Nitecore Defender Infinity switch

[LawLight]

My tail switch on my Defender Infinity has gone wonky as many others have reported.

Does anyone know if any other generic switch would work in the light?

LawLight

 

[Fallingwater]

What is the defect exactly?

Disassembling the switch and cleaning it thoroughly should be enough to get it working again. There's a thread about this, try searching for it.

Otherwise, contact EdgeTac and they should send you a replacement switch as they've done with others.

 

[LawLight]

"What is the defect exactly?"


I get high now, but nothing else. I've tried removing the switch from the boot, cleaning everything, including the head and tail threads. No luck.

 

[Fallingwater]

Huh?
The programmable low mode is not dependant on the switch but on the head. The switch merely conducts - if you're getting high mode then the switch is OK.

I've had some trouble with modes too; I think it's happened twice that the NDI reset the low mode to maximum for no apparent reason, and twisting the head didn't start the ramping down. It did eventually resume working correctly after trying it a few more times. My advice: keep trying, and remove the o-ring.

Since I removed it I'm having no issues with the light at all. I believe the stiffness of the head causes improper twisting, which in turn causes intermittent contacts and occasionally freaks out the driver. With the o-ring removed the twisting action is much more consistent and all problems go away.

I might try another, thinner o-ring in the future, but I'm not in a hurry to do so.

 

[LawLight]

I'll remove the o-ring and see what happens.
Many thanks.

LawLight

 

[Fallingwater]

No problem. Let us know if it helps

 

[LawLight]

Removed the o-ring. No change. I have all function on high - and strobe too, but when i turn the head to low level, I get nothing.

Very strange.

 

[Lite_me]

Have you put lubricant on the threads? If so, that's likely the problem. The threads need to complete the circuit when the light is in low mode. (head loosened)

Even if you haven't applied lubricant to the threads, I'd clean them and test it again.

I'd use some alcohol and maybe an old toothbrush and clean both the threads on the body and inside the head. Wipe with a rag and repeat if necessary.

Once they're cleaned and dried, leave them dry (no lube) and try the light again. This should do the trick. Only lube the o-ring from now on, should you replace it.

 

[LawLight]

Yep, done that too. Lubed, and unlubed. Scrubbed the threads with a toothbrush dipped in rubbing alcohol. No luck.

I just have a bad switch I suppose.

LawLight

 

[Fallingwater]

Again: the switch is not what's giving you trouble. If you can't get low mode and you can't get the light to ramp down, but high mode works, the switch is fine and your problem is in the circuitry. Contact EdgeTac and ask for a replacement.

 

[LawLight]

Yes, the problem is that there currently are no replacements.

 

[swxb12]

Well it better not be because the current batch they are making is going straight to sales. I think I'm having some problems with my switch module and will need to have a replacement sometime soon.

 

[EDGETAC]

Hi LawLight,


According to your description, it seems not the issue with the switch, nor the circuitry mentioned.

If you could get Max and strobe, the contact should be no problem as well as the structure inside light head, and the possibility of the MCU being damaged is really small, so we think it might be the operation issue.

Your light now is on Max User-Defined mode, which is the same brightness with that when the light is screwed tight. If it's on Max, when the light performs light changing from high to low, due to the adaptability of our eyes to the brightness, so we do not feel the change during the previous 2-3 seconds, then you might perform another tighten-and-loosen the light bezel, but in fact, the changes of brightness are in action.

Now, please try loosen the light bezel first, and perform tighten-and-loosen the bezel within 0.5 second, and see if the brightness changes, please be patient here, and wait for more than 5 seconds to see whether the light turns dim.

I am looking forward to your reply, thanks! （I also PM you this, please refer to that)


Best Regards,
EDGETAC

 

[LawLight]

Yes I tried that. No luck either.

I continue to believe it is the switch. The light flickers when I use the switch on low.

 

[Fallingwater]

Didn't you say you had no low mode at all?

I insist that if high mode works correctly it can't rationally be the switch, as it's unaffected by the state of the head. All it does is conduct. When closed it's a dead short; there are no variables in it other than the resistance of the contact, which - again - is not the problem if the light works on high, since that's the setting at which resistance is most likely to give trouble.

However, since I'm always open to the possibility that there are tiny goblins screwing with the laws of physics, you can easily verify this by unscrewing the tailcap and shorting the negative terminal of the battery to the metal body of the light (a paperclip should do).
Logically, it should behave just as it's behaving now. If it doesn't, then it might actually be the switch, although I'm really at a loss as to how this could be possible.

 

[Lite_me]

Removed the o-ring. No change. I have all function on high - and strobe too, but when i turn the head to low level, I get nothing.

Very strange.

Yes I tried that. No luck either.

I continue to believe it is the switch. The light flickers when I use the switch on low.

Ok, let's try this...
Are you possibly holding the tailcap when you are changing modes (loosening the head) and possibly loosening the tailcap at the same time? That would break contact in the tailcap and turn the light off. Then, continuing to hold the tailcap and head and tightening the head and consequently the tailcap again would make contact again (in the tailcap) turning the light back on (for high).

The tailcap must be tight to complete the circuit at all times. Make sure it is tight and stays tight.

 

[LawLight]

Hi guys:

First, many thanks for all your replies.

Fallingwater, I will try your short circuit method tonight and let you know.

Lite Me, I've also tried tightening and loosening the head while both depressing the switch, and even turning the switch with my finger in hopes of seeing light. Nothing.

As to the "low" mode someone asked about, what I meant was that when I tighten the head, I get high. Loosen, then tighten gives me strobe, no problems. However, when I loosen so that the lower "ramping" modes are activated, I get nothing. If I begin depressing the switch (off and on), the led flickers quickly, indicating some kind of short. Not a steady beam, or even in a sequence. Just a short circuit like flicker. But no steady light.

I'm with you guys - simple electrical circuitry says this cannot be the switch - but I've tried just about everything else. I suppose the module itself could be bad.

LawLight

 

[skeefu]

LawLight, just want to say...you are NOT going crazy!!! I had the same identical problem that you are experiencing right now. I too cleaned and lubed the threads and head to make sure there was complete contact but to no avail. I purchased and used Deoxit RED and Gold, but none of it helped. I don't know if this happened to you but my situation happened WITHOUT warning, one minute the light was fine and the next, it had a mind of its own. I also tried changing batteries, Enegizer lithium e2's but as you may have guessed, no dice!! The only thing left for me to do was to get a hold of TAD Gear and gave them the whole story and their reply was: " We have had a few returns with the same exact problem" . They are very well aware and more importantly I was assured that since they are THE dealer here in North America, they have made EdgeTac well aware and they are doing everything possible that the " quality control" is even greater on future batches. The only bad thing is that it is going to be at least another 2 weeks before they get any replacement lights in. I guess this is due to holidays. bad weather and now the recent switch problems with quite a few lights. I , like you am waiting patiently for a replacement. I am sure that EdgeTac will stand behind their product and hopefully this was a fluke, being that a few malfunctioning lights are "expected" in every batch.....just a numbers game i guess....please keep us posted if you have found a resolution to your current problem....!:candle:

 

[Fallingwater]

I guess then the problem is in the electronics module. Something must have gotten fried, or unsoldered, or something. Only thing you can do is to ask for a replacement when it becomes available.

 

[LawLight]

Skeefu:

I feel better knowing someone has had this exact problem. I'll continue to work it, hoping I can find a solution.

I love this light. The build quality of the flashlight body is great, and the high mode is quite blinding. Many, many retina searing lumens of light.

LawLight