Protac EMS problem?

[ArchaeoCat]

I was really excited to get a Protac EMS. I had been looking for a very low powered white light LED flashlight. I wanted something to just provide a long run time, not be big, and most importantly, be very low powered so that it wouldn't blind me when I just wanted to have a quick look at something in the dark. You know how it is probably, when you just want to find something after your eyes are dark adjusted. Sometimes I want to just jot something down or take a little trip to the kitchen without turning on all the lights and waking people up, blinding myself.

Well, the light seems to make a very brief, bright flash when you first turn it on. I've tried three different example of this model. Two of them came from Amazon and were only 7 apart in the serial number! The third came straigt from Streamlight and it does it too (albeit the effect isn't as pronounced)! Is this how it is with all of that model? I have other Protac lights and none of them do it. Is this a common problem with the power regulation or something? If you turn on the light, it does it. If you turn it on more than once in rapid succession (but not so fast as to trigger the higher power modes), it doesn't do it. So that tells me it isn't the switch. It must be the power regulation circuit.

Does anyone else own this light and have that happen to theirs?

Can anyone suggest another make or model in the sub 4 lumen category? Preferably one that doesn't cost a lot, but is of higher quality.

 

[fulee9999]

ArymTek Prime C1?

It has 3 firefly modes, 0.4, 2.5 and 6 lumens, and also the usual med and high modes, small, reliable.

 

[ArchaeoCat]

ArymTek Prime C1?

It has 3 firefly modes, 0.4, 2.5 and 6 lumens, and also the usual med and high modes, small, reliable.

Do you have a link to that particular model? I'm having trouble finding it. Thanks!

 

[fulee9999]

Do you have a link to that particular model? I'm having trouble finding it. Thanks!

here you go

Small Torch Light C1 Pro Magnet USB XP-L - Warm | Armytek.com

Small Torch Light C1 Pro Magnet USB XP-L Warm. ARMYTEK official representative. ✔CREE LEDs. ✔IP68. ✔TIR-optics. Powerful and reliable. The new models. No hassle warranty 10 years.

www.armytek.com

 

[aznsx]

I was really excited to get a Protac EMS. I had been looking for a very low powered white light LED flashlight. I wanted something to just provide a long run time, not be big, and most importantly, be very low powered so that it wouldn't blind me when I just wanted to have a quick look at something in the dark. You know how it is probably, when you just want to find something after your eyes are dark adjusted. Sometimes I want to just jot something down or take a little trip to the kitchen without turning on all the lights and waking people up, blinding myself.

Well, the light seems to make a very brief, bright flash when you first turn it on. I've tried three different example of this model. Two of them came from Amazon and were only 7 apart in the serial number! The third came straigt from Streamlight and it does it too (albeit the effect isn't as pronounced)! Is this how it is with all of that model? I have other Protac lights and none of them do it. Is this a common problem with the power regulation or something? If you turn on the light, it does it. If you turn it on more than once in rapid succession (but not so fast as to trigger the higher power modes), it doesn't do it. So that tells me it isn't the switch. It must be the power regulation circuit.

Does anyone else own this light and have that happen to theirs?

Can anyone suggest another make or model in the sub 4 lumen category? Preferably one that doesn't cost a lot, but is of higher quality.

I generally disapprove when people respond to a question without offering an answer, but instead pose another question; however I'm going to make an exception because I'm curious about something. Although I have no alternative suggestion for another light to replace the Protac right off hand, I'd like to clarify where / who you sourced that third light from. It's not necessarily relevant, but you did say 'straight from Streamlight' and I wasn't aware the SL did any direct sales (and I definitely could be wrong about that), but am wondering if that third one came from an SL distributor, and if so, which one? It's a sort of tangential question, but would appreciate your indulgence. Thanks!

 

[ArchaeoCat]

I generally disapprove when people respond to a question without offering an answer, but instead pose another question; however I'm going to make an exception because I'm curious about something. Although I have no alternative suggestion for another light to replace the Protac right off hand, I'd like to clarify where / who you sourced that third light from. It's not necessarily relevant, but you did say 'straight from Streamlight' and I wasn't aware the SL did any direct sales (and I definitely could be wrong about that), but am wondering if that third one came from an SL distributor, and if so, which one? It's a sort of tangential question, but would appreciate your indulgence. Thanks!

Ah, to answer your questions as best I can. The first two lights came from Amazon.com. I returned the first one that had the 'flash'. The replacement from amazon.com did the same thing. They were, like I said, 7 serial numbers apart. I may be overstepping my bounds here, but I contacted Streamlight about the lights having the weird 'flash' when turned on. They offered to send me a unit with a return label for the one I had. I suppose they want to inspect the light. Both of the ones from amazon.com were made in 0921. The unit that Streamlight sent was made in 0920. You are right, I think, that Streamlight does not do direct sales. If anything, I think it speaks to their customer service that they were willing to send me a unit, and that they are interested in the flawed unit.

 

[aznsx]

Ah, to answer your questions as best I can. The first two lights came from Amazon.com. I returned the first one that had the 'flash'. The replacement from amazon.com did the same thing. They were, like I said, 7 serial numbers apart. I may be overstepping my bounds here, but I contacted Streamlight about the lights having the weird 'flash' when turned on. They offered to send me a unit with a return label for the one I had. I suppose they want to inspect the light. Both of the ones from amazon.com were made in 0921. The unit that Streamlight sent was made in 0920. You are right, I think, that Streamlight does not do direct sales. If anything, I think it speaks to their customer service that they were willing to send me a unit, and that they are interested in the flawed unit.

Thank you! I appreciate that.....but now you're killin' me man!. Now I have another (potentially tangential) question. How the heck did you determine those production dates for those lights? I'd like to know the production dates of some of my SLs too just out of curiosity. Although I imagine SL could provide that based on serial number (?), I wasn't aware of any way one would determine production date on a SL. I'm especially curious because the Protac EMS is a particularly old model for SL (the original issue date for the Fact Sheet document being 06/29/2011), and those would be very recent production dates for a model of that vintage. Sorry to ask yet another question, but I'll gladly pass along any relevant info I might come across in return!

And yes, SL's response was indeed noteworthy, and consistent with the kind of product support I've come to know and expect from them over the years!

 

[bykfixer]

I have an EMS from around 015 or so (I'll see if I can find it) and the only qualm I had was the o'ring was so thin that at times the light would not work at all. That was due to a loose fitting tailcap loosening enough to break contact between an unanodized part of the tailcap and the barrel. A thicker o'ring would provide resistance and aid in keeping the tailcap fastened.

I put pipe tape on the threads and that stopped that then later I put a bit of foil on the threads, which also helped keep the tailcap fastened but if it twisted loose a bit also provided more contact area between the tailcap and barrel.

Another option is the triple a protac and ten tap it to start on low. Or try pipe tape on the threads and see if that helps.

 

[ArchaeoCat]

Thank you! I appreciate that.....but now you're killin' me man!. Now I have another (potentially tangential) question. How the heck did you determine those production dates for those lights? I'd like to know the production dates of some of my SLs too just out of curiosity. Although I imagine SL could provide that based on serial number (?), I wasn't aware of any way one would determine production date on a SL. I'm especially curious because the Protac EMS is a particularly old model for SL (the original issue date for the Fact Sheet document being 06/29/2011), and those would be very recent production dates for a model of that vintage. Sorry to ask yet another question, but I'll gladly pass along any relevant info I might come across in return!

And yes, SL's response was indeed noteworthy, and consistent with the kind of product support I've come to know and expect from them over the years!

No worries. Don't take my word as gospel, but it appears that the last four digits of the serial number, the last group is a date code. I vaguely remember reading it somewhere. But I guess it is just that, an educated guess. It's be nice to get it from the horse's mouth so to speak though.

I've been, overall, very pleased with every Streamlight I own. And admittedly, I probably own too many! Which is why I was taken aback over the strange 'flash' every time I turned this model on. Not like their other Protac models at all. Pandemic manufacturing?

 

[aznsx]

...Don't take my word as gospel, but it appears that the last four digits of the serial number, the last group is a date code....

Well dang! Just reached over and grabbed my trusty ol' Strion LED [...0112] (which obviously is still often within reach), and it appears that it possibly(?) recently celebrated its 10th birthday! Ten wonderful years of flawless service and high confidence in the 'heat of battle' (as it were), often 12 grueling hours a night. Confidence can be a priceless thing. I have no idea what I paid for it, but it wasn't enough.

EDIT: Thank you for that bit of info!