9-month old plays with pipe-bomb flashlight. Disaster averted.

[carbine15]

I thought I had lost this light but I found it under my bed. I put two cr123 cells in it and it ran nice and bright. I turned it down and handed it to my 9-month old to play with. Moments later he was off doing something else and I picked it up. It was blazing hot to the touch and the light had turned itself off. He had dropped it when it started getting to hot and crawled away. Smart kid.

I checked the cells and thankfully they had not exploded or bulged or anything. Disaster averted!

I sought to find the problem. Removing the driver pill I ended up twisting the wires off the back of the board. After re-soldering them and testing for function all seemed well. I re-installed the pill and the light would not turn on. I realized it was because I was using a protected cell and there was still a short! Wierd!

Carefully examining the light I found the problem. The pos+ red wire from the top of the driver was cut too short and was shorting against the body of the light. Here's a picture of what I'm talking about. That's the red wire at the top hole.

AS you can see there's nothing to solder to anymore. The wire is not there! Is there a way to get into the other side of the driver circuit? It looks like a piece of brass has been pressed into the pill to hold the circuit in place and provide for a ground. I can't see a way to get to the POS+ teminal on the circuit board without destroying something?

 

[Wits' End]

Sorry James, glad no harm befell you or your little one. I know nothing about the electronics of the ML lights, so no help there . I think I have a couple of partial lights and parts. I may have a head that is "cosmetically challenged" [that ISN'T A STRAIGHT LINE ] but the electronics should be functional. Let me know how things shake out in the next day or so and I'll dig in my 'mystery box' in the meantime.
Again sorry for the problem, Herb
If needed I'll send whatever parts I have, that might help.

 

[bshanahan14rulz]

has the brass been pressed in or screwed in?

 

[carbine15]

Sorry James, glad no harm befell you or your little one. I know nothing about the electronics of the ML lights, so no help there . I think I have a couple of partial lights and parts. I may have a head that is "cosmetically challenged" [that ISN'T A STRAIGHT LINE ] but the electronics should be functional. Let me know how things shake out in the next day or so and I'll dig in my 'mystery box' in the meantime.
Again sorry for the problem, Herb
If needed I'll send whatever parts I have, that might help.

That's fine. I'm just glad nobody got hurt. My baby boy is smart enough to drop it like it's hot! The driver pill is located in the body of the light, not in the head. Very fine lights these are. The only thing I would change about this light is that I would add a forward clicky.

has the brass been pressed in or screwed in?

I don't see any threading for the brass collar. It looks like it's pressed in and then spot hammered in at least four places. The brass and aluminum have been deformed by separate hammer-chisel strikes such that the metals have become one. If I tried to Dremel the brass ring out I'd end up breaking the board. It sucks cause I can see the red wire, I just cant get to it. :mecry:

I really like this board. The ability to adjust levels a dozen times from <1 lumen to about 40-60 lumens is impressive.

 

[kramer5150]

I always worry about this on my DIY modules... the holes in the brass pill have some very sharp burr edges and the wires have very thin insulation.

I use a small swiss army knife and deburr those edges as best as I can.

thank goodness your baby was not hurt.

 

[carbine15]

My baby boy is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to hurt himself. It usually involves falling and hitting his head or smashing his fingers in drawers and cupboards. He's being real sweet right now playing with his rattle at my feet as I type this. For those of you who don't have kids yet what the hell are you waiting for?

As far as the light goes it went dead. I got the retaining ring off and knocked a tiny part off. I replaced it but it doesnt fire up. I even double checked my work against the pictures I took. Everything looks like it should work but the board is dead. I can make the LED light up but switching modes doesnt work at all. Sadness is creaping over me as I type this. I hate adding one to the graveyard of broken lights.

 

[Wits' End]

I'll get something to help out in the mail. Monday or Tuesday

 

[carbine15]

Thank you Wits' End!
It was very generous of you to send a replacement light. He even sent a second light (that doesn't fire up for some reason. I'm going to use the parts lights to build a new light with a warm Cree emitter I have sitting here.

Thanks for the light saber too! Way too much!

Have a great weekend.

 

[Wits' End]

...........

Thanks for the light saber too! Way too much!

........

With the title of this and this comment How could I help but think of this from many years ago
Light saber gift
Caution advised for small ones

 

[carbine15]

Nice video! This little light saber will stay out of my son's hands mostly for the choking hazard but also because I don't want to get cut in half. LOL>