Looking for malfunctioning ZebraLights

[eh4]

After having my wonderful H51Fc for about a year I started getting some malfunctions.
Then I thought of how I'd just completely taken the light for granted, cleaned the contacts in the dark for a couple seconds and it returned to its regular operation.
Then it did the same thing a couple days later, so I cleaned the light more carefully, not in the dark this time and that fixed it.

By my count there are Six user-cleanable contact surfaces in the battery chamber.

I don't take particularly good care of the light, will rub a tiny bit of oil from the corner of my nose on the O ring and threads when I'm changing the battery and notice any extra resistance turning the cap. I occasionally rub a little dust off the lens with my tee shirt or rinse it under the faucet the few times its gotten muddy.

Anyhow, if anyone ever feels like sending me a malfunctioning one to look at, shoot me a PM.

 

[rojos]

I don't take particularly good care of the light, will rub a tiny bit of oil from the corner of my nose on the O ring and threads when I'm changing the battery and notice any extra resistance turning the cap.

Lol... that is both gross and ill-advised. Sebum (oil from sebaceous glands) contains a lot of paraffin and other lipids that are electrical insulators. Not to mention dead skin particles, dirt, and heaven knows what else is mixed in can disrupt contact also. Even just a tiny bit on the o-rings/threads can eventually work its way down to the contact points in the tail cap.

 

[B0wz3r]

It will eventually eat through the o-ring sealing the tail cap as well. Just get a tube of Nyo-gel instead. Keep the end face of the body clean, and the inside flat portions of the tailcap clean as well, and you shouldn't have any problems. I've got four different ZL's and they've all been outstanding lights.

 

[eh4]

Ha, gross and ill advised! That's why I come here, to get good advice. ;-) The "gross" oil is basically comparable to whale oil, that part of the body suffers great temperature and moisture differentials and requires good oil to keep from cracking. The oil is for the o ring and anodized threads, not the bare aluminum at the end of the tube or the gold plated cap contact.
Point taken, I will concern myself with the possibility of it breaking down the o ring over time, possibly.
As well as the possibility of it making its way further down into the battery tube, but I do think imaginations run a bit wild with speculation, lol I'm seeing some B grade horror special effects now, gross.
It remains however, highly expedient.
Honestly I just rub a clean, lint and grit free finger tip along the side of my reasonably hygienic though admittedly oily snozz and sweep it around the circumference of the threads, mainly at the O ring.
Geez, it's not like I named my light or anything. ;-P

My point being that from my experience, even a caveman can keep a ZL running and I'd like to see one of these lights that have been reported to work great one day and then supposedly just go belly up the next.
I intend to get my +/- 200,000th click out of the switch on mine, even if my non UL troll oil Does eat through a few o rings along the way.
Extremely reliable light so far...
I do like nyogel BTW.

 

[rojos]

You're right about oil being not that gross. It's just oil. I was thinking more about the dead skin particles, dirt, and whatnot. The skin at the corners of the nose grow rapidly and slough off dead cells all the time. It is a breeding ground of dead cells, bacteria, and residual waste regardless of how well you exfoliate or keep yourself clean.

No doubt you're not exactly slathering that mixture on the threads or anything, but the contact points on a ZL are easy to disrupt. It really doesn't take much. Just a little bit of non-conductive debris does the trick - this part I know from experience.

I don't think the oil will damage the o-rings though. IIRC ZL o-rings are made of nitrile which is resistant to most oils. I think you're safe there.