Is my Fenix dead?

[river251]

I have a Fenix E-21 purchased for $35 a few years ago. It's been an OK torch (the high/low is selected by twisting the head/body, which was hard and lately impossible). It became intermittent, sometimes working again if I slapped it against my palm. Now it doesn't work at all. There is no corrosion or battery acid inside. I've tried several rechargeable and alkaline AAs. Can it be the bulb? It takes a Cree XP-E, which I can not find on Cree's or any other site.

If anybody knows where to find an XP-E I'd appreciate the tip.

Alternately, if there is an inexpensive AA torch with on high/on low/off in the button at the rear, I'd appreciate any info. If the price is right from a reputable company I'd buy a few for home, car, truck, bikes...

Thanks
Jim

 

[kj2]

Tried cleaning the threads? And tighten everything?

 

[f22shift]

right. do the usual checks. the led is unlikely to be worn out.

you can use a tin foil or paper clip to connect the battery end to the tube without the tail cap. if it lights up, then it's the switch. if it doesn't light up, then it's something else. if it's the switch, it probably has the two holes on the inside that you can screw and unscrew the retaining ring. sometimes it gets lose as you screw and unscrew the tail cap to change the batteries.

you can also clean the threads and connection points in the head. make sure it's not contaminated.

 

[wjv]

Does the E-21 have the tail cap that needs to be re-tightened ever once in a while, like most Fenix products?

 

[pjandyho]

With all clicky switches, you may need to tighten them once in awhile. Like what others have said, tighten the retaining ring on the inside of the switch with a two prong plier. You should see a couple of indentations in there. Clean up all the threads with isopropyl alcohol and relubricate it, careful not to lubricate all the way to the edge where the electrical contacts are. If you don't have a lube, try Nyogel.

 

[SimulatedZero]

Exactly what every body else here has said. The inside of the tail cap has what's called a retaining ring. When you constantly screw and unscrew the tail cap the friction against the ring can loosen it over time.

Use a pair of needle nose pliers to match the space of the two indentations and tighten it back down.

Now, the head gets harder to turn because the O-Ring in the threads tends to swell a bit for some reason. Swap it out for the replacement one you got with the light (if you still have it) and oil the threads a bit. That will help a lot.

I have had the same issues with E21 over the past few years. It's still going strong after a bit of maintenance. It actually just got back from a 3 month trip to Africa. I lent it to a friend who was recording customs of a local tribe over there. Still works perfect 🙂

 

[river251]

Thank you for all the help very much. I will get my tools out and sit down with it and try to see what I can see. I do like the size, the AAs, and it IS darn bright. Good for carrying in the car to see addresses and street signs at night.

Thanks
Jim

 

[river251]

Exactly what every body else here has said. The inside of the tail cap has what's called a retaining ring. When you constantly screw and unscrew the tail cap the friction against the ring can loosen it over time.

Use a pair of needle nose pliers to match the space of the two indentations and tighten it back down.

Now, the head gets harder to turn because the O-Ring in the threads tends to swell a bit for some reason. Swap it out for the replacement one you got with the light (if you still have it) and oil the threads a bit. That will help a lot.

I have had the same issues with E21 over the past few years. It's still going strong after a bit of maintenance. It actually just got back from a 3 month trip to Africa. I lent it to a friend who was recording customs of a local tribe over there. Still works perfect 🙂

Thanks much for the help, it's good to hear from somebody with experience with one. Don't have the O ring any more, that's asking a bit much of my organizational abilities (or inabilities 🙂. I'm suddenly optimistic it will flame again.

Jim

 

[SimulatedZero]

Thanks much for the help, it's good to hear from somebody with experience with one. Don't have the O ring any more, that's asking a bit much of my organizational abilities (or inabilities 🙂. I'm suddenly optimistic it will flame again.

Jim

No problem 🙂. Keep us updated on whether or not you get everything sorted out.

And yeah, neither did I. I "borrowed" the spare O-Ring that came with another one that I got a family member as a gift. Lol.

 

[american]

Wow see thing happened to me mine was only a month old they claimed battery damage which was untrue but fixed it anyways

 

[river251]

BC Bob by. B b. V b BBC

No problem 🙂. Keep us updated on whether or not you get everything sorted out.

And yeah, neither did I. I "borrowed" the spare O-Ring that came with another one that I got a family member as a gift. Lol.

Hey, thanks for the help! I disassembled the tail cap using some needle noses as you said and there was battery acid on the switch and other parts. After some baking soda and 3-in-1 oil, its like new again, and a tiny twist to the head cycles to low. iAnd hereI was ready to toss it.
thanks for the tipsI am not sure if that's how it originally worked but I may be confusing the alight I had.

Jim

 

[pjandyho]

BC Bob by. B b. V b BBC

Hey, thanks for the help! I disassembled the tail cap using some needle noses as you said and there was battery acid on the switch and other parts. After some baking soda and 3-in-1 oil, its like new again, and a tiny twist to the head cycles to low. iAnd hereI was ready to toss it.
thanks for the tipsI am not sure if that's how it originally worked but I may be confusing the alight I had.

Jim

Battery acid? Sounds like you have been feeding it alkaline batteries. I would do all necessary to avoid alkaline batteries just because of this, but the other factor is that alkaline does not provide enough capacity in a high powered device as compared to a rechargeable NiMH like Eneloop does. I will only turn to alkaline in a worst case scenario. Get some Eneloop batteries and a charger and it will serve you well.

 

[StandardBattery]

Battery acid? Sounds like you have been feeding it alkaline batteries. I would do all necessary to avoid alkaline batteries just because of this, but the other factor is that alkaline does not provide enough capacity in a high powered device as compared to a rechargeable NiMH like Eneloop does. I will only turn to alkaline in a worst case scenario. Get some Eneloop batteries and a charger and it will serve you well.

+1

 

[wjv]

With all clicky switches, you may need to tighten them once in awhile.

The new LD22 is a clicky, but has a re-designed tail cap that does not have the indentations for tighting.

 

[martinaee]

The new LD22 is a clicky, but has a re-designed tail cap that does not have the indentations for tighting.

I've noticed a lot of lights without easily removable retaining rings lately. Is it even possible to change the tailcap in these lights?

 

[f22shift]

Battery acid? Sounds like you have been feeding it alkaline batteries. I would do all necessary to avoid alkaline batteries just because of this, but the other factor is that alkaline does not provide enough capacity in a high powered device as compared to a rechargeable NiMH like Eneloop does. I will only turn to alkaline in a worst case scenario. Get some Eneloop batteries and a charger and it will serve you well.

correct, it's a worthy investment that will pay itself and surely better for the environment. and you can argue that the light is designed to use nimh. you might not even attain the high with an alkaline.
i remember trying to drain every last energy out of a AA alkaline in my SG5(aa headlamp) on the lowest mode. well of course i did drain it out but to the expense of a leaking battery in the compartment. lessoned learned. never feed your light alkaline unless it's an emergency.

 

[river251]

correct, it's a worthy investment that will pay itself and surely better for the environment. and you can argue that the light is designed to use nimh. you might not even attain the high with an alkaline.
i remember trying to drain every last energy out of a AA alkaline in my SG5(aa headlamp) on the lowest mode. well of course i did drain it out but to the expense of a leaking battery in the compartment. lessoned learned. never feed your light alkaline unless it's an emergency.

My brother got me a Powerex Intelligent Charger a couple years ago for my birthday. I've since been exclusively an Eneloop user, no alkalines. I bought the Fenix because I destroyed an Olight with corroded alkalines. Your comment about draining alkalines with the high demand of good torches may explain why those Duracells leaked and expanded so quickly. Never could get them out of the Olight.

Jim

 

[SimulatedZero]

I'm glad everything worked out well. That light is a little tank when comes to just surviving. And yeah, that means it's working perfectly. It only stays in high mode as long as the body is in full contact with the head. The moment you start to turn, unscrew, the head, it pops down to low mode.

And to address the LD22, the newer LD series of lights uses a compression retaining spring. It does have two little notches above the pcp board, but you don't turn them. You have to squeeze them together and compress it to where the diameter is smaller than the threads in the tail cap. Then it just lifts right out. It's a complete pain in the ***, but it is doable. Found that one out cleaning up my LD12.

 

[river251]

I'm glad everything worked out well. That light is a little tank when comes to just surviving. And yeah, that means it's working perfectly. It only stays in high mode as long as the body is in full contact with the head. The moment you start to turn, unscrew, the head, it pops down to low mode.

Excellent, good to know. Thanks again for the help in saving the E-21. Now that I know this (and don't use alkalines) I bet it lasts a long time.

Jim