Nearly fried my P3D Q5.

Got to work early yesterday, so decided to get some paperwork out of the way. I work as a security guard from 4pm - Midnight and patrol in an SUV. I use my P3D Q5 as my main work light. I usually clip the P3D's holster, using the plastic ring, onto a metal key-chain clip that is attached to my belt. The light hangs off of my belt, near the front of my pants.

After finishing up the paperwork, I drove to the Guard house (more like a shack) and started to climb out of the SUV. I noticed the P3D was on. Not a big deal, I figured. Happened once before. (Yes, despite the use of a reverse-clickie that can tailstand; it's possible to accidentally turn on a P3D). Got a bit of a surprise when I went to turn it off....

The entire light was hot as Hell! I was juggling it cause I couldn't hold onto it. The only part of the light that wasn't burning my hands was literally the rubber clickie!

I got it turned off, and then realized that I had been in the SUV for at least 45 minutes!

And that's at least as long as the light was on.... cause I didn't move from the Driver's seat the whole time. I soon figured out what had happened.... As I sat down, the P3D's holster folded straight up. Then, when I must have leaned forward in the seat, the bottom of the metal clip must have made contact with the clickie. I guess I leaned forward hard enough for the light to turn on. Funny thing is, the holster did a great job of not burning, or transmitting the heat through my thin dress pants.

Best part? Yeah, I had the light on Turbo mode.... for at least 45 minutes. :shakehead

Good news? I didn't fry the LED. And Turbo mode is just as bright as before. All the other modes work normally too. Still, I have a feeling I did some damage to the poor little LED.

Took literally 5 minutes for the light to cool down just enough for me to be able to touch it. The holster is undamaged, and if you have a P3D Q5 it's likely to survive being on Turbo mode for at least 45 minutes.... But yeah, I stopped using the plastic ring that comes attached to Fenix holsters.

Thanks for the warning Monocrom. I immediately turned the plastic ring away from the clickie when I read your post. Might be good idea to have some kind of safety feature for every EDC that would prevent these things.
Maybe some kind of spring loaded clip attached to the light body, that can be flipped to protect the switch.

I always set my multipower lights to low once I'm finished with them, to avoid this sort of thing.

Me too, always give the P2D half a twist before putting it back in the holster. Nice to see it didn't do any harm though :thumbsup:

and if you have a P3D Q5 it's likely to survive being on Turbo mode for at least 45 minutes....

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its not the time, its the HEAT.

When used (hold in hand, clipped to bike bars, ...), there is more than enough cooling.
But clipped into a plastic holder and no fresh air around (or blood in hand) the heat is not transported away ...

I don't have a P3D but I made a test with my P2D Q5 a few days ago. set the light on "turbo" and waited until it shut off. that happend about 27 minutes later with a freshly charged 3V CR123 650mah cell. after that, the light was quite hot, I could touch it but I couldn't hold it tight in the hand without getting blisters. after a minute or so the light was still pretty warm but I was able to have a tight grip on it. I'm going to buy some 900mah tenergy rechargeables wich should increase runtime about 38% which means the light would run estimated 10 minutes longer.
btw: the clicky button was so hot that it made a weird squeaking noise when pushed.


regards, holger

p.s. nice "fry test" :twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

frosty said:

I always set my multipower lights to low once I'm finished with them, to avoid this sort of thing.

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+1.

I always turn the head to the general mode while in storage or around my waist belt.

I once fell asleep with a Surefire L4 blazing away in my pocket. It is something that one does not soon forget. :laughing:

to monocrom,
don't worry just buy a couple of R2 emitter as a backup in case that Q5 in your P3D decided to retire early

nanotech17 said:

to monocrom,
don't worry just buy a couple of R2 emitter as a backup in case that Q5 in your P3D decided to retire early

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I wonder when FENIX will come out with an R2 P3D ? Or even an R3, R4?

frosty said:

I always set my multipower lights to low once I'm finished with them, to avoid this sort of thing.

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+1 I never put my P2D back in my pocket without turning it to low mode. The only time I leave it on turbo mode, is when I'm outside and I think I may need strobe. I hope I never have to use it, but if I do, you can bet they will get more than a strobe in the face...:devil:

While I was playing with my school orchrestra I noticed something very hot in my pocket. After the song I found my P2D was on. It was only on for probly 5 minutes but it was still very hot. Now I unsrew the tailcap a half turn before putting it in my pocket.

I own a Fenix P3D-CE and I was EDCing it at work. I don't how but I accidentally turned it on in his holster. It was on turbo and I don't know how much time is was activated. All of a sudden something was hot and burning me... so I took my holster with me bare hand and it was so HOT ! I took the Fenix apart and put the battery elsewhere in case of explosion. It happened two times and my Fenix is bright has it was when I got it. To be sure it would never happen again I unscew the tailcap a little bit.

cal..45 said:

p.s. nice "fry test" :twothumbs:twothumbs:twothumbs

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Thank you.

I checked the Duracell CR123 cells that were in my P3D after it cooled down. They were fine, no problems there.

I have noticed that the reverse-clickie on my P3D is rather soft, and easy to depress.

I would twist the head so that low mode always comes on first, but considering where I work; I need Turbo mode. Being able to grab my light and turn it on, to the highest setting with one push of my thumb.... nothing beats that. (I really wish I could program my P3D so that HIGH would always come on first).

The light will probably be fine if I use the belt loop on the sheath, and fold the plastic ring out of the way.

My L2D CE once turned itself on inside the glove box of my car. Must have been 6 hours from between I put it in there and when I opened the glove box and found it on. Since I turned the head to general mode, the light was still cool and plenty of battery juice left.

Iidid this with my P2D. I carry mine hanging in my front pocket with the lanyard on the outside of the pocket. One day somehow the lanyard fell into the pocket. The light managed to turn itself on and I was alerted to the situation when it burned the fire out of me!! I can tell you, if you carry it in your pocket you will get a good warning that it is getting hot.

powernoodle said:

I once fell asleep with a Surefire L4 blazing away in my pocket. It is something that one does not soon forget. :laughing:

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I've had the same scenario happen to me, but none of my LED lights have ever got too hot to touch - the only lights which have are my high powered incans!

Turning the tailcap a little will completely lock out your p3d. I wouldn't worry too much about the led. Those crees do a great job of moving heat away from where it matters (thus why the rest of the light was so hot).

I don't understand why would a flashlight not withstand a full runtime on any mode?
granted in an enclosed space things are a bit hotter but still...you'd think they are designed to take the heat...

I dunno how much the KL4's luxV is being driven, but I'm a firm believer that my L4 will light something on fire before turning itself out

Brozneo said:

I've had the same scenario happen to me, but none of my LED lights have ever got too hot to touch - the only lights which have are my high powered incans!

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I used to believe that high-powered incas were the only ones capable of getting that hot.... Glad my "enlightenment" didn't cost me a cool light.

Then again, if Fenix would put pocket clips on the P3D.....

*Hint, hint. Nudge, nudge.*