Dad's Old 5D B-Lite

JamisonM

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Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
750
Location
South Carolina
Hey guys, I just got my Dad's old 5D B-lite and it wont work. I think it could be a great light, but when I put batteries in it and turn it on the whole thing starts to heat up without actually putting out any light. What could be causing it to heat up like that? Is there anything I can do to resurrect it?
 

Vickers

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Joined
Dec 9, 2006
Messages
253
Location
Florida, U.S.A.
Not sure how it is configured, but is it possible the spring for the battery or lamp is getting pushed off to the side, shorting it out?
 

JamisonM

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Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
750
Location
South Carolina
I just got it working guys though still flaky. I took a step back and looked at how a yellow plastic 2D Rayovac worked. I saw that the switch that you push up and down actually pushed a strip of copper up and down the entire flashlight. When you turned it on that strip would move and connect to the metal reflector. Until this happened though, the positive end of the battery was always in contact with the bulb holder. On the B-Lite, there was no strip moving up and down, but two little pieces where one would be pushed onto the other. That's the switch. From there was a strip of copper about 3 inches long that was screwed to the switch which was always in contact with the metal reflector. When you push up on the switch, the actual pushing motion makes the two little pieces of copper in the switch touch. That turns on the light. Again, the positive end of the battery was always connected to the bulb holder. The way I had it was the long 3 inch strip was touching the positive end of the battery as well as touching the bulb holder. Not a good thing. Like I said before, things are still a bit flaky, but I think I can get it working fine. I'll probably replace the current bulb with a LED drop in. I might also polish the reflector (depending on what metal it is) and replace the lens. The lens is, well, horrible plastic that's yellowed slightly with time.
 

Fenris

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Joined
Apr 28, 2006
Messages
255
Location
Chattanooga, TN
I wouldn't mess with the reflector. It's easy to ruin one just by trying to clean it, much less trying to polish it.
 

JamisonM

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Joined
Apr 26, 2006
Messages
750
Location
South Carolina
I wouldn't mess with the reflector. It's easy to ruin one just by trying to clean it, much less trying to polish it.
LOL, I don't doubt that. Looking at the light, I probably won't do anything. Unlike a maglite (what I thought this light was for years) the lens and reflector won't simply drop out. There's a rubber insert that keeps them both securely in place. It seems they were never meant to come out. If I do anything, it'll be a PR bulb drop in replacement.
 
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