How Reliable Are All These Flashlights?

[IronMac]

Hi all,

I started purchasing "better and brighter" flashlights back in April of 2012 so I am a relative newbie compared to most. I have some nightly volunteer activities which makes having a light essential for safety and for illumination. I started out pretty simply with a Jetbeam BA-20, moved on to a Nitecore MT25 along with an Olight S10 and now an Armytek Predator. I carry at least two lights at any one time on my nightly forays. All have developed issues.

BA-20 (April 2012) - dropped a few times from waist height and now when the button is depressed it won't "hold". Still works, otherwise.
S10 (Oct. 2012) - blinks out at will and not all the time due to a dead battery
MT25 (Nov. 2012?) - changes modes at will
Predator (Mar. 2013) - light flickers and may or may not turn on when button is depressed

I cannot believe that all of the above issues are my fault. So, the question is, how reliable are these lights? Is there one brand that I can depend on?

 

[yliu]

hmm, i never had much troubles with jeatbeam/nitecore and olights even with rather heavy use.

Maybe you could try a Surefire and see how long that will last you.

BTW, have you tried to clean your lights? Many of the problems seems to be related to the electronic parts; there might be too much dirt building up which causes a bad contact.

 

[subwoofer]

It sounds like a lot of these issues (except the BA-20 switch) could be sorted with a good clean of the threads and contacts. This is normal maintenance.

As an example, during my testing of ArmyTek Predator Pro and Viking Pro lights, I had made extensive program changes (and I mean EXTENSIVE). These did develop a mind of their own with mode changes and flickering. Then I unscrewed both ends of the battery tube, cleaned and re-lubed the threads and contact rings, put them back together and hey-presto working perfectly again.

The BA-20 probably has a broken switch latch thanks to being dropped (use a wrist strap) and will need a new switch fitted, but the others will most likely be fine after you give them a quick service.

 

[Philip2]

Rayovac Indestructibles seem to be shockproof and are pretty cheap. See test videos on Youtube.

Keep your flashlight attached to your clothing with a cord all the time, esp. if you don't carry a backup light, or if the light is expensive.

 

[Roger999]

The flickering is due to dirty contact points, clean all the contact points thoroughly, if you're running a 18650 try 2x cr123 instead because the lower voltage may cause flickering.

For reliability a 6P twisty with a single mode drop-in is the best IMO, theres the least amount of parts to fail and no modes to act up on.

 

[shelm]

Maybe you could try a Surefire and see how long that will last you.

lol.
i like that.

lovecpf

 

[markr6]

In general, flashlight reliability seems to be getting rediculous. So many of the new flashlights seem to be having issues from the start. I don't know if it's the cheap materials, manufacturing process, too many thing to break, or lack of QC but I feel like any new flashlight should have a label on it like you see on other products - "Fragile As Eggs"

It seems like it's only a matter of time before we see a new "Post your ______ defects/issues" thread just days after the initial launch of a new model. I understand you can do this with any product (cars, knives, etc) but I feel like it's getting worse with flashlights.

 

[TEEJ]

Oddly, the lights I use because they are durable, are durable.

I think I've sent one a few surefires back under warrenty, and one zebralight, and that's it. The others were el cheapo ones I had no expectations for other than to try out, or, they just took a lickin and kept on tickin, etc.

My Klarus XT11 for example is regularly dropped and thrown and so forth, and other than surface dents etc, its bullet proof.


To add to the above suggestions:

I WOULD ask about the cells the lights run on. Good cells, I have no issue. BAD cells, many issues, including flickering or lost modes, etc.

If the cells are bad or damaged, etc, no light will work well with them.

:D

 

[Yoda4561]

I like my simple single mode output on/off mechanical switched lights. Statistics might show that mechanical devices fail more often than their electronic counterparts, but I've found that my "fix" usually involves a squirt of contact cleaner or oil in the switch and we're all good as opposed to busting out an oscilloscope and trying to find a bad part to replace on a circuit board. That said, I've actually never had one of my LED lights fail on me "for real". I had a stuck switch issue with a surefire L4 that was fixed with some lubricant, and an Inova 2aa that was dropped off an 8 foot ladder onto a concrete floor that damaged the batteries inside.

 

[cland72]

Is there one brand that I can depend on?

IMO, one of the brands you can depend on is Surefire. Try a C2, Z2, or 6P, and get a Malkoff M61 drop in (whichever output/runtime you desire) if you don't need multiple brightness modes.

 

[skyfire]

i think i went through some of the same experiences. now most of my lights consists of surefires. not that a surefire cant fail, but if something does go wrong its usually very serviceable. im not going to mention its lifetime warranty cause ive voided more than half of my surefires.
replacement parts are easy to find and obtain. there are quality parts from 1st and 3rd party makers.
everything to glass lens, rubber switch boots, mechanical switches, drop-ins, bezels, complete heads, o-rings etc etc.

another thing about surefires that i like are its interfaces, after trying out so many different lights. i realize i like a very simple interface with no more than a high and low mode. and many surefires have a simple 1 or 2 mode interface, without having to twist its bezel. 2 things i really like about that is i can use my light 1-handed, and there is 1 less moving part to the light.
if you want better reliability, usually simpler is better. just less to go wrong.

 

[bbrins]

The BA20 is most likely a broken switch, but it might be worthwhile to try cleaning it up with some contact cleaner and work in a couple of drops of Superlube oil, I found it next to impossible to get a replacement switch out of Jetbeam when I had an issue with one of my BA10s. The others sound like they are just dirty contacts.

My reliability issues went away completely when I started buying higher quality stuff, I now carry a bored Surefire 6P with a McClicky switch and an EDC+ X60L 3-mode drop-in. I have only had one issue with it that was completely my fault, I broke a switch when I dropped it two stories directly onto the switch, been carrying it for about a year now. I also have a Solarforce L2P in the same configuration as the 6P that rolls around in my toolbox all day and also remains reliable, and two XT11s that ride in the door pockets of my work truck that have been through a lot, these are the lights that I loan out occasionally at work, or use when I know they will get messy.

 

[Cataract]

What? no publicity for my sticky?

Start here, I personally haven't had a problem that these steps couldn't solve, although you possibly have a broken switch on the BA20:

BASIC FLASHLIGHT TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

 

[whiteoakjoe]

I have not had a single issue with any of my 4/7's lights, give them a try. One of my 4/7's is a AA Quark X that lives in a toolbox bolted to the front rack of an ATV. I can't imagine the beating it must have taken in there, for the last 3 years. Kids trail ride that ATV every day on the farm and needless to say they aren't easy on it. I use that light once a week at least, and it always works just fine. My work light is a Quark tactical that I have dropped on concrete more times than I wish to admit and its just fine. You don't have to spend surefire money to get a reliable light.

 

[IronMac]

Thanks everyone for the replies.

Ok, cleaning the flashlights - noted.
The BA20 has been "knocked" back into service. Still looks terrible from all the drops...who knew aluminum was so soft?
Not sure about keeping the flashlights attached to my clothes. I carry them in holsters and a satchel and one hand is always busy with something. The BA20 is on its clip to a pocket.

The cells are AW RCR123s for the Olight. I use Armytek cells for the Predator and the Nitecore MT25. Planning later this year or early next year to swap all of the cells out for an all AW fleet.

I've been drooling after Surefires for the past five years I think...will have to bite the bullet sometime...

Ok, 4/7 noted too.

Think the next course of action is to get to cleaning these puppies...then, new AW cells...then look into getting a Surefire or 4/7 or both! I like to switch out the flashlight when the battery goes dead in one which is why I carry at least two with me. It's highly inconvenient to fumble in the dark trying to change the battery.

Again, thanks to everyone who replied. Much appreciated. :)

 

[N8N]

I haven't had it long, but I've been abusing the snot out of a Fenix E11. Knock on wood it still works perfectly.

I do have a P6 w/ drop in for more serious duty, and a TK41 for Really Serious Duty, but I can't say that I've really given either of those a true workout.

 

[greatscoot]

IMO, one of the brands you can depend on is Surefire. Try a C2, Z2, or 6P, and get a Malkoff M61 drop in (whichever output/runtime you desire) if you don't need multiple brightness modes.

Or get a Malkoff MD2 and a Malkoff dropin. Some great deals on his lights right now, they are extremely well built and great customer service. You can call them and they will answer any questions you have.

 

[morter]

I bought a Fenix L1D back in mid 1977 and carried it almost all the time for the last six years. I used it very often at work, it got dropped occasionally, I can't remember it ever getting wet, but the only trouble I have ever had was the battery running down when I didn't have any spares around. That is hardly the flashlights fault. Because of that L1D I bought another L1D, various other Fenix's, and finally spread out to other brands. I have never had any trouble from any of them, so far.

 

[rayman]

As some already said a few post ahead, many of my problems were solved by cleaning all contact parts. For example when I got my EX10 it worked fine but after some time it didn't turn on reliable. The problem was that some lube got on the piston were it made contact with the driver board. Took me some while to find that out but after cleaning it works fine until now ;). Dont' have one myself but I read many times that not enough lubing is the problem with the failure of many flashlights with magnetic control rings.

rayman

 

[MatthewSB]

Surefire lights generally don't develop problems like that. My daily carried E1B got slammed on the concrete yesterday so hard that one of the crenellations busted off. This is the most recent of a long list of impacts that would destroy most other lights, but the E1B keeps getting uglier and uglier while still working as intended. If you do have a problem, Surefire is in CA and will replace or repair their lights with very few questions asked. My E1B came with a 'gritty' feeling button, so I called and 4 days later had a brand new tailcap assembly.

In general, flashlight reliability seems to be getting rediculous.

That's because most of the lights out there, with lots of features and high lumens, are cheaply assembled from cheap parts so that the light can be sold cheap (or not, and someone is making a lot of money marking up what should be a $7 light to $77).

There's a huge difference between lights designed to go to war, and hobby lights made to shine at walls to compare lumens.