CMG antics

[hartage]

I was looking to buy the CMG Reactor after reading various reviews about not having detents on both on and off positions (twist switch) I had second thoughts. I read in an Ledmuseum review that they were working on a new version with detents on BOTH the on and off positions. I email CMG asking them when the new versions will arrive at my local dealer (coastlineadventures.com is local to me). Julie Moncrieff from CMG replied with.
"Thank you for your interest in our Reactor. The on/off feature has been fixed and Coastline Adventures has the newer version. "
After I bought the reactor low and behold.... no detent for the off position. But WAIT! what do I see here? oily finger prints all over half of collimator (reflector). No problem I thought I'll just wipe them off, then I remember reading that YOU CAN'T take the head apart. It's "permanently bonded" to the barrel. So what I was told would be the new version is the old version with the bonus oily fingerprints that I can't ever get rid of. I just fired off an e-mail to Julie Moncrieff about how I was lied to (by her) and asking if CMG will swap this one out. Let's see if CMG stands behind their products and customers. Hopefuly they swap this one out with the current version sans the bonus oily fingerprints. I'd hate to have to return it to coastline adventures since they went out of their way to do right by me. They actualy opened up several packages of reactors and tested to guarantee that I don't get the puke green lumileds(out of 3 tested 1 was puke green).

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all your informative posts on this forum. I don't know how I would have known good from bad from just ugly without you guys.

CMG stands for Course Made Good, let's see if they actualy believe in their namesake.

UPDATE: I feel like an idiot. It DOES have detents for both the on and off one was just stiffer than the other so I thought it was a twiststop. DOH!!!

My APOLOGIES to Julie Moncrieff for any inferences to a nonexistant lie.

There is still however the oily fingerprints issue that I would like to resolve. (although much less so now after feeling like an idiot)

 

[Charles Bradshaw]

The oily fingerprints tells me that you got a used light. (that is my suspicion)

 

[Bushman]

Nope, I suspect fingerprints= bad QC during assembly

 

[hartage]

Steelwolf, after realizing my error I sent Julie Moncrieff another e-mail apologizing and explaining how it happened.

As for the oily fingerprint I haven't heard back from them yet. Yes it is in an unreachable part of the light. I've told them that they don't have to swap it out if they are able to just give me instructions on how to open it and wipe it off myself.

I picked it up myself at coastline adventures and was the one that picked out the light after seeing 3 of them in a darkened room. I never thought I would have to look and so did not inside the collimator. The fingerprints are covering over half the collimator and if the light is on you can't miss it if ya look.

One other regret about the reactor, quality. If I take the battery cap off on the reactor and blow, air leaks out the head at a good rate. If I take the battery cap off my minimaglite and blow as hard as I can no air leaks out. Not a little I mean zero air, that speaks volums about maglite quality. I guess I'm about to become another MadMax/BadBoy follower. Don't get me wrong I like the reactor, bright as hell to me even with alkalines. But the same bulb in a maglite quality body? I'd be in heaven.

 

[vcal]

IMHO-that mini-mag of yours is just begging for dat2zip Madmax or Badboy drop-in.

 

[txwest]

The best way to handle the finger print problem: look directly into the light, turn it on, & stare at it 30 seconds. The finger print will seem to have dissappered. ;>) Repeat as necessary. TX

 

[hartage]

Vcal, ya I'll do that right after I finish convincing myself that spending $30 for a flashlight is a good deal. Heck at the rate I use it $30 would have bought enough bulbs and batteries to feed my maglite for the next 10 years. (replaced bulb maybe 3 times in the 5 years I've owned it and maybe 20 batteries) Truth be told the only real benefit to me above what I already have is the neat-O factor. Lol, buying a flashlight for it's entertainment value.... damn, I need to get a life. Sad part is come camping season (spring) I probably will buy the MadMax drop-in "just in case". Nevermind that I probably will never fall into a river (water proof) at night (need for a light) then have to walk all night (need for LED to last hrs) all at the same time.

Txwest, I've tried that works great, though I keep bumping into stuff now.

 

[vcal]

hartage;
I was just saying that because you evidently spent about $30. or so on your Reactor.(?)

You could develop into a flashaholic.

 

[hartage]

Vcal, when I said $30 I meant the purchase price (w/tax) of the Reactor. After making that purchase I need time to delude myself further into thinking I "need" to spend another $30+tax+shipping for the MadMax.

Flashaholic? nah not just yet.... I'm still in denial. I'll need to go through a few more purchases before I'm forced to seek treatment.

 

[Steelwolf]

If you can't wipe off the fingerprints, i.e. they are in an unreachable place like under the lens, then the fingerprints must have been introduced during assembly/manufacture. It couldn't have been introduced during use. Get it swapped with CMG. They'll do right by you, but please do right by them as well and apologise directly to Julie. When my original Infinity broke down after only a few weeks of use, I sent off an email and got a replacement within a week. And this being all the way from Australia, they decided not to bother to have me send the broken light back. That's service and understanding.

BTW, how did Coastline Adventures miss the oily fingerprints? Didn't you say that they tested the lights before sending them to you?

 

[Steelwolf]

hartage: Welcome to the dark side. Or actually, the bright side. Can't possibly be dark with all the blasted flashlights we have.

You think you need therapy? I had steeled myself not to get the Arc-LS until all the engineering problems were tackled and we had a good working flashlight without incompatible parts (like the 123 casing being a little too short). Afterall, US$120 is a lot of money to pay for a flashlight that isn't of the "mission critical" type, let alone one with still a few bugs. But somewhere along the way, I bought a 500mA hybrid from TADGear and have another one on its way from Light-Headed.

 

[hartage]

lol, you got it bad steelwolf, I think the number for treatment is 1800putflashlightdown. $120 for an Arc LS, it's a mighty neat light, but $120? I'll stick with reactors and madmax's. I wonder how many of us really do need treatment (seriously) as in actualy spends more than they can on little sparkly things... (flashlights)