Hooked on Fenix
Flashlight Enthusiast
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2007
- Messages
- 3,133
Nearly a month ago, I bought a Lumapower Encore and it came dead right out of the package. I suspected contacts between the switch and the body tube as the reason it didn't work. These contacts are basically rebent staples that press against the battery tube for contact and are connected to the switch circuit board by putting the two ends of each of the two contacts in holes in the circuit board and soldering over them. These contacts are held in place by a fraction of an inch of space in the holes and soldered only on top, not underneath.
When I got the tested replacement, It worked great. High lasted over two hours. Medium seemed around 25 lumens, and low was half that of my P3D Q5. It was hard to believe I had something so small, light, bright, and rechargeable. I used it on two six mile hikes and it worked great. Then, when I got home, as I tried to get my house key out of my pocket, the light fell out of my pocket and landed on a stair. It only fell two feet. I picked it up to find no scratches or dents. Then I tried to turn it on and it was dead. I took the tailcap apart to find that the contacts on the switch had bent slightly and the contact with the solder had been broken. This light seems too delicate for use and I personally wouldn't trust it in the field. This problem probably caused my first light to be damaged during a normal shipping process and the second to fail after one small drop. If I spend nearly $60 on a light, it's not going to matter that the l.e.d. will last 50,000 hours if the light itself lasts only two days. You guys may want to avoid this light, at least until they fix their design problem.
Luckily, I ordered the light from Batteryjunction. They sent me an RMA number and let me return the light even after admitting I dropped it (though I think anyone would expect a good light to survive a two foot drop). I decided to get an Olight T20 Special Edition as a replacement. Did I make a decent choice for the replacement or do you think I'll be disappointed again? I know it won't take or do well with the bigger lithium ion cells and that's okay. I like the U.I. and it may outthrow my P3D Q5 while still having plenty of flood light.
When I got the tested replacement, It worked great. High lasted over two hours. Medium seemed around 25 lumens, and low was half that of my P3D Q5. It was hard to believe I had something so small, light, bright, and rechargeable. I used it on two six mile hikes and it worked great. Then, when I got home, as I tried to get my house key out of my pocket, the light fell out of my pocket and landed on a stair. It only fell two feet. I picked it up to find no scratches or dents. Then I tried to turn it on and it was dead. I took the tailcap apart to find that the contacts on the switch had bent slightly and the contact with the solder had been broken. This light seems too delicate for use and I personally wouldn't trust it in the field. This problem probably caused my first light to be damaged during a normal shipping process and the second to fail after one small drop. If I spend nearly $60 on a light, it's not going to matter that the l.e.d. will last 50,000 hours if the light itself lasts only two days. You guys may want to avoid this light, at least until they fix their design problem.
Luckily, I ordered the light from Batteryjunction. They sent me an RMA number and let me return the light even after admitting I dropped it (though I think anyone would expect a good light to survive a two foot drop). I decided to get an Olight T20 Special Edition as a replacement. Did I make a decent choice for the replacement or do you think I'll be disappointed again? I know it won't take or do well with the bigger lithium ion cells and that's okay. I like the U.I. and it may outthrow my P3D Q5 while still having plenty of flood light.