The Glowing L2

TorchEnvy

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
79
Location
Central Iowa
I was playing with my SF L2 a little while ago. I've only had it a couple of weeks, and probably have less than 20 minutes on its original batteries.

I shot it at the ceiling and it kinda flickered and went out. I tightened the tailcap all the way and nothing. Then I noticed the LED was baaaarely glowing lime green, kind of like a really bright tritium vial on a handgun.

I'm thinking, what's the deal, are the original batteries messed up? Of course, I had visions of the cells going nuclear on me, so I took them out and tried a fresh set. Same glowing LED. Then, I happened to grasp it by the front bezel and it started working intermittently. I tightened it a bit and it seems that was the culprit. But, in total I really only tightened the front bezel a tiny fraction of a turn. I mean, almost to the point of being an inperceptible turn.

So, my question is, should the front bezel be this sensitive to completing the circuit? Is there something obvious this newbie can inspect to ensure greater it's-gonna-work-when-I-grab-it reliability with out twisting the bezel?

I put the original batteries back in and it seems fine.

Thanks!
 

Bullzeyebill

Flashaholic
Joined
Feb 21, 2003
Messages
12,164
Location
CA
That the bezel moved at all is a mystery. Have you removed or loosed the bezel before?

Bill
 

The Porcupine

Enlightened
Joined
Nov 22, 2005
Messages
303
Location
Denmark
Just tried loosening the KL1 head on my E1L and it does the same thing. It has to be tightened completely to complete the circuit.
 

TorchEnvy

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Jun 21, 2006
Messages
79
Location
Central Iowa
Bullzeyebill said:
That the bezel moved at all is a mystery. Have you removed or loosed the bezel before?

Bill

I hadn't played with that bezel at all since receiving the light. Perhaps it was ever-so-slightly loose from transit, shipping, etc.

I was just surprised that there was this accidental "intermediate" amount of contact in the head that, while technically completing the circuit, only did so with enough integrity to allow the LED to glow rather than run normally.

Perhaps I should carefully remove the head and put it back on. Maybe that would "settle things in" a bit.

Porcupine, that makes me feel better hearing that the behavior can be duplicated.
 

Long John

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 16, 2006
Messages
2,307
Location
Spain, near Cadiz
Hello TorchEnvy:)

When you screwed up the head, clean the threads with contact cleaner (alcohol) at the body and head.

Best regards

_____
Tom
 

Frank Maddix

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Mar 14, 2006
Messages
195
Location
Bristol, England
Further observation:
Pressing the conductive ends of the barrel on kitchen roll and turning reveals a VERY black mark. This on a fairly new L2.
I think this stuff builds up all the time.
There is also a fairly indirect path from battery end to LED, via 2 sets of contacts.
So LongJohn's advice re. the alcohol is good. Note: Vodka works just as well...
 
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