Streamlight ProPolymer Luxeon 4AA problems

[Dorkwheeler]

Update Still having problems. I dont know what they did but it still has issues. Not too happy with this light.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Niether my 7LED or LUX 4AAs have had any problem with batteries or switches.

I even shook them pretty hard with them on, and no flickering or anything.

 

[Far_Field]

I have one Lux and one 7Led. Neither has given me any problems, although I do not use them daily. To fix the battery rattle, I use a plastic straw cut to the length of two AA's and slit the entire length and inserted between the batteries and case. Also works for the PT40.

 

[ringzero]

To fix the battery rattle, I use a plastic straw cut to the length of two AA's and slit the entire length and inserted between the batteries and case. Also works for the PT40.

Thanks Far_Field.

The plastic straw seems like a better idea than my suggestion of thin cardboard. I'll give it a try.

 

[NewBie]

Does anyone have problems with this light? Sometimes it fails to turn on and has to shaken/hit to work. I already took it back to Streamlight for repair and it is acting up again. Not too impressed with the reliability of this light.

Sorry to hear it doesn't work even after repair.

It is starting to sound like it is time to seek a refund.

 

[jezzyp]

My father in law has had a problem with the one I bought him. I have loaded it twice with battery station lithiums and twice he had complained that it doesn't work. I have twice found one out of the 4 batterys to read 0V, the rest read 1.6V. I have switched to Energiser lithiums in it but he has reported it doesn't work yet again!
I've had a good search on here but can't find any solution - is it the propoly, the battery station lithiums or my father-in-law...

 

[Handlobraesing]

Have you tried different batteries? Certain batteries cause the problem you're describing in my unit.

There is some wiggle room where negative end of the battery touches the head and a battery with small negative contact becomes intermittent from not being able to make a good contact with the negative contact ring.

It is ring shaped rather than flat to prevent the circuit from being completed if the batteries are installed incorrectly.

 

[jezzyp]

Here are some pics of my batteries.
The one on the left is a Kirkland (duracell??) and on the right is a battery station AA lithium.
Is it the ring on the base of the batterystation one that causes the problem??

 

[eebowler]

Mine gives trouble regularly to come on. I can't return it though because I did attempt to open the head assembly once (or twice).

 

[chevrofreak]

Here are some pics of my batteries.
The one on the left is a Kirkland (duracell??) and on the right is a battery station AA lithium.
Is it the ring on the base of the batterystation one that causes the problem??

Likely. I too have had problems with the light not wanting to turn on all the time when certain cells were in it. I'm not positive which cells it was, but I believe they may have been Rayovac. The Rayovacs have a small diameter negative contact too.

If you would rather be able to run any cells in it, you could solder a small wire across the center of the negative contact ring on the LED module, or perhaps fold part of the ring in toward the center of the circle. You would lose part of the reverse polarity protection though. Both contacts have some form of reverse polarity protection, but the one for the positive side counts on the negative contact of the cell not being able to go far enough into the hole to make contact with the pin.

 

[PlayboyJoeShmoe]

Energizer ALKs are in my 7LED and Rayovac ALKs are in my LUX and no problems with either one.

I might just mess with that negative contact anyway... just as a precaution!

 

[EvilLithiumMan]

I modded my 4AA a couple of months ago to accept a 18650 Li-Ion cell. This included using a rat tail file to enlarge the battery compartment. It took hours and I hit the spring / switchplate assembly 100's of times. When the mod was complete, I discovered the switch no longer came on. The switch uses the unreliable method (IMO) of using an pressed eyelet / rivet crimped over the round wire of the battery springs. I took a small blade screw driver, placed it on each eyelet and gave each a good rap with a hammer. The switch has not failed to operate since.

By the way, 3 or 4 years ago there was a popular model of a 3AA-to-D cell adapter that used the same method of establishing contact. It was plagued with high resistance / open connection issues. I ended up purchasing a dozen of them just get three that worked properly.

 

[Handlobraesing]

Here are some pics of my batteries.
The one on the left is a Kirkland (duracell??) and on the right is a battery station AA lithium.
Is it the ring on the base of the batterystation one that causes the problem??

If the battery station cell is causing a problem, change just the cell that touches the negative ring with a battery that is known to work properly just to pinpoint the cause.

This is common sense, but I'm going to say that don't run the light like that longer than necessary to troubleshoot it.

 

[jezzyp]

Thanks for advice - Gives me a few ideas to investigate.

 

[guntotin_fool]

My guys have four or five of them now, they like them, never complained abuot any not working. we use rechargables NiMh in ours, they are bigger and never rattle in the body.

 

[VF1Jskull1]

mine hasn't had a problem yet... still on original set of batteries.... i put an index card (cut to size) inside to wrap prevent battery rattle.

 

[Ilikeshinythings]

I encountered this problem the second day I had the light. I did the afformentioned on/off solution about 100 presses straight and I haven't had a single problem since. I would never throw the light away because of that problem. You get what you pay for, and this light is incredible for the price! I love it because I can beat the living hell out of it and I am not afraid of it breaking...cause even if it snapped into a million pieces I would only be out like 30 bucks. Love the light...can't complain...but I really miss my X03 .