How many flashlights have YOU messed up? :)

[gcbryan]

For all the talk of budget lights being "hit or miss" I realize that I'm the cause of most of the problems with my budget lights.

It's why I buy them in the first place since I know myself. Eventually, I'll tear something apart that was working just fine and any problems that ensue are entirely of my own making!

It's not a big problem but I do have a few carcases around as a result of me tearing something apart.

I have a dive light that was working just fine but I wanted to see what would be involved in replacing the emitter. The light was well built in general but wasn't all that user friendly for replacing the emitter and I ended up pulling off both wires from the heatsink to the emitter. They were not very accessible and I wasn't able to repair it. I keep it around for parts and just ordered another one.

I have a cheap flood-to-throw light that I took apart and the pill is hard to get in and out since it has no "notches" in the retaining ring for using needlenose pliers. All of a sudden the emitter just stopped working.

I've checked continuity, batteries, tail switch, all OK but the emitter won't light up. It's potted in the pill so I can't get to the connections to try to directly power it with a battery just to test it.

I don't know what I did but before I started tearing everything apart I never had any problem with this light. I just wanted to fully take it apart to see how it worked.

I only tear apart the cheap lights that I don't really care about in the first place and I always have a reason related to learning more about how this stuff works.

How about you? Have you ever been the cause of your lights problems?

 

[sol-leks]

I destroyed a rc-29.
While learning how to disassemble it I knocked the led cap off and then trying gluing it back on and totally ruined the light, although it still works albeit poorly.
I believe it is still salvageable, but I am working on that part.

 

[gcbryan]

I've learned to anticipate at bit so now when I put in an order at DX I'll throw in a few spare parts such as clicky switches, tailcap covers, o-rings, etc.

I'm finally learning!

 

[Black Rose]

While removing the paper isolation disc from an XP-G P60 drop-in to gain access to the wires, the LED decided it didn't want to stay attached to the MCPCB.

I removed the MCPCB from the P60 pill and attempted to try reflow soldering on our stove.

I now have new XP-E/XP-G MCPCBs on the way to attempt reflow soldering again.

Somehow in all of that chaos, the LED has survived :shrug:

 

[GarageBoy]

I destroyed a rc-29.
While learning how to disassemble it I knocked the led cap off and then trying gluing it back on and totally ruined the light, although it still works albeit poorly.
I believe it is still salvageable, but I am working on that part.

Totally wrecked out a Energizer light trying to open it up.
If you want, PM me and I'll mail you the light and the SSC P4 LED I bought to mod it with

 

[greenLED]

Oh, man...!! Too many to count.

My latest one was my Gladius that I tried to upgrade.

 

[ozner1991]

trying to estimate it..... id guess about 10 to 15 minimum

just reasons to buy new ones

 

[Ian2381]

Messed up several lights but was able to made them usefull somehow.

Now I'm currently busy with my SOlarforce L2 and L2m where in parts are just easily upgradable.:thumbsup:

 

[kosPap]

well the past 1.5 years I have not bought a single quality light, other than a 3C Mag....I have been buying Dx and KD only just for tinkering them....

 

[don.gwapo]

Messed up a couple keychain lights and a pack-away lantern.

 

[Sprinkles]

Probably 4-5. It's not always easy to get things apart when they've been epoxied in....



HEY - if you guys have dead lights and you don't need/want them anymore - send 'em my way! I really need parts/bodies/etc.

 

[COAST]

3-5 :shakehead

 

[march.brown]

I don't have to mess-up my torches , I have a four year old Grandson to do that ... I gave him a couple that he "adjusted" ... One was a nice pen type torch that used two AAA cells ... I'm not certain what he did , but you would need a pocket that was one inch thick to clip it into ... The clip was attached to the body and I couldn't get it back to original condition , so he inherited it ... My Wife thinks it is great that I give torches to the Grandchildren and it does mean that I can replace them with more Solarforces ... I will be adding another iTP A2 (when it arrives) plus at least one A3 ... Unfortunately I'm running out of cheapies to donate to the boys.
.

 

[balloo93]

So far I have been lucky enough to figure out how to fix my mess-ups. So technically I don't have any messed up ones right now. I do, however, have plenty of bits and pieces from various clicky cap and switches laying around.

 

[Flying Turtle]

Somehow I managed to cross thread the tail cap on a Dorcy Metal Gear. Mangled it pretty good getting it open. And my penchant for draining batteries caused the ruination of a Dorcy 1AA.

Geoff