lithium primary for emergency lights ...

(the only tools that work - in case they are needed - are the ones cared for)

M@elstrom · Jul 3, 2012

yellow said:
now, asked that, I would say, it was a humming. Was only there when the bulb did not go high.

There are times when my Strion adapter modded A2 hums like this so your not alone, I've always understood it as being a regulator quirk...

J_Roc · Aug 10, 2013

I hate to bump an old thread, but the same thing is happening with my A2/Strion kit. I do not hear any hissing or humming, though. I tried changing the batteries, changing the Strion lamp, but neither helped. I popped in the stock SF lamp assembly and it was bright/normal (way brighter than the the Strion - which it shouldn't be). I just took a Q-tip with alcohol and cleaned all of the contacts, but no luck, still dim. I'm also running a calipsoii warm ring.

Any new info or suggestions?

Update: upon further fiddling I noticed that the issue seems to be with my switch, I can press a little for the 3 LEDS, then a little more for the lamp (normal) but if I press hard THEN the lamp comes on full power. Strange...maybe my switch needs to be adjusted?

Update 2: I swapped out the calipsoii ring for the stock ring and used the stock SF lamp and it seems to be fine now...but I accidentally snaped off two of the tabs on the calipsoii ring

strange behaviour of my A2

yellow

Flashlight Enthusiast

archimedes

Flashaholic

calipsoii

Flashlight Enthusiast

^^Nova^^

Enlightened

yellow

Flashlight Enthusiast

archimedes

Flashaholic

yellow

Flashlight Enthusiast

M@elstrom

Flashlight Enthusiast

J_Roc

Newly Enlightened

Similar threads

Latest posts