Inova X1 tailcap...

I recently purchase an Invoa X1 (the newer series with the clear lens) and have noticed that the rubber momentary on/off switch on the end of the tailcap is not very effective. It seems like you have to have the twistie tail-cap set to where it's almost in an "on" position and that it takes an awful lot of thumb pressure to activate it. I've noticed that if just press down the whole tail cap that it seems to work a little better but still get some flickering from poor contact unless the twisty is set only about a 1/8 turn from on. Do those of ya'll who have these have similar problems? If so, do you use the twistie for on/off mainly and not the momentary on button? I've cleaned the contacts and removed excess lube (in case good contact was being inhibited) but this doesn't seem to help at all. Or did I just get one with a bad switch off the shelf? Thanks...

BTW, I really like this little light...makes a good loose-inside-the-pocket EDC...I'm just a little aggravated with the switch

It appears that you got a 'typical' X1, mine has the same issues as yours...
see also: http://candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=115432&highlight=inova+tailcap

Mine also had this problem.

Flashlife...

Thanks for the link...Looks like it's not an isolated problem...Maybe I expected too much from a $20 light even though it's an Inova?

Same issue here, but since I never use momentary on features in most lights, I didn't think of it as much of a problem.

I tend to use mine in twisty mode because the threading is so nice. When I push the tailcap for momentary my thumb covers the whole cap, so it is never an issue. I would have preferred a pure twisty tailcap, and it would have been cheaper to produce.

greenlight said:

...........I would have preferred a pure twisty tailcap, and it would have been cheaper to produce.

Click to expand...

I agree, also a little shorter.

Here's another thread to checkout regarding X1 woes. Here's my "Tail of Woe".

I look at the X1's every time I'm at Target (1-3 times a month) and keep moving the last old style black X1 to the back of the rack in case I decide to buy it. I know it won't be there if decide to get it. He who hesitates gets burned.......

I have four new-style X1s, and have bought another 5 or so for gifts (and have checked out the tailcaps on them all), and can confirm there's a great variety of play in the tailcaps.

In this thread, I measured play in the tailcaps of several X1s.

I have found that my very earliest reflectored X1s have significant tailcap play, and the most recent ones are almost as good as the old optics-style.

I returned the worst ones back to Target (where they were purchased), and the last four or five I've bought have been nearly perfect.

I think the X1 is a great little light- just try to ensure you don't get any "first run" reflector versions.

I have the same problem with my new X1 from Target. I posted a nearly identical question over on the EDC Forums:

http://edcforums.com/index.php?topic=1046.0

For $19 it is one heckuva light! Finally, a use for all those tired AA cells laying around! :thumbsup:

I like the tailcap it works fine for me, great EDC.

As other's have stated, this behavior is pretty typical for X1's. This light has been the source of great ambivalence for me.

There's so much about this light to love: handy 1xAA form factor, the impeccable machining/build quality that Inova is known for, uses inexpensive/readily available batteries and a very high "coolness quotient" (especially for non-flashaholics). Even before it was released, on paper, it looked like it had all of the attributes needed to be an ideal EDC light for my purposes. When it was finally released and I got my hands on one, I couldn't help feel a bit disappointed.

Unlike most, I actually liked the peculiar pencil-thin beam of the original X1. What really kept me from toting the X1 around as my constant EDC was that infernal switch. Twist it in too far and you turn it on unintentionally, back it out too far and it's locked out. When you do find the "sweet spot" for the momentary action, it can't be used without noticable flickering. I just couldn't tolerate such a fickle switch on a light I rely on every day. What's really odd is that I know that Inova can make this type of switch work. Every X5 (X1 older, bigger brother) that I've every owned or handled has had an acceptable (if not stellar) momentary switching action. Externally, the X1 seems to have a scaled down version of the same switch. I can only assume that someone on the X1's design/manufacturing engineering staff dropped the ball somewhere along the line.

It's frustrating to see a fine light come so close to EDC perfection (at least in the <$20 range) only to falter on something that could've/should've been easily addressed. Even so, I own four of them (2 optic white, 1 optic green and 1 new reflectored version). I don't use them much but the sure are pretty.

I use my X1 every single day, multiple times a day, it is my EDC light and quite honestly, I could care less about the momentary on, I find it very easy to twist the light to on in my palm with my fingers and squezing the tailcap with my palm while manipulating. With a light this size, carrying it and pressing the momentary on is harder than twisting it for on personally, perhaps I have larger hands than some, but I find that harder to do quickly.

I had two X1s that occasionally flickered when activating the momentary, an old model in blue I traded for and a new model. The solution was interesting to say the least.

I found by experimentation that the old X1 cap and new X1 cap are interchangeable and that the older cap on the newer light and the newer cap on an older X1 worked both lights better than the original setup with no flicker at all. Not sure why, somehow they mated up better.

For $20 I find this to be one of the best small lights out there, great combo of brightness and runtime.

I'm surprised there are no aftermarket tailcaps for the X1, that convert it into a clickie... that would be ideal. I too recently bought one, and think its a great light, except for that annoying momentary on cap that doesn't seem to do much good.

supz said:

I'm surprised there are no aftermarket tailcaps for the X1, that convert it into a clickie...

Click to expand...

Actually, I'd love to see Inova provide an optional clickie- the clickies on their T1/T2/T3 are superb- my T3 has thousands of cycles on it and performs as great as it did when I first got it.

The switches of, both, my X1v1 (spot) and X1v2, behave somewhat differently than each other but each is mediocre at best. Each flickers when squeezed for momentary and has an inconsistently performing twistie, sometimes, not working at all with some batteries. Both X1s are excellent flashlights otherwise. As I prefer twisties w/momentary, I'd like to see Inova simply improve the current switch. The clickies of my Inova XO3 w/clickie and T1 are my best performing clickies so an X1 with a GOOD Inova clickie would be good too.

73
dim

Problems with momentary on could be some over-flow of anodizing on the body tube end -

This is from Post #49 from the Inova X1 Woes! thread.

The electrical contact is made via the tube end - which should be bare metal.

Sometimes there is some "overflow" of anodization - easier to see with a black model - but can still be quite easily seen even on the titanium color. If so, this could cause unreliable contact since the momentary depression can be from any orientation - and the inner contact plate may be hitting the non-conductive anodized part.

One can overcome this by using the momentary button more centrally and more firmly (smooth tubing compounds the difficulty), and perhaps not unscrewing/backing-off the tail-cap by quite as much, I found 1/2 turn a bit too much and would make the momentary unreliable - whereas about 3/8 turn would make it much easier.

Of course the better option is to sand/file off any anodizing on the tube end. I use a fine diamond sharpening stone and very lightly move the tube end evenly over its surface, examining often to check when all the anodizing is just removed.

When I'm sure all the anodizing is gone I then "polish" the tube end by rubbing on cardboard. Then make sure threads, O-ring, tube end and inside the body as well as the tail-cap contact plate are thoroughly clean, and lightly lube - before replacing the battery to use.
(note: over lubing is not only messy - but a lot of lubes are non-conductive so can cause bad contact problems.)

Just one other slight possibility worth checking - the battery end should protrude a bit from the body when the tailcap is off - there is the sprung "piston" +ve contact that pushes the battery so it protrudes a bit, make sure that the piston is functioning properly.

Hope some of this helps......

Some good suggestions by UnknownVT.

Also, you'll note that there is a rectangular/elliptical protrusion in the center of tailcap contact plate that's intended to make contact with the cell. Some brands of batteries tend to have weak (-) plates that will dimple, especially after a drop, but sometimes even with extended use, and fail to make good contact with the contact plate on the light.

Changing to a new cell might also solve a flickering problem.

I remedied the flickering problem of the momentary switch with judicious use of conductive grease (Penetrox, Ox-Gard, etc). Do not use silicone grease. Be sure there is no anodization on the end of the tube (when the tail cap is removed).

Just put a tiny dab on each end of the battery, and a thin film around the bottom end of the tube (the tube is an electrical pathway). No more flickering. I did the same on an X5 with similar results.

re: The tail switch.

The loose threading seems to be half of the switch function itself (intentional or otherwise). Initially it didn't really bother me and functioned acceptably after using the conductive grease. The problem comes about when I try pocket carry. I pulled the clip off another flashlight and put it on the X1 for pocket carry (reflector facing up). When I sit down, the light comes on. If I unscrew the switch enough to prevent accidental discharge, the momentary effectively becomes locked out.

Initially I wasn't to bothered by the switch. Now I consider it a design flaw. I still like the light and will continue to use it primarily in "twistie" mode. Inova should either improve the switch, or just get rid of it all together, providing a lower cost, smaller format, twistie version of the X1.

TR

What UnknownVT said. I sanded down the anodizing on the tailcap and it solved the flickering issue nicely. It's now one of my favorite lights.

Synergy said:

BTW, I really like this little light...makes a good loose-inside-the-pocket EDC...I'm just a little aggravated with the switch

Click to expand...

I've posted about this very thing before. I'm with you. I wish the X1 had a tailcap switch just like that found on the T2, etc.

They really ought to upgrade the model. It would make the X1 a great light instead of just a good one.


-Jeffrey