Ugly light advice needed

[OS74]

I've just received one Ugly Light ordered from DX. I couldn't resist buying one as I wanted to check out how it really worked and it's fairly cheap.

However, as far as I can tell its DOA. With batteries installed, I get nothing when turning the magnetic switch around(Maybe I'm just stupid and missing something). And I've also tried with other thrust-fire batteries I had lying around with the same disappointing result.

So any suggestion on what can be wrong and if it is DIY fixable, experiences?

I've contacted DX, but I have my doubts about how their return policy would work in practice. So far They've suggested me to read on their forum


Cheers
//O

 

[gcbryan]

You can return it no problem. They are slow however. They always first suggest you post first in the user forum since that takes care of some problems.

Next they will give you an address in Miami (if you are in the US) to return the light to. They will credit you for the shipping and will send you another one once they receive that one. That will take a while since it will be coming from HK and will have to be ordered again from their suppliers.

They may only respond to your email every 5 days or so. You will get frustrated (I do at least) but they will send you another one.

However, make sure that is necessary. If you have some CR123's around use 4 of those to eliminate any battery issues.

Take it apart and look for any loose connections etc.

If you don't want to mess with it just send it back. Otherwise, you will probably have a little trouble getting the head or bezel off as they seem to use Loctite. This washes off after several dives. You can just boil some water and put the head in for a minute. This should loosen up the Loctite and allow you to take things apart.

It's probably either a battery issue or a loose solder connection somewhere. If it isn't obvious after taking things apart and tightening anything that needs it just send it back.

This is actually not common. Most do work right out of the box. Flooding due to the spring issue and dimming at depth only with the supplied batteries and no others have been the main issues.

Generally, once you deal with any initial problem they end up being good and stable lights. I can imagine how frustrating it is to have this happen right out of the box before you are even able to see how bright it is.

I had a XP-G light fry right in front of me after putting in the batteries for the first time.

Be sure to post back here after trying out different batteries and taking things apart.

 

[OS74]

Thanks,

I wonder if they have the same return address arrangement in Europe too. If it was one of the cheaper $20 flashlights I wouldn't bother sending it back.

I wouldn't like to ruin it any further if I end up having to send it back, so they would claim I've tampered with it. However I did try to unscrew the head and bezel by hand, but the locktite may explain why that did not work. You recon they would give any grief if I did cook and open it?

About the batteries, I'll double check but they worked each separately with another single cell P/ DX flashlight. I recon they go in + first with the spring in the end cap to the negative, right?

However, make sure that is necessary. If you have some CR123's around use 4 of those to eliminate any battery issues.


Take it apart and look for any loose connections etc.

If you don't want to mess with it just send it back. Otherwise, you will probably have a little trouble getting the head or bezel off as they seem to use Loctite. This washes off after several dives. You can just boil some water and put the head in for a minute. This should loosen up the Loctite and allow you to take things apart.

It's probably either a battery issue or a loose solder connection somewhere. If it isn't obvious after taking things apart and tightening anything that needs it just send it back.

Cheers
/O

 

[gcbryan]

Thanks,

I wonder if they have the same return address arrangement in Europe too. If it was one of the cheaper $20 flashlights I wouldn't bother sending it back.

I wouldn't like to ruin it any further if I end up having to send it back, so they would claim I've tampered with it. However I did try to unscrew the head and bezel by hand, but the locktite may explain why that did not work. You recon they would give any grief if I did cook and open it?

About the batteries, I'll double check but they worked each separately with another single cell P/ DX flashlight. I recon they go in + first with the spring in the end cap to the negative, right?



Cheers
/O

Yes, they might have a local European address.

It sounds like it's not the batteries. I don't think you would get any grief regarding opening the bezel. I wouldn't cut the spring (I've heard they may have even fixed that issue) if you need to send it back.

If it's some soldered connection that's come loose on the driver board you aren't going to see that without desoldering the boards (there are two stacked) and I wouldn't get that far into things if you are going to send it back.

It is possible it's something simple but without taking it apart somewhat and testing and eliminating various things you aren't going to know.

If it were me I'd find a way to get the bezel off and just check the obvious things. If that didn't correct anything I'd just send it back.

 

[OS74]

Thanks for the advice. I did end up trying to recharge the batteries once more based on your advice, and it works!

Embarrassing, apparently i had a one faulty cell after all, that I managed to use in all permutations of battery pairs i tested with. When charging the new batteries overnight, it worked.

So yet to test it under water. I noticed that the bezel is not flush to the lamp head all around. Either it or the threads are not straight, or it is cross-threaded. Have you seen this in your lamps also?

I've seen complaints about the orings, but the sillicon(?) orings seem to sit quite tight at the end cap of this light, so maybe they have changed to thicker types, or is the complaint about the quality?


Cheers
/O

 

[gcbryan]

Thanks for the advice. I did end up trying to recharge the batteries once more based on your advice, and it works!

Embarrassing, apparently i had a one faulty cell after all, that I managed to use in all permutations of battery pairs i tested with. When charging the new batteries overnight, it worked.

So yet to test it under water. I noticed that the bezel is not flush to the lamp head all around. Either it or the threads are not straight, or it is cross-threaded. Have you seen this in your lamps also?

I've seen complaints about the orings, but the sillicon(?) orings seem to sit quite tight at the end cap of this light, so maybe they have changed to thicker types, or is the complaint about the quality?


Cheers
/O

I'm glad it was just the batteries. The leaking that has occurred has been because the o-ring at the bezel wasn't fully compressed (which sounds like what you are talking about).

In that case, the fix has been to take the bezel off, take the reflector/led assembly out so you can get to the spring that makes contact with the battery.

This spring is generally too long to allow the o-ring to fully compress. You need to cut one complete coil off of the spring. The o-ring should fully compress after that.

The o-rings at the tail are fine as far as size and I haven't replaced them. People who talk about them are just talking about the quality. They are soft and if you aren't careful every time you screw the tail cap back on you could nick one.

 

[OS74]

I'm glad it was just the batteries. The leaking that has occurred has been because the o-ring at the bezel wasn't fully compressed (which sounds like what you are talking about).

In that case, the fix has been to take the bezel off, take the reflector/led assembly out so you can get to the spring that makes contact with the battery.

This spring is generally too long to allow the o-ring to fully compress. You need to cut one complete coil off of the spring. The o-ring should fully compress after that.

I suppose the bezel is either slightly wobbly or cross threaded. So if I get you right it is probablt watertight, but may leak under pressure? I'm considering just trying it in the sink first. To get bezel and head off then the recommendation is to heat it in hot water to get the loctite to dissolve first, right?

looking into the tube & head , I see only a pad on the circuit board where the +on the battery makes contact. The spring to be cut, is that between reflector and pill on the other side or have they change the design? The only spring pushing on the batteries is in the tailcap.

Cheers
O

 

[gcbryan]

I suppose the bezel is either slightly wobbly or cross threaded. So if I get you right it is probablt watertight, but may leak under pressure? I'm considering just trying it in the sink first. To get bezel and head off then the recommendation is to heat it in hot water to get the loctite to dissolve first, right?

looking into the tube & head , I see only a pad on the circuit board where the +on the battery makes contact. The spring to be cut, is that between reflector and pill on the other side or have they change the design? The only spring pushing on the batteries is in the tailcap.

Cheers
O

Testing in fresh water in the sink is fine. Fresh water wouldn't be a problem to clean up even if it did leak.

Heat should dissolve the Loctite so yes, you are correct.

If there is no spring around the heatsink then they either left it off of yours or the design has been changed.

The design change may have been just to leave the spring off.

The battery + contact has always been to a copper pad in the center of the circuit board but there was a large spring around the copper heatsink that maintained contact with the tube sides and served to apply force to keep battery contact with the circuit board.

If there is no spring, and you tighten the bezel to the point where the o-ring is compressed...it shouldn't leak.