(More) Inova X1 questions

Hello, folks. I'm an intermittent reader here, but have never posted before. I sell a lot of the X1s to my co-workers on the Fire and Rescue Department that I work at- we like them because the beam is very focused and carries a long way. Now that they are making them with a wider beam, I'm looking for ways to keep the old ones running.

We sometimes have issues with the switches, which is apparently aggravated with battery wear or even size. The light needs to be jarred, tapped, or the battery changed to get it running again. Can anyone tell me how to repair or tune the switch inside?

Anyone know of a source or stockpile of the old, spotlight ones? How about a source for the holsters, which are no longer provided either?

Thanks for your help! Regan

I'm pretty sure the tailcaps are interchangeable between the two.


As a matter of fact I just swapped both of mine and they work just fine.

It sounds more like a need for more frequent battery contact cleaning than actual breakdowns. Use a pencil eraser to clean the pos. contact down in the battery tube and the neg. contact on the end cap. Also rub the end of the battery tube to remove any gunk. It's that end that contacts the inside of the end cap and completes the curcuit. Good luck.

Geoff

Yeah,if you have to tap it that usually means dirty contacts. I find the DeOxit and ProGold pens by CAIG at RadioShack invaluable for cleaning and keeping the contacts clean.

When I take mine apart I tend to file away at the plastic plunger parts to make them slide more easily. That may or may not work. Some of my lights need to be whacked to get them to start. I have a couple that just won't start at all. It's too bad, they're great lights.

I haven't tried shortening the battery tube by filing down the threads, but it would tighten the unit.

Have you tried a piece of aluminum placed in the tailcap?

Folks, I really appreciate the help. The two I have on hand, I took an ink pen eraser, and cleaned the positive contact down inside the light, and then cleaned the rim of the body of the light where the endcap/switch makes contact. I was convinced the problem was in the plunger down inside the light, since tinfoil in the tailcap did no good, but a small ball down in the positive end always worked (for a while). I took all the tinfoil out, cleaned everything up as you suggested, and both lights now work fine. I was stuck on cleaning the positive contact, until y'all suggested the pencil eraser.

Thanks again for your help. I'm still concerned that the new ones aren't as bright as the old ones at distance, just based on my subjective observation; has anyone compared the two a little more scientifically? (I can't get the search function here to accept "X1".) Anyone know where to find older ones, or have holsters or lights to sell/ trade?


Thanks again! Regan

I was just wondering, have you tested the E1L or E2L? Shuld work perfecly in smoke etc.
An has anyone found a source for the old X1 yet?

As for holsters, would Kydex holsters work?
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/108356
I know he can make custom orders.

Hey, Woodtroll, check out Flashlightreviews for Quickbeams analysis of both X1's. According to his testing the old X1 is marginally better for throw than the new one. Probably not enough to see with the eye. Here's a link.

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/inova_x1.htm

Geoff

I'm also interested in knowing if there's stores stocking the old style. I use the original X1 for eye exams. The beam is perfect because no light is going into the other eye.

I prefer this light over the disposable variety, or the more expensive incans. I have one X1, but I'd prefer to have a backup for my collection that doesn't actually get used in the field.

Woodtroll wrote: "I was convinced the problem was in the plunger down inside the light, since tinfoil in the tailcap did no good, but a small ball down in the positive end always worked (for a while).
I'm still concerned that the new ones aren't as bright as the old ones at distance, just based on my subjective observation; has anyone compared the two a little more scientifically?"

Sometimes the problem could be intermittent contact between the tailcap switch plate and the flashlight battery tube end. Being small the tailcap switch may be difficult for some and unless one always ensures pressure is applied centrally and evenly - the contact plate in the tailcap may only be making partial contact with the tube-end.

Now this normally would not be much of a problem as even partial contact would still make enough/good electrical connection.

However some X1 tube-ends have overflow of anodizing. Anodization is not electrically conductive - so if the partial contact is on the anodized overflow - you have a case of bad or even no electrical contact.

Any anodization on the tube end is easily seen on black models - however even the "titanium" colored ones can be seen.

This is easily cured by simple filing/sanding of the tube end to get clean bare metal contact.

Brightness -
Depending on the age/vintage of the X1 Spot version they may or may not be as bright as the newer reflectored versions.

The newer reflectored versions are strongly suspected of using the newer (and brighter) Nichia CS LEDs whereas the older X1 had older less bright LEDs.

On X1 spot models made shortly before the reflector versions may also have Nichia CS LEDs - those as you have observed throw better/further than the reflector versions.

Look at the X1 review at FlashlightReviews where Doug/Quickbeam has looked at both an older Spot and newer reflector version - his measurements show that the spot threw better and the reflector version had much higher overall output - and I think his older Spot X1 was not a more recent one with the Nichia CS.......

Inova X1 Spot - White

Hope this helps.

Over the past year or so I've had two lights to just quit working....I sprayed Deoxit on the contacts and both lights then worked like a charm! I don't know what Deoxit has in it but it sure works and I'll never be without it.

The_virus said:

I'm also interested in knowing if there's stores stocking the old style...

Click to expand...

Hey Tv,

There are at least a few here who would also like to salt a few more away for the future.

The Good News: I'm not only pretty sure that there are still some old X1 Spotlights gathering dust here and there at retail prices, I'd bet that there are still some out there being closed out below retail! As an example I bought quite a few old CMG Infinities (not Ultras) below retail when they started to go and I even bought one at retail over a year and a half after CMG sold. There are some out there.

The Bad News: Unlike the CMG Infinity, when INOVA stopped producing the X1 Spotlight, for some unknown reason they kept the 'X1' designation for the new model even though they have very little in common with the original. When the CMG Infinities were DCed you could just search Google for:

infinity -ultra buy | cart | order | price

and at least you had a shot. Not so with the old X1s. If you search for:

"inova x1" buy | cart | order | price

any old ones will be hidden in the new models with the same name.

Here is one approach for a Google search (use the whole complete line below):

"inova x1" spotlight -flood buy | cart | price | order

The pipe symbol | means OR so the string buy | cart | price | order will pretty much only take you to actual ordering pages. The -flood should exclude up to date pages selling the new model. Unfortunately, many hits will be out of date pages, but if they look good enough it might be worth an email to find out exactly which model they are selling.

I mention all of this because if we all chip away at it we will turn some more up. That's how I found some of my old Infinities. If anyone positively finds some the first thing to do is order for yourself, and then post the link here for the other CPFers interested. Keep Subscribed to this thread and after the first person gets his you'll find out about it.

Thanks for reading,

Sub

I noticed flashlightreviews said that only alkaline cells were recommended (although the makers don't say not to use lithium). Has anyone used the X1 with lithium cells? Would that be a problem?

Folks, I just received an email from Jayson at ATS Tactical http://www.lightfighter.com/- he says he has three blue-beam spotlights in stock. I'm only interested in white-beam lights, but maybe this will help one of y'all. Thanks for your help! Regan

Target still has them on the shelves in Michigan.

I have 1 old style X1 Black with Green LED left - that's it. I've been getting requests for the old ones for 4-5 months now so there's been people out hunting them down with quite a head start.

Inova X1 tight beam availability

try http://theledlight.com/inova-X1.html
they may still have the "old" version as well.

Kind regards,
Joris

Yesterday I received my new (old) Inova X1 with the tight beam. I truly, really, love it !! Throw seems to be very good. At night, it projects a perfect round spot on buildings quite far away. The spot can be seen at over 30 yards easily. It "throws" further than my Matterhorn 3 led or lamba led Solitaire. (NiMH batteries are used in all flashlights.)

Really a "must-have". It is bulkier than the AAA flashlights, but due to it's form and relatively light weight, it isn't too bad to carry in your pocket. As a keychain light, however, it is too large.

Kind regards,
Joris