eebowler
Flashlight Enthusiast
Hey guys. This is a rant/question.
Got my first crees on Friday (from DX). Waited two months for them. Eagerly waited two months to mod a Nuwai 3C LED light. Soldered the LED in, put it on, there was light, there was smoke, (it looked like it was coming from the LED) unscrewed tailcap to take it off (since pressing the switch would cycle through medium-> low->off). Examined LED and saw nothing wrong. Put it back on, smoke was less, smoke was shortly gone, tried to change levels (via switch), NOTHING! Took out module, reinserted it, light still would not change levels or turn off. :sick2: $100 gone down the drain.... :sick2: ($100= Light and rechargeable kit option from amondotech + shipping + shipping2+tax and duties=the most I ever spent on a single light.)
The module always had that familar, nasty, burnt electronics smell but I never bothered to investigate since the light came that way and performed as it should (even after over 10 hrs on high). I just figured it naturally smelt like that.
I thought the smoke was coming from the LED (it really looked so,) but upon investigation of the circuit board, i found TWO burnt out transistors (G41120 and E48?J). We don't have SMD anything here so I can't replace the parts. What a pain in the a$$! Now, the flashlight is in DD mode and the only way to take it off is by unscrewing the tailcap. Is there by chance any driver which can give me 3 brightness levels with 3.6V battery source?
Other examples: Made a bike light with a Nichia Jupiter and a Micropuck. Heatsinked it well but the LED failed in less than 3 months.
My first attempt at building a minipro III almost failed because I broke one of the legs of the IC. A little piece was left which I was able to attach a single strand of multicore wire to but, months later when I attempted to 'neaten up' the soldering job, the leg broke off completely. :doh: (Yes, yes, I know, if it ent broke, don't fix it.)
Maybe I shorted something out, maybe there was a fault in the circuit board initially but anyhow you look at it, my mod flopped. What about you? What mods have you attempted that failed for one reason or another?
eebowler
Got my first crees on Friday (from DX). Waited two months for them. Eagerly waited two months to mod a Nuwai 3C LED light. Soldered the LED in, put it on, there was light, there was smoke, (it looked like it was coming from the LED) unscrewed tailcap to take it off (since pressing the switch would cycle through medium-> low->off). Examined LED and saw nothing wrong. Put it back on, smoke was less, smoke was shortly gone, tried to change levels (via switch), NOTHING! Took out module, reinserted it, light still would not change levels or turn off. :sick2: $100 gone down the drain.... :sick2: ($100= Light and rechargeable kit option from amondotech + shipping + shipping2+tax and duties=the most I ever spent on a single light.)
The module always had that familar, nasty, burnt electronics smell but I never bothered to investigate since the light came that way and performed as it should (even after over 10 hrs on high). I just figured it naturally smelt like that.
I thought the smoke was coming from the LED (it really looked so,) but upon investigation of the circuit board, i found TWO burnt out transistors (G41120 and E48?J). We don't have SMD anything here so I can't replace the parts. What a pain in the a$$! Now, the flashlight is in DD mode and the only way to take it off is by unscrewing the tailcap. Is there by chance any driver which can give me 3 brightness levels with 3.6V battery source?
Other examples: Made a bike light with a Nichia Jupiter and a Micropuck. Heatsinked it well but the LED failed in less than 3 months.
My first attempt at building a minipro III almost failed because I broke one of the legs of the IC. A little piece was left which I was able to attach a single strand of multicore wire to but, months later when I attempted to 'neaten up' the soldering job, the leg broke off completely. :doh: (Yes, yes, I know, if it ent broke, don't fix it.)
Maybe I shorted something out, maybe there was a fault in the circuit board initially but anyhow you look at it, my mod flopped. What about you? What mods have you attempted that failed for one reason or another?
eebowler
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I'm so jealous. I loved this light so much. :mecry:
then try again.
