Solarforce Masterpiece (MCE) issues

[mtnkid85]

Hello gang,

Im having some isssues with my Masterpiece MC-E light that I bought in ~2009. So its a couple years old, has seen a fair bit of use but not overuse, never "abused".

Last time I used it I noticed it slowly got very dim, as if the batteries had died. So I recharged batteries tried again- still dim. These are my white Solarforce 3.7v 2400mAh which came with the light.

Ok, so I tried another set of Blue Trustfire 2500mAh batteries I had- same results.
Lastly I had just recieved a brand new set of Gray Trustfire 2400mAh batteries- again same results still dim. And all these batteries work in my other lights just fine.

So I dont think its battery related.

Next I swapped the tail switches around, all with the same result, still dim.

All of this has been happening over the course of a month or two, just as I have time to sit and tinker for a bit.

As time progressed the light was not only dim but it was flickering as well, as though something isnt properly grounding(???) If I would put a strong lateral force on the entire light; just with my hands, like your would break a piece of kindeling, the flickering would go away and it would flicker brighter or shine a steady still dim beam.

So I added a bit of dielecteric grease to all the threads on the head, body, and tail cap. Still no difference.

And now today it is completely dead, no dim light, no flickering, nothing.

So any ideas?
Could someone get me a picture of the back side of there Masterpieces head, just so I could compare to mine, for obvious differences?

Is there supposed to be a spring to aid in battery contact on the head? I see the masterpiece "Pro-1" and "Pro-2" have springs, but I cant find a picture that shows if the original Masterpiece also should have these. (Mine does not)

Thanks for any suggestions and feel free to ask for any clarification,

 

[Nokoff]

hope this did not double post, it held a while....

The Masterpiece has only a solid positive battery contact post in place of a spring, no spring from the head. If you see an empty hole instead of the post coming down from the head then yours fell out. If it's still there then clean the cheap epoxy they apply at the factory off and reconnect it properly.

 

[mtnkid85]

Well, Ill be! That was the issue Nokoff, thank you.

The post was there, but I got to poken around with it and it popped right off. So I put a dab of dielectric grease on it set it back in there and she lit right up!
So how should I go about properly fixing it? Would soldering it be safe in there? Or some sort of epoxy?

Thanks again,

hope this did not double post, it held a while....

The Masterpiece has only a solid positive battery contact post in place of a spring, no spring from the head. If you see an empty hole instead of the post coming down from the head then yours fell out. If it's still there then clean the cheap epoxy they apply at the factory off and reconnect it properly.

 

[Nokoff]

no problem...

The post takes the place of a spring, and springs are usually soldered on..I'm not sure which other type of product would hold best.

Well, Ill be! That was the issue Nokoff, thank you.

The post was there, but I got to poken around with it and it popped right off. So I put a dab of dielectric grease on it set it back in there and she lit right up!
So how should I go about properly fixing it? Would soldering it be safe in there? Or some sort of epoxy?

Thanks again,

 

[mtnkid85]

Well, that didnt last long. It stayed working for a while then last weekend it died down again just like last time. So I finally went and got some solder and soldered the post back in nicely... and still nothing!

So that doesnt seem to have been the issue, now upon further investigation If I manually ground out the big brass(?) looking ring the LED is sitting on to the actual head/body of the light it lights up full power...

I cant seem to get it apart any further than just the glass and reflector being taken out. So I really cant investigate it any further?

Im wondering if I where to clean off a bit of the anno from inside the head, down next to the brass looking ring and put a spot of solder down between the two pieces to insure good contact? Seems this should be done further into the light, but I cant take it apart any further.

Ideas, comments?

 

[mtnkid85]

Just a little up date with this guy. Ive tinkered with it no avail, still wont light up.
So I emailed Solarforce just to see what they would say, asking if there were any problems they knew of, warrenty options, ect.

They said "For the light, i think its the led depreciated and becomce old"... LOL

Then told me it would be too expensive to ship it back and that I should just buy the new Pro-2 Masterpiece for 50 dollars. Which was about the response I was expecting.

So anyone have any experience on pulling the LED and soldering a new one in?

 

[^Gurthang]

Its probably NOT the LED that faulty, its the connection between the post and the driver. Does the base [back end] of the reflector assembly have any sort of ring w/ two holes drilled into it?? If so that is the retainer which can be unscrewed so you can remove the LED & driver assembly [pill]. OTOH, if it's like the original Xenon bulb turbo head then the "pill" is a threaded insert that may have some sort of thread locker on it. If so it makes removal VERY difficult.