UPDATED! YAY! Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

MikeLip

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New stuff >>>>>>>>>>>>

ALLLLLL RRRRIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


OK, Dereelight, I'm happy now. Just got done with some correspondence with Dereelight and finally, FINALLY it's all working properly. Now I can't wait for it to get dark out!

This has to count as one of the more frustrating flashlight experiences I have had. But just as I'm about to give up on it, they come through and it's all sorted. There is a particular order to screwing things together, which is a little goofy but OK, I can live with it.

So, a heartfelt thanks to Alan at Dereelight for your help, and I really REALLY hope you folks get the bugs worked out of your lights. When you get them working, they work extremely well. I'll pass on the DBS for a while (unless you want to torture me with one) since I just got an HID light and doubt even the DBS will out-throw it, but I will keep an eye on the company. Get the mystery and kinks out of the light and you'll have a GREAT mass market light.

Old stuff follows>>>>>>>>>>
OK, so I read the rave reviews on the CL1H and the DBS. The DBS was not available domestically but the CL1H was, so I ordered one. It arrived and initially I was very impressed. Until I fed it batteries and tried to make it run. The light flickered and went out at the level changeover, the threads were bone dry. Don't tell me yours were greased, I'm not interested. mine weren't. The output was fantastic, and the focusable beam was pretty nice. Workmanship on the body was first rate. Anodizing is nice and even - a very attractive light and mechanically terrific. A little Deoxit grease on the threads (recommended by Dereelight in a PM) and the light is smooth as silk. If it wasn't still flickering and going out on level change, I would be utterly happy with it.

Cleaning contacts has not helped.

To their credit, Dereelight was monitoring the thread and offered to send me a 5 mode dropin. They said this should fix the problem and supply more output. I said OK and waited a couple of weeks for it to arrive. It came Wednesday (two days ago) and I installed it.

This opened a whole new can of worms.

Now you cannot screw the light together all the way. Dereelight says do not overtighten the head, otherwise you may damage the circuit board. That's a red flag right there - you should NOT be able to damage the light by screwing it together. They say screw the head down snugly. But if I screw it snugly (interpreted by me as the point where you start to feel some resistance to turning) the light goes out. I have to back the head off a turn to make it light up. Of course that means the head is not up against any kind of stop, and the head can turn in either direction basically by brushing up against more or less anything or in normal handling. At which point it goes out again.

The same with the tailcap. If you screw the tailcap on all the way, the light goes out. Yes, I removed the screw in the tailcap "pill" as directed.

While the light output with the new dropin is very, very good indeed, the UI also needs some help. The 5 modes work (20%, 50%, 100%, Strobe and SOS) but they are not all that easy to select.

I am basically ready to throw in the towel on Dereelight and considering shipping this one to the first person who says they'll pay for shipping.
 
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oregon

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Feb 8, 2006
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Oregon
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

I am basically ready to throw in the towel on Dereelight.

Ouch!

I am sorry that you are having troubles with what looked to me like a robust, capable and intelligent torch.

I notice that no USA dealer has begun vending these. If I were you I might feel more comfortable being able to obtain service/refund/new light from a CONUS dealer I knew.

Is there a USA dealer coming forward for Dereelight? Anybody?

oregon
 

MikeLip

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Messages
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Painesville, Ohio, USA
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

I got the CL1H from a US dealer. It came from Lighthound. They no longer have it on their site.

I have to emphasize that Dereelight has gone out of their way to help me on this. But so far it's just not working.
 

oregon

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Feb 8, 2006
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651
Location
Oregon
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

I got the CL1H from a US dealer. It came from Lighthound. They no longer have it on their site.

I might consider contacting Lighthound with the intent to return the light for service, replacement or refund. I've always had a terrific experience dealing with Lighthound.

oregon
 

MikeLip

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Nov 27, 2004
Messages
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Painesville, Ohio, USA
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

That is probably what I'll do. I just wonder if someone could make this thing behave though. I spend all day (for more than 30 years! ugh!) with electronics - I don't really want to spend all night too, working on a balky flashlight! :)
 

thezman

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Dec 26, 2005
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PA
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

I am basically ready to throw in the towel on Dereelight and considering shipping this one to the first person who says they'll pay for shipping.


Just say the word. PP ready.
 

thezman

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Dec 26, 2005
Messages
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Location
PA
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

I just love to tinker with stuff, see how it works.
And sometimes the best stuff to work on is stuff that's already defective. Can't break it twice, right? :)
That's how you learn.

Good luck with your light.
 

Steve L

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Jan 22, 2007
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SE Michigan
Re: Dereelight CL1H saga, three weeks into it - Argh!!!!!

If the light is a ver.1(which I think it is) then I believe you also need to get a new reflector that the pill will screw into. This quote is from Dereelight in the CL1H ver3 thread:
Brass pill for exchange or upgrade purpose (compatible with CL1H V2.0, not compatible with V1.0, to upgrade V1.0 add $3.5 for SMO or $5 for OP reflector):
I think this would allow you to be able to screw the bezel down further.
 
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