What's wrong with my Fenix L1D & every other light I have? Bad contact?

[Beckler]

I have two Fenix L1D's and am thinking of an LD01 now, but hesitate until I figure this out. Here's the issue. Both L1D's, and seemingly EVERY other flashlight I've ever had (2D maglite, mini mags, etc), works at first, but quite soon, let's say a few days of intermittent use, begins flickering uncontrollably. For example my L1D here is fine in low, but can't even hold med. or high setting without flickering and if I touch the head, it will usually drop back down to low. Screw the head down and turbo does work normally. Obviously this is a contact issue, but why isn't this discussed much? Am I the only one who notices it? They can't possibly work this badly can they? It happens with all batteries, every time.

I do try thoroughly cleaning all the contacts, threads, and battery terminals. The light then does work much better, but it's still not quite solid, and within a short time the flickering begins again. How can the contact design/materials be this bad? How can I have for example a tv remote, also using 1 AA battery, that never seems to have contact issues? Is everyone overhauling their light every time they change the batteries as a matter of course? I'm really tired of my lights never working!

 

[Databyter]

In some Fenix lights flickering is on purpose to let you know you have a low battery that needs charge.

Example P3d

I don't know if yours have this feature, what kind of batteries are you using in them?

 

[Beckler]

AFAIK mine doesn't have that feature. Right now I'm using a fairly new Eneloop and have tried other NiMh's as well. This isn't some regular pulsing though, it's just random, clearly "bad-contact" flicker...

 

[jimbo231]

Have you checked for ghosts in the house?:candle:

 

[Ragiska]

what are you using to clean and lube?

 

[Beckler]

I've used alcohol to clean and also something called 'deoxit' to clean/lube. Is there something else I should use? Also, if others have seen this problem, are there other lights that don't have the problem?

 

[Flying Turtle]

Perhaps the tail switch in the Fenix needs its retaining ring tightened and/or the contacts in the switch cleaned. Sounds like you're doing the right thing using alcohol and deoxit.

Geoff

 

[joe001]

I have been experiencing the same problem. Any pressure on the joint between the head and body results in the mode changing to low. When the pressure is relieved, sometimes it goes back to high, sometimes it stays low.
There are no problems when the head is screwed all the way down for turbo.
Like you, when I clean and lube, things work fine for a day or so and then the problems return. I use Eneloops- even fresh ones result in the problem.
I have also swapped the tailcap with an E20 and still have the issues- so not sure if it is a retaining ring issue.

 

[burntoshine]

Have you checked for ghosts in the house?:candle:

there are no haunted places, only haunted people.

 

[leeleefocus]

When cleaning all the contacts pay as much attention to the tail cap assembly as you do with the head assembly.

My tail cap has been stripped and pro gold added to the contacts including the internals of the switch. Pro gold on all the contacts at the head end with acception to the threads which i use fully synthetic motor oil on for super smooth opperation and it seems to double up as a very good anti oxidant and contact conditioner.

With this routine my fenix L2D-CE only needs rebuilding every 6 months with a normal usage for me of about 3-10 times daily. I normally depleet my Eneloops on a weekly basis.

Hopefully it is just a contact issue because with the correct clean and rebuild routine it should go for months without needing rebuilding.

 

[Beckler]

I've tightened the retaining ring before. What's this Pro gold you mention? I can't find my deoxit. And motor oil? Maybe I'll try that on the threads.

 

[jimbo231]

It's weird that it happened to all your lights and their all different models and makes.:thinking:

 

[leeleefocus]

http://store.caig.com/s.nl/sc.2/category.292/.f

They appear to have changed the name of it. I can tell you this stuff is as good as all the hype that goes with it.

Here is an example of why i use this stuff.
Long time ago i bought a bunch of L1P's but one was very dim. I owned a light meter so took some readings and sure enough it was well down on output. I cleaned the light with a solvent on all the contacts and relubed the light and hey presto the light was equal to all the others. I started to hear rumours about the Deoxit and Progold and was a little bit sceptical about everyone saying how good it was. I thought i would give it a go as i could get some cheap at the time. When it arrived i thought i would put it to the test on my originally sick L1P. First i cleaned and lubed the light as i did before and checked the output which was decent as expected. Then gave it the Deoxit then Progold treatment and 17% improvement on my original attempts to clean the light.

Not every light i treated see's an improvement in output but they either are the same or better than before and the contacts seem to go for a very long time before they need to be treated again. I don't know if there is anything better on the market now but i still use the stuff on anything in the house with an electrical contact. I even fixed my electric ketal with it.

 

[1anrm]

What charger are you using for your nimh? (make/model) what is your charging habit? a tv battery barely pulls power off a battery compared to a high powered light. I'm thinking it's possible your charger might be killing your nimh since you mentioned that it's happening to all your other lights.