fenix p1d q5 help!!

I first want to say hi to you all, this is my first post. i have been lurking here for about 6 months and love the site!

I have a fenix p1d q5 and loved it. now it randomly turns off and is unreliable. i contacted fenix about this and they said i voided my warranty by using rechargeable 3.0v cr123a. and that they caused damage to the light and that is why it is acting the way it is.

Sense they won't help me with this, what are my options. What is "broke" is it something that could be fixed?

Thanks in advanced.

If you are using 3.0 volt rechargable batteries then you havnt voided any warrenty. Where did you buy the light from? as in what store?

have you tried cleaning the contacts? Any sort of Alcohol ( not the drinking kind) be it isopropyl, Methylated Spirits, is good. Pour some on a tissue, or cloth and holding the head, "unscrew" it from the cloth. Try to do similar for the body. also, the contact PCB, the part that contacts the battery and the body, give it a clean as well.

try that, and report back here if there are still problems.

Crenshaw

Randomly turns off? Please elaborate.

EXACTLY what cells are you using, and what maintainence have you conducted?

The light will stay on from 20sec to a min or so, it doesn't madder what mode it is on. Once it turns off i can turn it right back on and it is still just as random.

I got the light from fenix-store.com

the cells are tenergy 900mah rcr123a 3.0v li-ion

I just cleaned all the contacts and threads with rubbing alcohol so far it seems to be good, I have wiped them before but not with alcohol. Ill have to go for a ride and see how she does.

Why would the fenix store tell me i voided my warranty by using these cells?

well the light still doesn't work right.

I use it as a back up light when i mountain bike, tonight i used it. Mounted to the bars, I turned it on, headed down the trail. About 5 min into the ride it turns off, I was using it on the first setting Med.

What are my options now? I just need this thing to work 50 bucks Is to much for a flashlight that doesn't work.

Should I try AGAIN to contact FENIX, even though they said I voided the warranty with the rechargeable 3.0v cr123a?

Please help, im planning more night rides this week and would like to know where I stand with this light.

Im fairly sure there are no 3.0v li-on batteries. li-po yes....can you link us too the tenergy battery you are using?

Crenshaw

did you try a regular store bought primary , see if it may be your tenergy battery may have had enough
from what i see those rcr are just 3v not 3.7 unless falsely advertised but 3v should be fine which leads me to think just dirt is in the way

Here's what batteryjunction says about those cells :

Internal voltage regulators. Initial cell voltage of 3.6V switches to 3-3.2V within 12ms.

So, the question is if the P1D-Q5 can handle 3.6V during 12 ms? I think so, but I don't know...

sorry guys im a newbe, i don't understand about the switching from 3.6 to 3.0-3.2 volts within 12ms means. and how it effects using the light.

and no i haven't tried store primaries. they are kind of expensive and not really in my budget right now, and would rather not have to buy them.

these are at 3.6volts fully charged and i figure (could be wrong) but if all 3 of my batteries come in at around 3.6 volts and they all act the same in the light then chances are it isn't the batteries.

what is my next step in action.

The question is if the circuit of the P1D-Q5 can handle 3,6 Volt or not. 12ms is a very short time, but electronics may be fragile as we know. I am not an expert, so I can't judge if there's a chance you damaged your light by using these cells or not. I suppose not.

I just wonder where the real experts are?

88mustanggt said:

these are at 3.6volts fully charged and i figure (could be wrong) but if all 3 of my batteries come in at around 3.6 volts and they all act the same in the light then chances are it isn't the batteries.

Click to expand...

If they are only 3.6v fully charged, they are not fully charged. They are essentially bucked Li-Ion cells, and should be 4.2v fully charged open circuit. They actually need a special charger to be fully charged as well, one with a slightly higher charge voltage to overcome the diode the cell uses to buck the voltage under load.

so a 3.0v fully charged should be 4.2v

For this particular type of cell, yes, since it is at heart a Li-Ion cell.

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4151

this is the charger i am useing, if this is my problem i will be vary happy.

If these are the same batteries, http://www.j2ledflashlight.com/tenergy_rechargeable_rcr123a_900.html , I've been using them in my P1D Q5 for several months now without any problem. They do say they are LiFePO4 Li-Ion batteries.

GregU2 said:

If these are the same batteries, http://www.j2ledflashlight.com/tenergy_rechargeable_rcr123a_900.html , I've been using them in my P1D Q5 for several months now without any problem. They do say they are LiFePO4 Li-Ion batteries.

Click to expand...

Not at that capacity.

88mustanggt said:

http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.4151

this is the charger i am useing, if this is my problem i will be vary happy.

Click to expand...

That is a crappy charger. Here is some info on it.

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/174075

GregU2 said:

If these are the same batteries, http://www.j2ledflashlight.com/tenergy_rechargeable_rcr123a_900.html , I've been using them in my P1D Q5 for several months now without any problem. They do say they are LiFePO4 Li-Ion batteries.

Click to expand...

same here, in my P1dCE and also my TK11 and TA30.

I do let them settle a bit after charging (to go down to 3v) , after someone here said it was a good idea.

ok i read that thread about the charger but i dont see or at least understand what my problem is.

do i need new batteries?

do i need a new charger?

or is it my light?

what is the max and min voltage the light can operate at?

i would assume if the batteries is between the high and low it should operate correctly?