Nuwai Q3 failure??

My trusty Nuwai Q3 seems to have died, though it's failure mode is puzzling!!

When it is turned on it comes on and then rapidly dims in a few seconds. Turning off and on, it comes on for less time and dims again till no light comes out.

Removing the rear switch assembly and then connecting the battery to the case produces the same result, only the light comes on for a much shorter time before dimming.

This would suggest that something is up with the switch.... could it be that it is shorting the battery across the LED, which is getting too hot and then dimming.

I do not think I did anything silly with the switch, so I am puzzled. I believe that this light has a circuit for current control and so I am not sure what the fixing options are, apart from buying a replacement.

Any suggestions?? Any suggestions on a suitable and robust replacement.

Cheers


PEter

Have you tried a new battery? This may be obvious, but your posting didn't say.

If you bypassed the switch and it does the same thing, I don't see how that points to the switch (unless I read your post wrong...it's too early in the morning). The regulation circuit may have gone out. If so, and you're willing to spend some additional money, this would be a good time to replace the light engine with something from the sandwiche shoppe.

Go for the obvious. It's acting exactly like a drained/dead battery.Try a new batt. then get back with us. The test you did seems to have proved it.

Yeah, if you haven't tried a new cell, my guess is it's a bad cell causing the problem.

If you HAVE tried a new cell with the same results and it does something funky without the tailcap even being attached, then I'd assume something has gone wrong with the LED or some part of the circuit.

In essence, regarding the tailcap bypass test you did, I gather that it dims more slowly when testing with the tailcap in place, and dims much more quickly with the tailcap off and just shorting the - end of the battery to the body. This could be because the tailcap introduces some bit if resistance so whether the problem is with the cell or with the LED or circuit, this would be true.

The tailcap seems fine.

Please, do tell what you found.

Did a fresh one fix it up, or same thing?

Peace

IF

It was a dead battery. Strange as I had used it the day before with no problems and I am careful to ensure I always turn it off. I had assumed battery failure would creep up on me giving a dimming output, not the behaviour seen, must be the driver circuit.

Pity, I had 'feared' that I might 'have' to buy a new light.... seems like I will have to soldier on with the still very excellent (and not dead, even though I have abused the switch and dropped it many times) Nuwai Q3.

Cheers for the help..... should have tried the obvious first (but no batteries to hand).


PEterW

My Q3 just goes dim for days and days and days (did I mention many days?) when the battery goes low. It does flicker somewhat, but most just stays dim for days and days and days and....

You could've experienced something that many of us QIII owners have seen. With the original battery that came with my light the output went from decent to nothing from one moment to the next. With a different brand it slowly dimmed.

So far, I've had 3 batteries in my Q3, the original, a BatteryStation, and currently a Titanium. The original and BS both dimmed for a long time. I'll see what happens with the Titanium cell. I liked the original battery...I think it was a Panasonic. It looks identical to Streamlight batteries, which are likely made by Panasonic.