INOVA T5 LED Flashlight stuck in Strobe Mode?

[Mr. Flashlight]

Hello everyone,

I have an older model(?) style version (the one with the Silver ring around the lens at the end) of an Inova T5 LED flashlight that I've had now for years. It's worked well all these years with the exception of up until now.

What is happening is once I press the switch to turn on, the LED just starts to continue to flash continuously....such as in Strobe Mode. The first thing I did was swap out all three (3) batteries (CR123A 3volt each) and replace with new ones but the problem continues.

I tried searching online for possible solutions to remedy the problem but no such luck.

I've always changed out the batteries with new one's over the history of this flashlight....... never have I left any corroded batteries in it, etc.....never abused the flashlight or mishandled it, etc.....it's been well taken care of to say the least.

Anyone know of a possible solution on solving/correcting this problem?......If so I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks in advance to all who respond.

 

[ampdude]

From my pea brain of that time, I remember that I used to use a T4 sometimes during security work in the mid-later 2000's. Those early ones had the glass focus optic lense that several security guards then made the glass optic useless when they dropped the light. The silver bezel ring, and I still have some older Inovas, but I still see this, usually means it's a USA made model. But I think later USA models went to the reflector, before Inova switched the production to China. This is just another reason why I hate tailcap modes in lights. I hate switching through modes and the electronics eventually go funky at the worst times. Can you read the lettering on the tailcap and tell us what it says? It could easily be a newer T4, because I thought the older USA ones were just one mode IIRC. The later USA T4's with the reflector were probably multi-mode.

 

[yellow]

Inovas T models offer(ed) - by far - the nicest body/machining/knurling any lights ever did.
Unfortunately they were a catastrophy to be modded ...
(Else I d have modded ones, not just opened ones)


This might be a silly querstion, but did You try to operate the switch?
As like on/off/on/off, ... a good number of times?
Getting power, power off, power, power off, ..., power on
Did not get it to change?
Always stayed in (the same) blinking/flashing mode?

Click it a few dozen times without energy, maybe that makes the switch "free", if the switch is the problem
?

 

[yellow]

Is that one of the models with mid body and end body switch?

Then above for the mid body switch.
End cap off and use a wire to make contact (batteries to body).
Then try the mid body switch.
That at least could identify a defective end switch.

... Oft course the switch should just do power on or off.
The driver should do the levels.
? ?

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

First off......many, many thanks fella's for all your input!

From my pea brain of that time, I remember that I used to use a T4 sometimes during security work in the mid-later 2000's. Those early ones had the glass focus optic lense that several security guards then made the glass optic useless when they dropped the light. The silver bezel ring, and I still have some older Inovas, but I still see this, usually means it's a USA made model. But I think later USA models went to the reflector, before Inova switched the production to China. This is just another reason why I hate tailcap modes in lights. I hate switching through modes and the electronics eventually go funky at the worst times. Can you read the lettering on the tailcap and tell us what it says? It could easily be a newer T4, because I thought the older USA ones were just one mode IIRC. The later USA T4's with the reflector were probably multi-mode.

Surprisingly the flashlight has no numerical indications whatsoever.....believe it or not! Check pictures that I provided. I searched the entire outer sections of the flashlight and nothing! Not even the tail cap of it has nothing! So it appears as though I'm SOL on determining it's history, origin, etc.

Inovas T models offer(ed) - by far - the nicest body/machining/knurling any lights ever did.
Unfortunately they were a catastrophy to be modded ...
(Else I d have modded ones, not just opened ones)


This might be a silly querstion, but did You try to operate the switch?
As like on/off/on/off, ... a good number of times?
Getting power, power off, power, power off, ..., power on
Did not get it to change?
Always stayed in (the same) blinking/flashing mode?

Click it a few dozen times without energy, maybe that makes the switch "free", if the switch is the problem
?

I originally tried all of what you've suggested above in your post......prior to posting and inquiring here on the forum and nothing seem to make a difference.........flashlight continues to operate in "strobe mode"........or just continuous flashing?

Is that one of the models with mid body and end body switch?

Then above for the mid body switch.
End cap off and use a wire to make contact (batteries to body).
Then try the mid body switch.
That at least could identify a defective end switch.

... Oft course the switch should just do power on or off.
The driver should do the levels.
? ?

Again......just check out the pictures below and you'll see the type, model, style, etc. that the flashlight actually is.

 

[ampdude]

I don't understand why it doesn't have any markings, but my first impression is that it's an early light because of the SS bezel. The later lights have an anodized bezel, (most likely SS too) especially once they shifted production to China when Emissive was bought out. However I don't remember any of the pre-Nite Ize lights having modes. Does yours have a reflector or an a-spherical lense? I know the early ones with the a-spherical definitely did not have modes, but the reflector transition models might have, I'm not entirely sure with my memory. I know one thing for certain, if it's a USA model it will have EMISSIVE ENERGY written on either the tailcap or the SS ring around the tailcap. Here is a red and green T3 for reference. I guess it's possible some did not, but they should have that marking somewhere. It's not a CIA or special forces light.

Oh, and they do both have reflectors and are pretty old. But I think Inova wanted to make the higher end lights at the time appear brighter by using a-spherical lenses which threw a lot better. LED light makers were competing with incan guys like me at the time to win us over. They still haven't.

 

[yellow]

Difficult to get info on that model, as all the time info for just the newer (multimode) model comes up.

imho, that model should use a tir optic
(which was crap, as any optic. Or, better, they (optic) did not get thus better "results" to cover for extremely higher cost + hazzle(s) regarding building)
(compared to reflectors - which did survive the optic <-> reflector battle)

As I have now read A LOT regarding the T models:
This really is no T3 or T5 (both models that used 3 * cr123), but a T4.
The charging port rubber cover should state that.
--> the T4 ran with a special rechargeable cell, no 3*CR.
--> the early TIR / stainless bezel Version should only have one level
... If I got all the info correctly
🤔
PS: the recharcheable cell was a 1*Li-ion, so 3.7 V.
When the driver survived the triple voltage, that were a good sign of foolproof construction by Inova.


one info thread, no pics.
but seems to describe Your light

Review of the Inova T4 LED Handtorch

Ok... I'm totally Blown away.... I've had "cool" flashlights all my life and this one totally takes the cake!!! Inova truly held up their name this time! (Inova = New, innovative, cutting edge technology)... Wow!! First let me give credit to Pocketlights.com, where I purchased this. While...

www.candlepowerforums.com

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

My apologies to everyone for the misleading model on my Inova flashlight.

After reading fellow forum member "yellow's" post (above ^) I went back and did a bit of online research and now come to find out I had misidentified my flashlights model type/style in my very first post.

I am now convinced that the Inova model flashlight that I have is one of the original first made T5 flashlights?

It has been many years since I purchased it but I can recall that these early Inova T model flashlights had the Silver Ring around the bezel of the light-lens output. Afterwards Inova started to produced their models with the Black Ring on later models.

My model runs on (3) three 123A 3 volt size batteries and is not the rechargeable version such as the T4.

So again my apologies for the misidentification.

Below are just some examples of what my T5 is like.

INOVA T5 Lithium Powered LED Flashlight

The INOVA T5 takes handheld LED lighting to a whole new level.

www.niteize.co.kr

Nite Ize INOVA T5 Tactical LED Flashlight in Black T5D-01-R7 - The Home Depot

The 9 in. precision-engineered INOVA T5 projects a powerful beam up to 928 ft. Powered by 3-123A lithium batteries, it has a patented optical system that provides thermal management while harnessing and

www.homedepot.com

Inova T5 Tactical LED Flashlight | 1,075 Lumens

Inova T5 has 2 brightness levels with 1,075 lumens in high and a dimming feature. Just press and hold the switch to customize the brightness level. The Inova T5 is a high performance flashlight built to withstand the rigors of daily use.

brightguy.com

 

[knucklegary]

Early, made in USA, models have no serial #'s. That much I know, but can't be much help with remedies for malfunctioning UI.
Inova CS is fast to respond. Have you contacted them? Doubt they'll make repairs. Although, they might have some insight to the issue.

 

[sween1911]

I'm gonna ask a silly question: Do you put the batteries in backwards (negative end first)? Is there no spring in the tailcap? I seem to remember my old Inova X5 had the batts in backwards.

Any chance the batteries are in backwards and the strobing is a reverse polarity warning? Just a wild guess, be careful, don't go switching batteries around on my account.

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

Here is a picture of Inova's complete line of their early T series models.

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

Early, made in USA, models have no serial #'s. That much I know, but can't be much help with remedies for malfunctioning UI.
Inova CS is fast to respond. Have you contacted them? Doubt they'll make repairs. Although, they might have some insight to the issue.

Yes I sent them an email just this past Saturday.......so hopefully they will respond sometime this week?

I'm gonna ask a silly question: Do you put the batteries in backwards (negative end first)? Is there no spring in the tailcap? I seem to remember my old Inova X5 had the batts in backwards.

Any chance the batteries are in backwards and the strobing is a reverse polarity warning? Just a wild guess, be careful, don't go switching batteries around on my account.

No.....I've never put the batteries in backwards......not even unintentionally or by mistake.....batteries have always been inserted the correct way.

I am sort of convinced that the problem definitely is with the flashlights "switch"...or....the actual "LED"?

 

[yellow]

doh,
correct.
if it where a rechargeable model, there should be an indicator led above the switch.
But why is there that rubber "seal" that looks like a USB-C connector of actual lights? That totally fooled me
🤔

PS: the more I think of it, the more I also agree to sween1911:
the batteries might had to be put in in reverse. (not sure at all !!!!)
just found a "test" of a T1 on Youtube and this one had the batteries inserted backwards


Unfortunately I never got the lights to use them, so I miss memory of battery changes
got them only to mod them... and failed

 

[yellow]

HA!!!

https://www.distrelec.at/Web/Downloads/_m/an/InovaTSeries_mul_man.pdf

but does not help ...


on the end cap of my T3 there is no indication at all.
And the one of th T1 is modded with another switch, also no original markings remaining

Does Yours have a battery holder?
where the manual states the polarity of a T5 is shown.

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

HA!!!

https://www.distrelec.at/Web/Downloads/_m/an/InovaTSeries_mul_man.pdf

but does not help ...


on the end cap of my T3 there is no indication at all.
And the one of th T1 is modded with another switch, also no original markings remaining

Does Yours have a battery holder?
where the manual states the polarity of a T5 is shown.

No it does not.

doh,
correct.
if it where a rechargeable model, there should be an indicator led above the switch.
But why is there that rubber "seal" that looks like a USB-C connector of actual lights? That totally fooled me
🤔

PS: the more I think of it, the more I also agree to sween1911:
the batteries might had to be put in in reverse. (not sure at all !!!!)
just found a "test" of a T1 on Youtube and this one had the batteries inserted backwards


Unfortunately I never got the lights to use them, so I miss memory of battery changes
got them only to mod them... and failed
View attachment 39836

I asked myself that question as well many years ago when I first received the flashlight and inspected it.

Your guess is as good as anyone else's about it? I never did contact Inova to inquire about it specifically though.

But guess it was done with the purpose of some sort of future plans for it's intended use?

 

[yellow]

Maybe the switch has some sort of screw, not only a snap-in.

The manual states that the tailcap (T2, T3), and for the T5 the battery holder, shows the orientation of the batteries
(battery replacement)
Is there something with Your model?

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

Maybe the switch has some sort of screw, not only a snap-in.

The manual states that the tailcap (T2, T3), and for the T5 the battery holder, shows the orientation of the batteries
(battery replacement)
Is there something with Your model?

Don't exactly know or understand what you are implying about here?......again, there is nothing, no words, numbers, etc. on the tailcap it's blank.

Batteries are installed only in the correct manner/way as intended for use, to power the flashlight.

The opposite way would really do nothing and the flashlight would not operate as it should.

 

[Mr. Flashlight]

Well after contacting Nite Ize and explaining the situation with my older Inova T5 problem, etc….was told to ship it to them…which I did.

After corresponding with Nite Ize and if they could or could not fix the problem…..it was determined that they could not fix it and to expect a replacement T5 to arrive in the next few days.

Good to their word it showed up today!

All I can say is that Nite Ize is one top notch company to deal with! Excellent customer service as well as support! I can't say enough positive comments on how they handled my situation and how they honored their product!
They even sent me a UPS shipping label to ship my original Inova T5 to them so they could investigate the problem!

Very happy and satisfied indeed!