Inova T2 100 lumen Torch, now a 1 lumen torch. Help!

[diezel]

Hey guys,

I've got a few issues with one of my torches (model in title) which I bought about 2 months ago for the best part of £100 ($150). I went to turn it on yesterday but it came on ridiculously dim. At first I thought it was the batteries but after several new packets of Sony CR123 batteries I was starting to get worried.

I haven't got a clue what on earth could have happened to it as it's never been dropped and never touched water.

All the above photos are with the torch turned ON.

I can't send it back to Inova because the hand written receipt from the camping shop I bought it from has gone AWOL.

If anyone has had similar issues please let me know.

 

[Chrontius]

Call Inova anyway. They tend to have very good tech support, and the worst they can do is say no.

 

[Hooked on Fenix]

Doesn't seem to be anything wrong with it except it's an older T2 with a Luxeon 1 emitter. Those things put out closer to 25 lumens, not the 125 of the newer T2 which would have a larger head. There are two other things that gave it away that you got the older model (besides your light not having a larger, flanged head). The optic is visible in your third picture. The new T2 has a diamond turned reflector instead of an optic. The new T2 also has a black painted aluminum bezel ring while the old has a shiny stainless steel bezel ring. This was a design change after many complaints/suggestions from law enforcement customers to have the whole light black. So if your light is 25 lumens, it's not defective, just an outdated model. If it is actually only 1 lumen, then you got ripped off with a defective, outdated model and I suggest trying to get a replacement.

 

[RWT1405]

I might be losing my mind, but if that's your T2 I believe it's an old TIR model, maybe 25 lumens, if I remember correctly.

My .02 FWIW YMMV

 

[parnass]

I have an older TIROS version Inova T2 like the one in the photo. The box claims 40 lumens and 2 watts.

It cost under $20 used.

Contact Nite-Ize for a return authorization if it is defective. Nite-Ize bought Inova earlier this month.

 

[John_Galt]

You got ripped off... 100 pounds for that!

 

[generallobster]

are you absolutely certain that the batteries were never put in backwards? I have fried 2 or 3 inovas by reversing the battery polarity. It only takes a fraction of a second to fry the circuit and typically the light will only have a couple lumens of output afterwards. This is not reversable, the light is broken. All because of the stupid backwards battery placement and no reverse polarity protection. I'm sure inova has gotten hundreds of returns for broken flashlights for this reason.

 

[parnass]

I don't think you require a receipt to obtain warranty service on your Inova light if you live in the USA. I've never been asked to provide one.

 

[GarageBoy]

are you absolutely certain that the batteries were never put in backwards? I have fried 2 or 3 inovas by reversing the battery polarity. It only takes a fraction of a second to fry the circuit and typically the light will only have a couple lumens of output afterwards. This is not reversable, the light is broken. All because of the stupid backwards battery placement and no reverse polarity protection. I'm sure inova has gotten hundreds of returns for broken flashlights for this reason.

Well, in their defense, reading is fundamental

 

[Illum]

given inovas designs, mechanical shock or thermal isolation are a non-issue...the only conceivable issue could be the tail clickie [this is a T series, bypass the tailcap with a jumper to see if that's the problem] or somehow you stuffed cells in backwards [that is, positive down] as the drivers are quite vulnerable to reverse bias and will result in a dim glow as this

My experience with this form of fault was sometime during the normal operation of this light I spoon fed it two RCR123As...in which the driver overhead exceeded and it blew up. The light still functions at 0.01 lumens but that's because I suspect the blown driver acts like a huge resistor and the LED just happened to have a forward voltage low enough to detect it. I have since freeze-popped that light and consequently lost half of the parts that came out

 

[seale_navy]

im guessing u are frm UK. The best thing to do is to send it back to the Inova UK distributor...

they will surely fix it for u even without having the original receipt as this product is lifetime warranty..