G5 Maelstrom stops working - Help!

[rickypanecatyl]

I just got a new G5 Maelstrom Thursday and love the light and the beam.

I was just standing on the porch with it with some of my family last night showing it off etc. It had new batteries and everyone was impressed.
My nieces boyfriend wanted to see what kind of batteries it used and so he unscrewed the tailcap and took them out. The only thing "different" he did was to click the tailcap switch a few times while it was seperate.
We put it back together and the light will not come on! No sign of life whatsoever! I've checked the batteries multiple times, played with the UI switch etc but nothing.
I'm sure goinggear (great customer service) or 4 7's would replace it, but I'm heading out tomorrow to Afghanistan the SE Asia and there's no time for me to send it back. Anyone have any ideas of things to try?
TIA!

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

I'm pretty sure the Maelstrom uses the same switch and tail cap as other 4Sevens lights, and switch failure is unfortunately fairly common. The only thing I can suggest is to make sure the ring holding the switch assembly together is fully tightened. Look on the inside of the tail cap and there should be silver ring with two indentations on it (I don't actually have a Maelstrom, so this is guess work on my part). Use a pair of fine-tipped needle nose pliers in the indentations to tighten the ring.

Other than that, I have no suggestions.

 

[carrot]

To be certain it's the switch, take off the switch and touch the negative battery contact with a paper clip or key and the bare metal of the threads. If your light lights up, the switch is faulty or needs repair.

Then follow the.Mtn.man's advice about the tailcap.

 

[TwitchALot]

I'm pretty sure the Maelstrom uses the same switch and tail cap as other 4Sevens lights, and switch failure is unfortunately fairly common. The only thing I can suggest is to make sure the ring holding the switch assembly together is fully tightened. Look on the inside of the tail cap and there should be silver ring with two indentations on it (I don't actually have a Maelstrom, so this is guess work on my part). Use a pair of fine-tipped needle nose pliers in the indentations to tighten the ring.

Other than that, I have no suggestions.

If this doesn't work, contact 4Sevens. If it does, please let us know. Thanks.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

Thanks a bunch guys! I'm getting a paperclip now

 

[rickypanecatyl]

quick update - paperclip test works! (You guys are so smart!)

I'm going to try messing with the ring at the airport...

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

Hope you get it working, but I think the one lesson you can take away from this experience is to always have a backup.

 

[rickypanecatyl]

Got it working... I haven't seen the quark tailcap, but I bet this one is different as it has "some thing" to hold CR123 batteries in place - makes it a bit harder to access.

I'm on a civilian flight and must say taking the Maelstrom apart after security check in caused a lot of stares and whispers. It's just a flashlight guys!!

I'll try to figure out what happened with the tailcap when I get back to the states. It's working now, but I'm not sure what got it working... tightening and loosening the ring under the battery holder, clicking it on and off - I kept doing the same thing and it didn't turn on at first and then it did. I'm just gonna call it a supernatural miracle

Though the tailcap is disconcerting I want to stress the beam is absolutely amazing! I love the effieciency of the XP-G's but most lights I've had in the past seem really floody and more like a light bulb than a flashlight. This of course has the efficiency of the XP-G's but throws nearly 2X my eagletac TC02 and has a good transition between the corona and hotspot that doesn't mess up your night vision.

Thanks again for the help guys!

 

[pjandyho]

I have nothing against 4sevens. In fact I like 4sevens, but there is just something about these Chinese quality checks that is bugging me. I am not an LEO, but I just can't imagine those guys stomping into the building to have the tail cap stop working on them suddenly. Disastrous it would be. Tail cap issues have been bugging 4sevens for quite awhile and I am surprised that it is still continuing till today.

 

[the.Mtn.Man]

Glad you got it working, but I agree with pjandyho about the 4Sevens switch issues. It's the most consistent complaint lodged against their flashlights since they first started selling their own brand sometime last year, and it surprises me that despite this they'd use the same type and quality of switch for their line of tactical lights.

Don't get me wrong, I really like 4Sevens' products, but I haven't gotten the impression that you can depend on them 100%.

 

[chanjyj]

I have nothing against 4sevens. In fact I like 4sevens, but there is just something about these Chinese quality checks that is bugging me. I am not an LEO, but I just can't imagine those guys stomping into the building to have the tail cap stop working on them suddenly. Disastrous it would be. Tail cap issues have been bugging 4sevens for quite awhile and I am surprised that it is still continuing till today.

Wow. Seriously, the more I read the more thankful I am that I did not buy any Quarks to date, especially the Quark mini 123 that I was considering.

And reading about the other thread where warm white runs cannot fit the 18650 body because of threading...

Sends shivers down my spine.

 

[ti-force]

I don't understand the switch issue either. Any switch problems I've had were solved by tightening the switch ring. The actual switch that's used in these lights is pretty durable, or at least that's been my experience anyway. I actually removed one of these switches from a Quark Tactical, and used it in my SSR-50 modded Tiablo A9. The switch is being hit with almost 3.2A in that light, and it's still holding up fine.

 

[swrdply400mrelay]

I've had this problem with my Quark AA when I first got it.

1) Tighten the tailcap

2) I found out that part of the problem was that anodizing got onto the body, the ring of opening at the bottom where the tailcap makes contact. It sort of makes the contact iffy. The problem has since resolved after take some sand paper to it.


Might want to check the bottom of the body to make sure there isn't any ano on it at all. My Quark wasn't completely covered with ano there, there were just a few flecks, which was enough to make contact on and off at times.

 

[Wiggle]

I think the Quark switch is the same as the Fenix Tank series lights, and I don't often hear complaints about the Fenix.

 

[chanjyj]

I think the Quark switch is the same as the Fenix Tank series lights, and I don't often hear complaints about the Fenix.

Then it might not be the switch per-se or as swrdply400mrelay speculates, maybe the anodizing?

 

[pjandyho]

Then it might not be the switch per-se or as swrdply400mrelay speculates, maybe the anodizing?

Hi Chan,

The anodizing is there on the tail cap only to enable the light to be locked-out. When the anodizing on the inside threading wears, the bear aluminum touches and it renders the light unable to be locked out. It could still be switched off but not locked-out.

If one is unable to switch on the light, and having tested that nothing is wrong with the contacts on the light head, then it is most certainly the switch issue.

Hope that helps.

 

[chanjyj]

Hi Chan,

The anodizing is there on the tail cap only to enable the light to be locked-out. When the anodizing on the inside threading wears, the bear aluminum touches and it renders the light unable to be locked out. It could still be switched off but not locked-out.

If one is unable to switch on the light, and having tested that nothing is wrong with the contacts on the light head, then it is most certainly the switch issue.

Hope that helps.

Then this apparent high failure rate is alarming.

4sevens lights seem to be great on paper, regulation, cost benefit ratio, real OTF lumen ratings. But if they don't work after purchase, or if they fail when you need it :shakehead

Of course, the percentage of people who bought the light with complaints might in actual fact be only a few. As we all know, many times the satisfied customers don't speak up. The dissatisfied ones make lotsa noise thus distorting this scene.

I do feel rather sorry for the chap who was off to Afghanistan. Imagine your light failing before you're off to a warzone :green:

 

[ImGeo]

Don't get me wrong, I really like 4Sevens' products, but I haven't gotten the impression that you can depend on them 100%.

True. Wish 4Sevens had better switches. I took apart one (and fixed it) and realized that the switch part is actually as small as the clicky of a regular ball point pen (actually, same mechanism, at least for the Quark Tacticals).

Also wished 4Sevens lights had better cleaning and quality control. I had to clean and relube the light myself before I liked it.

But to other people, don't be afraid! Lots of companies have these problems--even popular brands like Fenix. I love my Quark Mini AA, and its wonderful and smooth right out the box (the second Quark Mini had loose threads, but a refund to 4Sevens was simple problem-free).

And my Quark AA2 Tactical is wonderful--I'd say its my favorite light so far (compared to Fenix L2D, LD20+, and other cheaper lights).

 

[ti-force]

If one is unable to switch on the light, and having tested that nothing is wrong with the contacts on the light head, then it is most certainly the switch issue.

Hope that helps.

I respectfully disagree. There could be a number of issues with the tailcap/tailswitch assembly; it's not limited to the switch itself. I'm not saying it couldn't be the switch itself, I'm just saying it could be something else.

 

[pjandyho]

Then this apparent high failure rate is alarming.

4sevens lights seem to be great on paper, regulation, cost benefit ratio, real OTF lumen ratings. But if they don't work after purchase, or if they fail when you need it :shakehead

Of course, the percentage of people who bought the light with complaints might in actual fact be only a few. As we all know, many times the satisfied customers don't speak up. The dissatisfied ones make lotsa noise thus distorting this scene.

I do feel rather sorry for the chap who was off to Afghanistan. Imagine your light failing before you're off to a warzone :green:

That is the very reason why I only trust Surefire and HDS. Two very reputable brands for the hardcore users. They don't overdrive their LEDs too which means longer lasting light which you can trust even years down the road. I equate their reliability to owning a classic Leica camera, German made toughness and precision during the film era.

Lots of companies have these problems--even popular brands like Fenix.

True. I am lucky not to have encountered problems but have read many here claiming their Fenix failed on them because the LED was over-driven and got burnt. Too many to make me want to look at another Fenix. A friend of mine bought TA21 together with me from the same dealer. I have yet to face any problems (maybe due to lack of usage) but my friend has had clicky issues twice on the TA21. Both original clicky and the replacement clicky failed on him. Not just Fenix, even my Nitecore Extreme, which I now fitted to my bicycle, is not as bright as when I had first gotten it. Initially it was brighter than my wife's Nitecore D10 but now it is way dimmer. Seems like the LED in there is dying.