Thought I found a gen 2 Inova X1....

[mikekoz]

My wife and I were at Target today, and like always, I head to the flashlight section. Tucked behind the rest of the Inova X1's was one with a packaging that did not say "2 watt" on it. I looked at the front of the light, and indeed, it is an older version of the X1. It would not turn on, but I figured the battery was just dead. When I got it home I could not get the cap off, and I knew what had happened....the battery had leaked. Sure enough that is what I found when I was finally able to get the battery cap off :scowl:. I am disappoined as I heard this version of the X1 had about 5X the runtime of the current version. Oh, and this battery is stuck in here for life since I can not get to the other side of it since this light does not have a way of unscrewing the head. If any of you know a secret on getting a leaked alkaline out of this light, I am all ears. As of now, I guess my only real option is to take it back to Target :mecry:.

Mike

 

[Sgt. LED]

Long shot here but you could still try to freeze pop it.

Open it up underwater and shake out all the air. While still underwater seal the tailcap back on. Throw it in your freezer.
Slowly thaw and repeat a bunch of times.
The amount of water you can get in there with a battery still in place may not be able to expand enough to pop the head out of the light but then again it just might. You have a totally dead light right now so what do you have to loose? Inova will just send you back the ruined V3 anyway.

Give it a try! Or you could send it to me and I'll try.

 

[mikekoz]

Long shot here but you could still try to freeze pop it.

Open it up underwater and shake out all the air. While still underwater seal the tailcap back on. Throw it in your freezer.
Slowly thaw and repeat a bunch of times.
The amount of water you can get in there with a battery still in place may not be able to expand enough to pop the head out of the light but then again it just might. You have a totally dead light right now so what do you have to loose? Inova will just send you back the ruined V3 anyway.

Give it a try! Or you could send it to me and I'll try.

I appreciate the advice and offer, but I think I will just return it to Target. Chances are the battery acid has destroyed the electronics in the light anyway. It would not be worth returning to Inova either way as the light was only $20.00.

Mike

 

[Sgt. LED]

I bet ya the acid is not in the head........

The freeze pop doesn't hurt the electronics at all and the light is in the package with it's head up isn't it?
:shrug:

 

[kramer5150]

Its toast. I don't think freeze-popping would work. The principle relies on sufficient volume of water inside the light such that it expands when freezing. The water expansion is what pushes out the bezel. If theres insufficient water inside the light then theres no "pop"... just freeze.

It might be worth your while to go back and see if they have more. Its a good little light, just don't drop it

 

[Sgt. LED]

:mecry:

I just hate giving up on something not made anymore. Ah well RIP dear X1 V2, you never got to lead someone through the darkness but you did spark a thread and some thought.

 

[mikekoz]

I see old Inovas hanging on pegs in Target all the time. Most of the time I am looking for the more recent version and get frustrated when all I see is the old models :sigh:. I will keep my eyes open for one and who knows, maybe I will get lucky! If not, maybe somebody will have one for sale at some point in the marketplace. The other reason I am giving up on this one is it looks like the acid has eaten into the metal under the battery cap and parts of it appear to be corroded away. Thank you anyway all of you!:twothumbs

Mike

 

[defloyd77]

Got a good magnet?

 

[mikekoz]

I must be living right!! I was in another Target here in Raleigh and low and behold, I find another gen 2 X1....and this one works!!!:thumbsup: No leaky battery!!:twothumbs What are the chances of something like this happening!!?? Although, now that I think of it, one of the Targets near here still had an old Inova X03 or X0 hanging on a peg a week ago!

Mike

 

[kramer5150]

I must be living right!! I was in another Target here in Raleigh and low and behold, I find another gen 2 X1....and this one works!!!:thumbsup: No leaky battery!!:twothumbs What are the chances of something like this happening!!?? Although, now that I think of it, one of the Targets near here still had an old Inova X03 or X0 hanging on a peg a week ago!

Mike

Congrats!! Its a wonderful little gem. TypeIII anodize, USA-made, LOOOONG run times. Just don't drop it and you'll be OK. Its a drop and kind of design. I was able to freeze-pop it and get it to work once again, but after a couple weeks of happy use its now turned into a random strobe.

RIP Inova X1V2

 

[mikekoz]

Interesting version of this light. The gen 2 does not have as much spill as the gen 3, but has a slightly brighter hotspot. The beam is not as smooth, but who cares. If I get 5X the runtime out of a single AA, I will be happy! Has anybody tried lithiums or oxyride's in these??

Mike

 

[GarageBoy]

Any substitute for this light?

 

[kramer5150]

Any substitute for this light?

That new leatherman looks interesting, and theres always the gerber IU, fenix E01 and Arc if you are willing to put out the $$$, although the gerber is the only one thats AA.

I submitted a request for a AA version fenix E01 when I filed in their customer survey.:twothumbs

 

[Black Rose]

I submitted a request for a AA version fenix E01 when I filed in their customer survey.:twothumbs

So did I.

Would be a great light if they'd make it.

 

[Burgess]

Me too !


Great minds think alike.

:twothumbs
_

 

[kramer5150]

If you dont mind the 1xAAA route theres the gerber tempo, although quality is hit or miss so local B&M is your safest route. There are non-aspheric versions of the Dorcy AAA floating around.