No More Multi Mode Lights For Me

[txmatt]

I'm rarely this blunt, but I call BS.

Even if the failure rate is 1 in 10 on those lights, that chances of having 6 lights fail is 1 in a million. And the failure rates on $50+ lights is no where near 1 in 10. Just find it hard to believe that anyone is that unlucky.

 

[bfodnes]

Does it matter? I'd be a bit more worried about the radiation affecting me than my lights...

Ahaa, well me too. But if i survive i would need my lights more then ever. :candle::candle:

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

I have two electronically multi-mode and two switch controled lights.

Once I get a handle on using the E lights (REX 2.0 for example) I have no problems.

6 failures doesn't even SEEM possible....

 

[FrontRanger]

And this tread topic, can the many multimodes have been affected by some local source of magnetic fields or high power burst of some kind.

Hi Bjorn,

First of all, :welcome: . Sounds like you already have a nice collection of lights.

A metal-bodied flashlight will have some degree of protection from both static electric fields and electromagnetic radiation. It's not an ideal Faraday cage, of course, but it should provide some protection. (If you were to work out the problem in detail, the answer would depend upon the magnitudes, frequencies, and radiation pattern of the source relative to your light... not a trivial problem.) If you're often in an environment where this is a risk, I would guess that models with a metal tailcap and a metal reflector would be best.

Oh, and Jarl took the words right out of my mouth regarding the nuclear blast question

 

[bfodnes]

Thanks for the welcome, and answer.

Regarding the 6 dying multimodes. I find it impossible that they died from no external source of interference of some kind.

Maybe they all have been close to such a source.:thinking:

 

[scottaw]

This sounds like your definition of high end brand may be different from the cpf norm. I own several SF L1's, and a nova 120P, none of which live easy lives, and they ALL work flawlessly. And even my P2D (much cheaper) the only problem i've had with it is dirty contacts...modes work fine when it's all clean.

 

[Hitthespot]

I usually refrain from such comments. However statistically speaking based on driver boards I've read about failing (0) the word troll comes to mind. If I understand the meaning of the word.

Bill

 

[VF1Jskull1]

i've got 1 multimode, via a switch, and it hasn't failed me yet and i've been using it as my main edc ever since winter came along.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

Few people around here are going to believe this thread without more details. The price of the light doesn't mean much if you bought it overpriced, off of ebay, etc. If you bought the light from a reputable dealer then I'd recommend contacting the dealer.
A lot of people would be glad to help figure out what went wrong.

 

[joema]

Every multi mode light I have bought failed within six months due to either bad design or faulty driver components...

The title says "no more multi mode", but the description says the driver board failed. It assumes the multi-mode feature is related to the failure. That's not necessarily so.

Even single mode, single output lights with mechanical switching have a driver (of some type) if they are regulated.

Do you mean only non-regulated, direct drive lights with mechanical switching are preferable? If so, what kind of switching?

Among regulated LED lights, there are probably more failures from click switches than from drivers. That's stands to reason -- mechanics (a moving part) fails more than electronics (a non-moving part).

That implies the best reliability might be from a direct drive, non-regulated LED light with a mechanical twist switch.

However actual reliability is determined by implementation, not by technology. Not appreciating that simply limits your choices and may not achieve your reliability goals.

E.g, various things can impact reliability. A good example is whether the switch can be locked out. A direct drive unregulated clicky light which ran down from inadvertent activation is just as unavailable as a microprocessor light with a blown driver.

 

[yaesumofo]

:toilet:To be frank IMHO without more specific information about the brands and model numbers this thread really can't be of any help to anybody except the poster who wants to beat his chest.
Multiple failures of multimode lights? 100% failure rate sounds more like operator error than equipment failure.
You say component failure. Can you be specific? You say you rewired all of them to become... What direct drive? With no driver at all? Can you show us an image or two of your workmanship?

Please be specific. Posts like this are likely to be branded as BS rapidly without more specific information.
I own many multi mode flashlights some are the cheapest and some are the most expensive...None of the drivers have ever failed.
True if you want total and complete reliability a single mode light like the surefire kl4 or 6P may be your best bet.
Carrying a set of fresh batteries is also important.
Without supporting evidence the original post is without merit. IMHO.
Yaesumofo

 

[woodrow]

6 failures...that sucks.

I do not think I would personally give up multi level lights though. I have never heard of a Fenix T1 multi problem for example. My old Olight T20 got daily use...and never had issues.

But I am sure its not fun to have failure after failure....Here's to better luck!

 

[zipplet]

While I'm not bashing the original poster, I really think you need to give us more clues about this. It does seem rather bizarre for you to have 6 lights fail in the same way - and even more bizarre that you mod them instead of getting warranty replacements!

As I posted earlier I've never had a problem apart from one I fried due to stupidity. Sometimes I've seen multimode lights behave a little oddly with almost flat batteries, such as loosing modes, but this is expected IMO.

Please give us some more information. Telling us the brands isn't a bad thing to do.

 

[cave dave]

Off the top of my head I've had a Surefire U2 selector ring failure and a Liteflux LF2 failure. Both would still produce some light though but not all the modes.

Of course I've had single mode twisties fail as well. 3ea CMG Infinity, 2 or 3 Arc AAA, Arc LS. When a twisty goes dead its dead.

All of my PT multimode headlamps have been failure free and I use those caving. They have led a hard life.

 

[Akita]

Posted by txmatt:

I'm rarely this blunt, but I call BS.

Even if the failure rate is 1 in 10 on those lights, that chances of having 6 lights fail is 1 in a million. And the failure rates on $50+ lights is no where near 1 in 10. Just find it hard to believe that anyone is that unlucky

Wow...I am assuming you are a dealer who doesn't like bad comments about customer product failures with a personal attack comment like that.

Totally out of line and uncalled for.

If you don't agree or think I'm lying keep your comments to yourself and stay out of my threads.
I would never call BS on anybody that was sharing information for the entire CPF group,no matter how unusual it might sound.
You are now permanently on my ignore list.

BTW: I am an electronics tech with a BS in electrical engineering...I don't post BS fluff just to see my comments here on CPF.
I have nothing to prove...one reason I refuse to list the models and brands that failed.
I do this mostly out of courtesy to the manufacturers and the CPF board sponsors who link and sell products here.

It's a free world...slamming brands and models serves no purpose.
I solve my own problems...one at a time.

 

[jugg2]

You wouldn't be slamming the brands or models. Posting an honest problem may shed some light (no pun intended) on potential problems for other users. It may also help the problem be resolved sooner.

 

[Stingray]

I've had several LED lights fail overr the years (2 Arc AAA, ARC4, FF2 BB650 sammie ) so it's not unheard of but for the most part the rest of mine have been reliable whether single or multi stage. I've got Photons that have been thru the wash many times and still work.

 

[LifeNRA]

Akita,
You said, "I would never call BS on anybody that was sharing information for the entire CPF group,no matter how unusual it might sound."
I believe many would feel that you have not shared very much information at all. Real information such as the brands that have failed you would be much appreciated by us all.
What you have shared is not information but simply a statement which you have refused to back up with any facts beyond "slamming brands and models serves no purpose."
I don't think listing the lights would be slamming the brands in any way.
Saying that my (brand of light) failed me is not slamming anyone. People say it all the time here.
If I decided not to purchase a light everytime I saw someone on CPF state that particular light failed them then I would still be using my incan Mag-Lite.

Please don't take this post as a slam against you. I speak to people in person better than I write to them.

I do hope that you find a light that works for you and I am sorry that you have had so many problems with your lights.
Having a light fail is very irritating so I could not imagine your displeasure of having 6 in a row fail.

 

[PhantomPhoton]

I don't post BS fluff just to see my comments here on CPF.
I have nothing to prove...one reason I refuse to list the models and brands that failed.
I do this mostly out of courtesy to the manufacturers and the CPF board sponsors who link and sell products here.

It's a free world...slamming brands and models serves no purpose.
I solve my own problems...one at a time.

Yes, but the thing is it seems that you're slamming about every brand out there by ranting about "multimode lights." Instead of commenting about a specific brand/ model or giving some sort of useful detail that might warn other users in the future, you're just fluffing everything.
You say every multimode light I have bought failed within six months. A total of 6 lights. But if 5 of those lights are DX cheapos and one is a Fenix, well then there will be little sympathy for you. If you've bought a LF2, an Olight T20, a Fenix P3D, a Suefire L1, a Dereelight CL1H and a Photon Proton and all of them failed then we'd definitely want to figure out what the heck you're doing to your lights to make them fail. If all of the lights are from a single brand then it is just plain dumb to proclaim all multimode lights are junk.
Honestly one thread from one guy on CPF isn't going to bring down a whole brand name of flashlights. Don't take yourself so seriously.
Every manufacturer here takes a beating, some more than others. If you have something useful to give to CPF please share; so far you haven't shared any actual information, just a small set of statistics with no real data to back it up. Making a blanket statement without any details is a common habit of a creature that often dwells beneath a bridge. Just be careful you don't end up down there with 'em.

 

[M I K]

I'm rarely this blunt, but I call BS.

Even if the failure rate is 1 in 10 on those lights, that chances of having 6 lights fail is 1 in a million. And the failure rates on $50+ lights is no where near 1 in 10. Just find it hard to believe that anyone is that unlucky.

+1