RA Clicky TailCap, Rubber Dry Rot??

[umc]

Hey all,

I'll probably call Henry anyway but before doing so since it's after hours I figured I would ask.

My sons Clicky rubber tailcap boot is dry rotted. My EDC RA Clicky is fine so I doubt it's a wide spread thing but I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem?

Is this a user replaceable piece??

Neither light is more than two years old and I bought him his just a few months after mine.

Thanks for any input.


ETA: I ask if it's user replaceable because I don't want to push the boot out to find out if it's glued in or not and if it is, what's a good glue to use?

Thanks,

 

[nbp]

My Ti clicky has some micro-cracks in the rubber boot too. I assume that is similar to what you are talking about. My other two clickies are perfect. I have only seen a couple of references to this issue in many thousands of Ra posts so I think it is very unusual.

If you have the new style switch, replacement should be a breeze. Unscrewing the tailcap reveals the boot, no electronics in those caps. It should come out pretty easily. It does seem though that there is an adhesive holding it in place. My guess is that Henry could mail you a new boot and recommend some adhesive to hold it in place and insure a watertight seal.

I have not done this with my Ti clicky becuause it has the old switch with the board in the tailcap and I don't want to screw around with that. If Henry realeases an updated emitter, I will send it in for the emitter upgrade, switch upgrade, and boot replacement all at once.

 

[Belstaff1464]

Hey all,

I'll probably call Henry anyway but before doing so since it's after hours I figured I would ask.

My sons Clicky rubber tailcap boot is dry rotted. My EDC RA Clicky is fine so I doubt it's a wide spread thing but I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem?

Is this a user replaceable piece??

Neither light is more than two years old and I bought him his just a few months after mine.

Thanks for any input.


ETA: I ask if it's user replaceable because I don't want to push the boot out to find out if it's glued in or not and if it is, what's a good glue to use?

Thanks,

I've heard of this before and I've seen some pics other members have posted up. I don't think it's user replaceable because I haven't seen rubber boots for sale. I haven't heard of anyone replacing the boot before. It might be because it's a lot easier to replace the whole tailcap for $19. I suggest getting the raised one if you don't need the tailstanding ability. I think the raised buttons are immune to this cracking.

Does anyone have any idea what causes this ? Does your son ever leave his Clicky inside a hot car ? It would be go to know what can be done to prevent this. Lube, perhaps ?

 

[Gaffle]

. I suggest getting the raised one if you don't need the tailstanding ability. I think the raised buttons are immune to this cracking.

What makes you say that? I haven't done any reading specifically towards the HDS rubber buttons, but what I have read has had no mentioning of the dry rot. The pictures that other members have posted were of flush buttons?

Does anyone have any idea what causes this ? Does your son ever leave his Clicky inside a hot car ? It would be go to know what can be done to prevent this. Lube, perhaps ?

Beat me to it. Couldn't you condition these buttons with some lubricant?

 

[Belstaff1464]

What makes you say that? I haven't done any reading specifically towards the HDS rubber buttons, but what I have read has had no mentioning of the dry rot.

The pics of the ones that I have seen were all of the flush button. I think it may have something to do with the flush button being just a flat piece of rubber and it seems to stretch and deform when you press it. I think this is also the reason why the flush button eventually bulges out. The raised looks to be thicker and doesn't stretch or deform as much. This is only my own suppositions.

 

[mossyoak]

The pics of the ones that I have seen were all of the flush button. I think it may have something to do with the flush button being just a flat piece of rubber and it seems to stretch and deform when you press it. I think this is also the reason why the flush button eventually bulges out. The raised looks to be thicker and doesn't stretch or deform as much. This is only my own suppositions.

The reason it bulges outward is because when you screw the tailcap on it increases the air pressure inside.

 

[Belstaff1464]

The reason it bulges outward is because when you screw the tailcap on it increases the air pressure inside.

Yep....I realize that, but when the light was new the button was flush and unaffected by the air pressure inside even after a couple of battery changes. I didn't program the light straight away and it was only after I had done so did I notice the button started to bulge. I can only conclude that the repeated click presses that is required to re-program the light softened the rubber button making it more malleable and causing the button bulge.

 

[Connor]

That's how 3 of my flat HDS tailcap boots ended up:

No hard use, no weird stuff. Basically after a while the rubber just starts to deteriorate with micro cracks that grow bigger and bigger ...

 

[Belstaff1464]

That's how 3 of my flat HDS tailcap boots ended up:

No hard use, no weird stuff. Basically after a while the rubber just starts to deteriorate with micro cracks that grow bigger and bigger ...

Thanks for the pic. How old are your Clickies and how long did the first crack started to appear ? Do you know what version of switch you have ? I'm just wondering if the Ver 3 switch will suffer the same fate.

Also, can you confirm that this is the HDS/Ra Clicky and not the older HDS EDC Basic/Ultimate lights. Your post only mentions HDS tailcap. Thanks.

 

[HDS_Systems]

UMC,

In 8 years of using these buttons, we have only replaced a handful. A small percentage crack and the rest are fine. Same mold, same batch of rubber. Our investigations have never turned up a cause. Not even the rubber company was able to figure out why they cracked.

If you have a problem, please call customer support so they can help you get the problem fixed.

Henry.

 

[mossyoak]

Thanks for the pic. How old are your Clickies and how long did the first crack started to appear ? Do you know what version of switch you have ? I'm just wondering if the Ver 3 switch will suffer the same fate.

Also, can you confirm that this is the HDS/Ra Clicky and not the older HDS EDC Basic/Ultimate lights. Your post only mentions HDS tailcap. Thanks.

Judging from the color of anodize I would bet it's an older HDS EDC series

 

[umc]

Thanks everyone and thanks Henry,

I do plan on calling. It's not a huge problem (just don't want it to grow) as this is just a "house light", my son is two so his light has never left the house let alone left in a car but that makes sense with the heat and such.

I'll probably be calling later today to get this squared away.

Thanks again, all.

 

[Belstaff1464]

Judging from the color of anodize I would bet it's an older HDS EDC series

Thanks for that. It's a ***** being colour blind !!! I though it may have been the lighting.