LC 100 problems

Eric S · Sep 5, 2003

I bought a used LC. When I first turned it on, I wasn`t impressed, so I changed the batts, now all it does is make a teaser sound and then nothing. I`ve read a little about the LC not wanting to start up. How did you resolve that problem.

Thanks
EricS.

LEDagent · Sep 5, 2003

Prayer and chanting.

Seriously....i don't know how to solve the striking problem. No matter what i do; take out the batteries, replace them, reseat the bulb, shake it, hit it...what have you... it seems to want to turn on whenever it feels like it.

Good luck. Do some searches in the HID forum for the LC100, you'll find a lot of info about these very same problems.

Eric S · Sep 5, 2003

Has anyone ever blown their bulb? How can you tell?

Eric

Ray_of_Light · Sep 6, 2003

I had same problems with my LC100. It turned out that both the lamp and the ballast were defective.
I have another one now, and is working flawlessly. Very likely, your is defective too. In a old thread, I described a trick to light up a troubled lamp/ballast but, as I noted afterwards, it is not necessary to do such a things to a good LC100.

Of course, check the battery you put in it. When batteries are low, the LC100 behaves exactly the way you said, with the igniter making that "teasing" sound, and lamp staying off.

Anthony

Eric S · Sep 7, 2003

Ok I put in some fresh C`s and WALA! It lit on the second try but, now it only will run for 1 to 2 mins then cut of and I have to wait a while before it will relight again. It starts to light but just goes back out.

Eric
p.s. Thanks for the info Prophet

LEDagent · Sep 7, 2003

Eric S,

You may have a faulty ballast unit. Maybe you can contact Underwater Kinetics to see if they can help you out. They are a VERY friendly company. I have dealt with them twice, and their service is speedy, although, their mailing/processing takes to about 2 weeks...and i live just a few miles from their headquarters.

The Ballast has 4 things inline with it's power source before the ballast can get any juice to strike the bulb. 1) a switch, 2)resistors, and 3) a thermal fuse 4) a regular, replaceable fuse. It could be a faulty thermal fuse...i'm only guessing becuase i think someone on this forum had a problem with the thermal fuse cutting in after only a few minutes of runtime. If it's the regular, replaceable fuse, the unit comes with an extra one underneath the battery contact plate on the ballast unit. Unscrew the two screws holding down the plate and carefully flip it open. You will find 3-4 absorbtion pellets, and 2 fuses. Check them both.

I posted a detailed breakdown of what the insides of the ballast looks like here: Guts of the LC100
You should only be concerned for the first 3 pictures is you don't want to void the warrenty of your light. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

(Here, i'll just post them)

Anyway, contact UKE anyway. I'm sure they would replace the entire unit or just give you another ballast, for free, even shipping...unless they request for the light to be returned. I've heard a story that someone lost their UKE during a night dive because the lanyard was not secure enoegh. That person contacted UKE and he got another LC100 for free in a few weeks. I once had a crack on the body of my LC100, so i contacted UKE. They were friendly and understanding and didn't ask too many questions. I recieved a new body a few weeks later. Hopefully, your experience with them will be just as good. I'm sure they wouldn't mind that you bought yours second hand, as they would stand behind their product regardless. But just to be sure, just tell them you bought it at an online store or something. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif