Old style Novatac with new circuit

Today the mailman brought me my newest addition to my Novatac collection. The joy ended to sorrow.

First I noticed that the anodizing and knurling were somehow different than my previous pewter Novas. I turned the light on and it was somehow dim. Changed to RCR battery. The battery detect test went through but no more light. Tried another on of my RCR's and now my 120E doesn't even conclude the battery detect test. It lights the detect signal and when I press the button the light goes off.

I opened the light and notised something weird. The circuit board was totally different and wery dirty. Heres the pic... New to the right



I cleaned the contacts and tried with different tailcap but no success.

The box says Made in USA, but...but...

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

If the new generation of the NT which is pronounced, looks so weird inside, nobody will buy one.:shakehead

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

Wow!

What is the serial number on that one? That is quite weird (and shoddy) looking...

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

:sick2: Where did you order the "new" light from?

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

We need Hogokansatsukan to Chime in. He is the Novatac expert and might have an idea of what is going on!

:green:

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

so this is what happened to shorty after the aliens messed up with him!

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

gunga said:

Wow!

What is the serial

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Yes you guessed right. The serial is HIGH. Highest on list 30774

alphazeta said:

:sick2: Where did you order the "new" light from?

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It is from highly respected dealer. So no worries.


But what you guys think about soldering? :thinking:

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

First big change I see if the addition of a positive contact spring instead of the brass nipple. I just love typing "nipple". sorry.
From the seriel number, this is the third run of Novatac lights, so vendors may have, and most likely did, change. I doubt that the soldering was done by a different vendor, but it is possible. I would need to look at the light first hand to say any more than this.
The addition of a positive contact spring was something that was always desired as it helps keep the battery terminal from losing the connection during recoil.
Give us a good look at the outside of the light.

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

I have a 20000 series light and the soldering looks the same.

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

gunga said:

I have a 20000 series light and the soldering looks the same.

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No isolation between the wire and anodizing?

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

Nope. That is why there is anodizing!

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

How easy was it to take out the retaining ring?
Since you have it apart, can you take a photo of the reflector front and back.
Thanks

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

The new one on the front




The new on top.



Reflector with wawes.

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

But anyway, the question is how to get this light to work?

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

knurling is very different

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

Hey, don't interrupt! We're trying to have a conversation about Novtac design/production changes here!

I also like the idea of a spring added to the positive connection.

Polar Light said:

But anyway, the question is how to get this light to work?

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Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

gottawearshades said:

Hey, don't interrupt! We're trying to have a conversation about Novtac design/production changes here!

I also like the idea of a spring added to the positive connection.

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Yes. Me too. The new era of Novatac seems to be leaving people in darkness.

Re: Old style Novatac new circuit

gottawearshades said:

I also like the idea of a spring added to the positive connection.

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That spring doesn't look very springy.

I tried to put a SVO seoul in my last 120P and messed it up, so....

I got a new Novatac 120P for pretty darn cheap from a well known place.

I set my default turn on mode to the lowest low, and it doesn't output smooth (I can see the PWM) for about one minute.

Mine has the positive spring, the button is about twice as difficult to operate as my old one, I have a wavy reflector like pictured.

Everything else operates very well, as expected.

I can post pictures.

Just when I thought the quality of the Novatac lights were meh they go and start to cut corners.

The 2 changes I do like are the beefier reflector to make the head in that area stronger. However the machine work sucks. The spring is a great move but it's not done properly. There should be a plate of some sort to avoid it from puncturing the battery. Think the Ra twisty's positive contact.

The anno looks like might be thinner and not sealed. The Knurling is just garbage. That kind of knurling I'd expect from KD lights.

I bet you the spring in the head is the problem. Either under compression it's moving off the nipple of the battery or where it's soldered to the head is not contacting properly.

Are we sure this isn't some kind of counterfeit? If it's real I guess we can chalk it up to "Virtual manufacturing"