Stupidist question ever - wf500?

7cfm

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Oct 18, 2006
Messages
15
OK, I'm embarrassed to ask this, I've now got my WF500, the 2 x 18650s charged and in the torch ready to go, but how the heck do you switch it on?? :shrug:
 
Isn't there a switch on the light? If not a button, then a twistable tail? If that doesn't work, have you check to see that the batteries are facing the right way? Finally, does it look like the positive and negative sides of the batteries will be able to make contact with each other? Sometimes, the wrappers of Li-ion batteries will rise far enough above the contact points of the battery that they just won't touch. Some people try sanding the wrapper a tad, others use magnets (and others also advice against this), and then there are special magnet adaptive spacers created by Milkyspit, I believe, that let you use the magnet safely. (safely, meaning the magnets won't slip off to the side (touching the body), bridging the connection between the positive and negative currents and shorting out the light (at the least).)
 
After playing for a while I think its the battery problem you've mentioned, I'll have to do some research to find which of the solutions you've suggested I'll use, I'm a tad nervous of lithium batteries.
 
After playing for a while I think its the battery problem you've mentioned, I'll have to do some research to find which of the solutions you've suggested I'll use, I'm a tad nervous of lithium batteries.

afaik, it has a push button momentary on / twist down constant-on.

what kind of 18650s are you using? not sure about MS, but as Trashman suggested, check out the leef safety magnet...if your batteries are not making proper contact with each other. have the batts tested good in another light?

if they are (making contact) you might have a bad bulb.

-dl
 
Also, if you're using protected 18650's, it could be the protection circuit kicking in on startup. The WF500 draws a lot of current on startup (like most high-powered incans), and many times that will trip the overcurrent protection of one of the batteries. Many times a quick double click on the switch (or double twist) will allow it to come on. If you're using AW's newer protected 18650's, this shouldn't apply, as the overcurrent protection is set at a higher current level on those batteries.

If your batteries are the protected kind, take them out of the light and place them in the charger for a few seconds. This will reset any protections that may have kicked in for whatever reason. Put them back in the light and while looking at the bulb, twist the light on for just a split second. If the protection is kicking in, often you will see the filament glow faintly and then go out. If you see this, try twisting it on and off rapidly. As mentioned above, this "double-clicking" often works.
 
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I've done some testing and the problem is definitely the battery contacts, I've ordered some magnets on Ebay so will try again when they arrive, many thanks for your replies.
 
not sure about MS, but as Trashman suggested, check out the leef safety magnet.


It's probably the Leef safety magnet that I'm thinking of.


Also, as a previous poster mentioned, a double click may be necessary. Do you even get a teenie tiny flash of light? If so, a double click may be necessary.
 
I'm pretty sure its the magnet thing, I'm using AW protected so I should be OK, I also tried the batteries in a wf502d with the same result. I charged them last night on a WF139 and they appeared to charge OK, red flashing turned to green after about 2 hours and I rested them for a couple of hours before trying them to avoid instaflash. I'll post back when the magnets arrive, they are gold plated 1/8" type, as soon as lighthound has the safety magnets back in stock I'll replace with those, as I mentioned I'm quite wary of lithium batteries.
 
The magnets arrived this morning and everything now works as it should, easy when you know how :)
 
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