When things go wrong...

So today I decided to take apart and clean my Nitecore EX11.2 and I wanted to take the brass ring off so I could get to the LED and the spring to clean it. In the process, I did exactly what I was afraid might happen... I accidentally knocked one of the circuits off My question is, which circuit is this as the light still seems to operate fine without it but I'm wondering what I knocked off and if it might harm the light down the road in any way? Below is a picture of the missing circuit, thanks for any help which can be provided!

Do you have the missing piece?
How do you know it is actually missing?

FlashKat said:

Do you have the missing piece?
How do you know it is actually missing?

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I do have the missing circuit, it goes right where the arrow is at and when I was trying to get the brass ring I heard a snap and that specific one broke off. I do still have it however. It's strange because the light seems to work just fine but obviously that circuit was there for something?

From the board markings it looks like you knocked off a small surface mount capacitor. It looks like the pads might have come off the capacitor too but if it is intact you should try to resolder it - or if you don't have the confidence to do so (it is very easy to make it much worse) ask a friend who is experienced with a soldering iron.

The light might still function OK if the cap was only a decoupling cap but might be a little unreliable.

zipplet said:

From the board markings it looks like you knocked off a small surface mount capacitor. It looks like the pads might have come off the capacitor too but if it is intact you should try to resolder it - or if you don't have the confidence to do so (it is very easy to make it much worse) ask a friend who is experienced with a soldering iron.

The light might still function OK if the cap was only a decoupling cap but might be a little unreliable.

Click to expand...

I actually did find someone at work who is quite experienced with soldering and he's going to solder it back on, I've never done it so would be afraid to try on a light like this! So what exactly does that capacitor actually do? I'm curious as to the operation/function of it. The light works fine in all modes from what I can tell which is why I was shocked it still worked normally.

If the light is working perfectly fine without it, then it is probably a decoupling capacitor. Decoupling capacitors are attached across the power supply rails of sensitive components like ICs, that cannot tolerate even small fluctuations in the power supply. They smooth out the power supply for the chip. Sometimes if you remove them the chip will still function just fine because there is enough capacitance near the chip in PCB traces, etc.

In a light, the other main use for capacitors include the charge pump circuit for the boost/buck regulator. If you had broken off a capacitor that was being used for the charge pump your light would no longer function.

Some lights use a capacitor across the microcontroller for the mode switching function - to keep power to the microcontroller while you switch the light off/on quickly to change modes. If that capacitor were removed you would no longer be able to switch modes this way.

That's great that your friend will be able to help you resolder it!

If I understood what I recently read, they may also use a capacitor to smooth out PWM. Of course, I may not have interpreted what I read correctly, and he who wrote it may not have been correct. Soooo that's my two cents, and I am sticking to it

Bummer...sorry to hear about this.

I took a photo of mine, to see which component was broken off.
Interesting that the light still functions.

Yep that piece on the right side is what snapped off of mine. From what I understand on here and talking with my friend, it appears to be some type of capacitor which may have filtered out electronic noise or high frequencies. He also said it could regulate power to some of the chips which means it might still function but significantly reduce the life of the LED or other components due to fluctuating currents. Not sure which it does but the technology behind it is quite fascinating! I should have it back Monday when he solders it back on, I'm just glad the light still works as these are hard to find and its a great light IMO.

Great light indeed! And glad to hear your friend is able to get
everything buttoned back up for ya.

This was always my biggest fear, whenever I would take apart my
NiteCores. I'm surprised this never happened to me, before I got
some needle nose tweezers, I would screw the pill using the chips for grip. Bad idea!

Well good luck with your light,

Nick

That is the flux capacitor, and you only need it if you're going to reach a speed of 86 mph. In a Delorean.

Mmassey338 said:

That is the flux capacitor, and you only need it if you're going to reach a speed of 86 mph. In a Delorean.

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LMAO

Mmassey338 said:

That is the flux capacitor, and you only need it if you're going to reach a speed of 86 mph. In a Delorean.

Click to expand...

I thought you had to be doing at least 88 MPH
for the Flux Capacitor to work :thinking:

Nicrod said:

I thought you had to be doing at least 88 MPH
for the Flux Capacitor to work :thinking:

Click to expand...

You're right! Shows how bad my memory is.

ETA: post 100, so now I'm a flashaholic!