Call out to any Greek WE 24W Boxer owners...

[Secur1]

Hi ppl

My most power full light the WE 24W Boxer has developed a fault, i've managed to single out the cells as "not" being the problem (all of them tested fine) so i was wondering if any fellow Athenian Greeks out there that have this HID light could help me out by meeting up somewhere with the battery magazine to see if that's at fault or god forbid something more serious (like the ballast) before i ship it back to Mike at pts.

Thanks in advance

John

 

[ergotelis]

I thought that i was the only greek flashaholic! :twothumbs
What is exactly the problem?I might help you but i live in Crete...

 

[Secur1]

Geia sou Ergoteli

My problem is that the light will only run for 10sec after a full charge on both sets of cells i got :/

Some of the ppl i talked here that had the same problem seem to have solved it by getting another magazine, so i hope it will do the trick for me too.

 

[That_Guy]

Hook the ballast up to a 12V source such as a SLA battery with some aligator clips or something. If it works it's a problem with the battery magazine. If it doesn't it's a problem with the ballast or bulb. Make sure you get the polarity right, and make sure the input voltage is no more than 12.6V (between 9.0 - 12.6V).

 

[Secur1]

Hook the ballast up to a 12V source such as a SLA battery with some aligator clips or something. If it works it's a problem with the battery magazine. If it doesn't it's a problem with the ballast or bulb. Make sure you get the polarity right, and make sure the input voltage is no more than 12.6V (between 9.0 - 12.6V).

Would have if i had any of the above.....

I was thinking about taping the 3 cells together and using some wire to connect them but i am a bit afraid of having 3 lithium cells exploding at the same time in my most expensive light, or even worse in my face....

 

[That_Guy]

Probably not the best idea to tape together the li-ion cells. If you don't have any 12V batteries two 12V sources I can think of are your car and computer.

The computer is probably the better option because the PSU puts out a regulated 12V while a car battery can be more than the 12.6V maximum if it is fully charged. If you have a multimeter you can measure the car battery voltage to make sure it is no more than 12.6V (if it is more than that, you can turn on your headlights for a bit to drop the voltage).

If you don't have a multimeter and don't want to buy one (they are very useful for this hobby so I highly recommend that you do) you can try your computer. Open the side panel and see if you have any free 4 pin molex connectors. They have four wires: red, black, black, yellow. The yellow wire is the 12V line and the two black wires in the middle are ground (it doesn't matter which one you use). So if you are careful you can jam some wires into the end of the plug and use that (make sure you don't let any exposed wires touch anything, including the case because it is grounded and will short out the PSU).

It's a bit of work, but it beats sending the light back to the US.

 

[brightnorm]

...i've managed to single out the cells as being the problem (all of them tested fine)...

John,

The cells are fine but they are the problem? Must be a mis-type. How did you test them, and did you try other cells also?

I used the three Wolfeyes 18650s that came with my Boxer 24W and charged them in the holder, but later I also used Pilas which I charged in the new Pila chargers. Both sets of batteries worked fine. The fact that other users have had problems is worrisome, but after two weeks of use I'm fine so far.

After you recharge the batteries in the battery caddy, do the three little red LEDs light up? And after they no longer work in the light, have you checked to see if the three LEDs still light up?

Brightnorm

 

[Secur1]

Yeah i missed a "not" there

As for the leds in the magazine, they do light up after a full charge but glow very dim after 10sec of usage when the light shuts down after barely being able to warm up....

 

[cchurchi]

Mine had the same problem. My issue was caused by 1 cell out of the 3 in the battery mag kept activating its internal protection. When measured with a meter the cells would read: 4.15 V, 4.15 V, and 3.14 V. If I placed the 3.14 V battery on a charger for 1 second, the battery would then measure 4.15 V. When placed in my 1 X 168A light (defender), this battery would not work at all until I charged it for 1 second, turning off the battery protection circuit.

I have about 20 168A batteries as I also have a M300, a Storm, and a Defender. About 9 of these batteries are 6 months old from when I originally purchased the Boxer. My older batteries were dropping off like flies. 5 times in a row, 1 of the 3 batteries in the Boxer would quit. These batteries, that activate their internal protection when used in the Boxer, still work fine in the defender after placed on a charger for a second. However, If I try to use them in the M300 or the Storm, the lights will shut off in less then 10 minutes.

Are you sure that you aren't having battery issues? Remember, charging the batteries will disengage the protection allowing you to run the battery mag for an additional 10 minutes. Believe me, when I had my boxer shut off in less then 10 minutes - 5 times in a row - I was begining to think the Boxer was killing my batteries. Because I have 4 battery mags, 20 batteries and 4 lights to rotate them through, as well as a meter, I was able to determine the problem. I have quit running the 5 questionable batteries, except around the house in the defender.

Some of the worn out batteries would not shut off until about 40 minutes into the run.

Hopefully, this thread will help those having issues with their Boxers.

 

[brightnorm]

...When measured with a meter the cells would read: 4.15 V, 4.15 V, and 3.14 V. If I placed the 3.14 V battery on a charger for 1 second, the battery would then measure 4.15 V. When placed in my 1 X 168A light (defender), this battery would not work at all until I charged it for 1 second, turning off the battery protection circuit...

http://www.ztsinc.com/mbt1.html

This is a great meter to test remaining battery capacity, apart from voltage testing. Unfortunately it's not cheap.

BN

 

[Secur1]

Well either way it would be cheaper for me to buy a new set of cells or a new magazine than to send the one's i got to the states for testing....

 

[data_lore]

I bought some of these as a backup, they seem OK so far ...

Well either way it would be cheaper for me to buy a new set of cells or a new magazine than to send the one's i got to the states for testing....

 

[Secur1]

What's the minimum safe voltage these cells should read in order to be ok ?

Just in case i am not reading them right....

Also, if it turns out to be the cells, will these do ?
http://batteryjunction.com/2600pcb-18650.html

The only thing that pisses me off (if indeed it's the cells) is that i've already payed an extra 60 bucks for the 3x 168A cells i got from pts when i got the light :/

 

[Secur1]

Ok i tested the cells yet again and none of them read below 4.12v after i used them in the Boxer and let them sit for a day.
Still if i put them in the light it will not light up....

So i am guessing it's the magazine after all.