Quark AA2 failure (pocket clip issue?)

[entoptics]

Saw a hint about this in another thread, and have tried searching out more info, but got nowhere.

Brand new Quark AA2 (regular) won't function with the pocket clip installed. It worked as advertised for a few hours after it arrived, then I unscrewed the clip retaining ring once and reinstalled, and now it's completely dead unless...

1) If I remove the clip, it works fine.
2) If I reverse the body, the general modes (head loosened) work fine, but with the head tightened for turbo/strobe it still behaves as if it's in general mode with the head loosened.

Cleaned the threads and contacts, tried different tightnesses on the clip retaining ring, and nothing.

It seems to be an issue of not getting the tail cap seated deep enough I guess. Can't think of any other reason the pocket clip could affect the function.

Should I send this piece of crap back, or is there a simple fix I'm missing.

Either way, I'm pretty salty that my dad trusted me to spend his money on a couple new lights, and one of them is failing right out of the box. On the bright side, the P20A2 I got him seems to be a real champ.

 

[bosh]

I think you are right with it being a contact issue.
I had the same problem with one of my Quarks only not to that extent. I was able to just torque down on the clip retaining ring and get the light to work right. I think it's a common problem, when I called 4/7 customer support (about another issue) that's the first thing they told me to check.
If you can't get it to work by hand tightening it down, I'd send it back.
They are really good lights when you get a good one, I'd ask for a replacment.

 

[Ragiska]

you know the clip goes on in only one orientation in the slot, correct? it has to line up with the slot. also, when tightening, press on the clip and you can get another turn on the retaining ring. there should be no space between the ring and body when tightened down.

 

[entoptics]

Thanks for the info. I was afraid to really torque on the little plastic retainer ring, but per your suggestions, I got ahold of that sucker with a corner of my shirt for traction and managed to get it tightened down enough to work now.

Any particular reason Quark has such an unforgiving design there? Seems like it wouldn't be too hard to give a guy half a millimeter of wiggle room, so he wouldn't need a back hoe and an act of Congress to install/remove the pocket clip without disabling his new light.

The theory of the design is outstanding, but it seems really silly that they made the tolerances so tight as to cause light failure for those of us who are used to treating threaded plastics a little on the gentle side.

Perhaps I'm missing some engineering necessity, but it sure looks to me like they could make that retaining ring a little shorter, or make the tail threads a little taller, and never get another complaint about it.

 

[Ragiska]

the retaining ring is aluminum, not plastic.

it works just fine if you install it correctly. you have to press the clip in to relieve tension so you can fully tighten the ring, then release the clip and it holds it all together by friction.

it's a perfect design if you just assemble it correctly.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

Any particular reason Quark has such a dumbass design there? Seems like it wouldn't be too hard to give a guy half a millimeter of wiggle room, so he wouldn't need a back hoe and an act of Congress to install/remove the pocket clip without disabling his new light.

Whilst I personally don't like the placement of the clip, there is no doubt in my mind that its method of attachment/retention is quite the opposite of a dumbass design, it's actually very secure and well thought out.

Every Quark I own/ed (and that's quite a lot) has had "wiggle room" between the Aluminium ring and tailcap once the ring is properly seated. If the torch works properly when the ring is seated without the clip and does not work after the clip is installed then the clip is not being installed correctly because the ring is designed to seat in exactly the same place with or without the clip.

If one needs force to seat the ring on the body (and the design allows it to seat fully on the body) then one is not pushing in on the clip correctly while screwing down the ring. When the clip is being held down by the thumb at the same time as one screws the ring it takes the strength of a five year old girl, not force.

 

[entoptics]

The overall design is indeed excellent, but why the tight tolerance on the tailcap? I simply unscrewed the clip retaining ring, then put it back together and the light ceased to work. I'm not exactly Macgyver, but I'm not incapable of threading things onto each other.

If there is a subtle pocket clip pinching voodoo trick to install it correctly, perhaps they could mention this in the manual or website.

Could you elaborate on "push the clip". I tried a few variations, and still needed to get pretty forcible with the ring for the light to function. Seems like shaving 0.2 mm off the aluminum ring would make this post completely moot.

Thanks again for the advice all.

 

[Jash]

I had the exact same problem with my 2AA Tactical.

It was the switch retaining ring. I simply tightened it up about a quarter turn and it worked. Not a problem since.

The quality control of Quarks is questionable. It took a second head (first one had crap all over the reflector) to get mine right. My AA mini suffers the same condition, but not enough to worry about the fuss of exchanging it.

For the cost though, these things are great!

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

Could you elaborate on "push the clip". I tried a few variations, and still needed to get pretty forcible with the ring for the light to function. [/QUOTE]The idea is that you push diagonally down on the top right angle bend of the clip while screwing. Pushing diagonally does two things simultaneously. Firstly it pushes the two arms of the clip fully into the groove around the body of the torch and secondly it pushes the clip part itself into the little quarter inch long slot that's cut into the bottom land of the groove. Without force in that second direction it's very difficult to seat properly.

Seems like shaving 0.2 mm off the aluminum ring would make this post completely moot.

Unless yours has been machined out of tolerance then there's no need for such a thing. When a "normal" tolerance quark tailcap and tube (I base this on the ten I currently own and the others I've recently sold) has its clip ring seated properly there is already more than half a mm gap between the top of the ring and the end of the tailcap. When everything is seated properly they don't normally come close to touching.

 

[AnAppleSnail]

Pardon the dirt - I'll have pictures up in a bit.

Take everything apart and mind the dirt on mine. Keep track of the O-ring, he comes off too. The clip is a bit tricky to remove, but it comes off.

Put the clip on. When I press on the right-angle, it goes on cleanly and sits flush in its little spot.

You might have to turn it so it lines up. If this is where you have trouble, force it. The scratches won't be visible. You might spread the grabbing fingers of the clip a bit, but it wouldn't take much. The clip will not move until you take it off next, it is in its final position.

Next, put the screw ring on the table with the threads down and the smooth part up. The smooth part goes on first.

Screw it on.

Past the polished threads, you'll get to the O-ring space where there are no threads - be careful not to cross-thread as you progress. It will properly thread and hold the clip's arms on. If the clip arms are in the way, push them down.

Their curvature should fit nicely. If you have trouble here, it will be crossthreading or the clip being in the wrong place or shape.

The ring will screw down and touch the body of the light, making a nearly-gapless seam.

Put the O-ring on, the batteries and tailcap. These should go smoothly. If you have any problems still, can you take pictures of it? Thanks!

Edited with pictures. It looks like I've been digging up the garden...

 

[entoptics]

I have to agree about QC, although my first EagleTac (T20C2) sprouted a faulty clicky on both the tail standing and tactical switches.

The quark is an elegant design for sure. Just enough to be tough, but still light and slender, simple shape and feel, and good UI.

All in all, an excellent light, but I'm still left wondering why such a simple problem, that appears to be "common", would be leaving the factory. As I said though, maybe I'm missing an engineering requirement.

If I wasn't a CPF member lovecpf I'd have need to deal with customer service as a first time buyer, within days of delivery. Not a good thing for reputation. Just glad I had the lights sent to me before my dad gets his hands on them.