Need help with new U2 and Pilas

chetwynd

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Finally got my U2 in the mail, along with my Pila rechargebles (600P).

After 30 minutes of wrestling with the stupid plastic insert (and stabbing my hand with a screwdriver pretty badly), I finally got it out and can't get the light to work now. I have the battery in there correctly, but when I turn it on nothing happens.

Is this that thing I read about where I need to bend the spring on the head up a little bit to make contact with the battery?

OR?

THANKS!
 

greenLED

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chetwynd said:
Is this that thing I read about where I need to bend the spring on the head up a little bit to make contact with the battery?
Unless your batteries are dead, that usually does the trick. You only need to stretch a *tiny* little bit. You don't want to over do it and compress the cell.

You did test that the tailcap is working properly/is not locked out, right? I thought I had a broken U2 once, but the realized I hadn't tightened the tailcap completely. :stupid:
 

Topper

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Please try it with primary cells. I assume you got a charger with the Pila's so you might want to charge it up, they usally come with a little charge but charging it up might be a good thing.
Topper :)
 

chetwynd

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Will re-try...

Ok, one of the pila batteries works (i got two)...I had them charged...I guess they could have discharged over the past week but I dont know?

Works with primaries...

thanks for the help!
 

chetwynd

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Man, my primaries work, and one of the Pila batteries works, but the other doesn't. How could this be? They're both charged for sure. Guess I need to mess with the spring...
 

cheapo

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i'd say the less you mess with the spring the better.... i would just use a peice of aluminum foil to test it.

-David
 

Somy Nex

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the flat + end of the 18650s are unable to make contact with the short + end spring of the U2. In order to make contact you will have to pull out the spring a little bit.

alternatively you can use some sort of insert but that is highly not recommended because you can cause a short and blow your nifty new expensive light up, which is not good =P if you really want to go this way you'll have to find some way to secure the magnet or other insert such that it doesn't dislodge itself (and believe me it will) and cause potential problems :)
 

greenLED

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cheapo said:
i'd say the less you mess with the spring the better.... i would just use a peice of aluminum foil to test it.
Don't use aluminum foil as spacer! There is very little clearance between the contact surfaces (+ & -) in the head of the U2. Mess with aluminum foil and you risk a short. For the same reason, I don't recommend people use magnets either.

Like I said before, you only need to extend the spring a fraction of an inch. In principle, you shouldn't even touch it (or like cheapo said "the less you mess with the spring, the better"), but when things are not working a *little* tweaking might help.


Cheapo, I hate putting you in the spot light here, but make sure you double-check your facts/recommendations before sharing them. Once you get your U2, you'll see what I mean by "little clearance".
 

cheapo

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My fault.... but it has always worked for me. I dont understand how it could short.... can you explain that please?

-David
 

greenLED

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I don't understand how it's worked for you in the past if you don't have a U2 yet. I'm probably misunderstanding where you're recommending to place the aluminum foil (which I've used in the bottom of an ArcAAA tail, but that's a completely different story).

Like I said:
There is very little clearance between the contact surfaces (+ & -) in the head of the U2.
On the U2's head, the (+) contact spring is a fraction of an inch away from the outer contact ring (-). Anything sliding a little bit off center, and :poof: you'll have a short.
 

cheapo

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i just use aluminum foil on other lights when contact is lacking.

-David
 

greenLED

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...and that's OK in some lights (I've done it myself as a quick fix), but not on the U2's head, where it can create a short.
 
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