*High* mode on my 2 mode MTE P7 not working

Hello. 1st post so forgive the newbie "how do you fix this question". The *high* mode on my 2 mode MTE p7 torch quit working. The *low* mode works just fine. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Thanks - Remi

What does "not work" mean? Please describe.

What light do you actually own? There are numerous MTE P7 lights.

Finally, what cells are you using?

Marduke said:

What does "not work" mean? Please describe.

What light do you actually own? There are numerous MTE P7 lights.

Finally, what cells are you using?

Click to expand...

Marduke- By "does not work" I mean the light is off when I click it to the *high* mode. High is the 1st click from the *off* setting. The 2nd click switches the light to low. The light functions as normal on that setting. The 3rd click will turn the light back to the *off* position. The sequence should go as followed: 1st click - High, 2nd click - low, 3rd click -off. The light light currently works as followed: 1st click - nothing, 2nd click - low, 3rd click off.

This torch was purchased from deal extreme it is a MTE SSC P7 C-Bin 900-Lumen 2-Mode LED Flashlight (1*18650) sku# 12623 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623

I'm using a single Trustfire 18650 cell to power the torch.

Thanks - Remi

Sounds like the high resistor is unsoldered in the tailcap.

ah excellent. That resistor is easy to get at. I'll meter it tonight and see it has an "open" internally. :thumbsup: Thanks Marduke.

Is the resistor located on the switch board or is it attached to the LED board? If it is on the LED board how do you get to it?
Thanks Remi

I do not know specifically for that light, but I would expect a low and high resistor to be in the tailcap.

Marduke said:

I do not know specifically for that light, but I would expect a low and high resistor to be in the tailcap.

Click to expand...

I think that on the switch is only a resister for the low-mode, the high mode is achieved by direct-drive.

wow, if it is direct drive then why would the High mode not work? Maybe a bad switch (open in High mode?)? Anyone know where I can get another switch? I have a spiderfire P7 torch 2 mode as well. I'll try switching the tailcap if they are compatible and try trouble shooting that way.


There is only one resistor on the tail cap switch (that I can see).

It sucks that I am having this problem as I really like this torch. And it is killing my night time MTB excursions. It's the only time I have to ride given my work and family commitments.

cycleologist said:

wow, if it is direct drive then why would the High mode not work? Maybe a bad switch (open in High mode?)? Anyone know where I can get another switch? I have a spiderfire P7 torch 2 mode as well. I'll try switching the tailcap if they are compatible and try trouble shooting that way.


There is only one resistor on the tail cap switch (that I can see).

It sucks that I am having this problem as I really like this torch. And it is killing my night time MTB excursions. It's the only time I have to ride given my work and family commitments.

Click to expand...

Do you have a multimeter? I would check the battery. And have a look at the soldering, i already had a lot of these DX Copy-MTE Lights and soldering is a thing that should be improved. And heatsinking.

The battery? will low voltage affect the High mode completely? I would have guessed I'd get a dimmer output on both settings. None the less I'll check that.

tried to swap tail caps from the spiderfire to the MTE. It did not fit. The MTE is bigger. Will meter the resistor to check for open and battery is charging to rule out an undercurrent issue.

Also try removing the tailcap and completing the circuit without it, and see how the light fires.

Marduke said:

Also try removing the tailcap and completing the circuit without it, and see how the light fires.

Click to expand...

How is that done?

cycleologist said:

How is that done?

Click to expand...

Just take a wire and connect negative side of the battery with the outer body of the light. Or take a screwdriver instead of the wire, will work with everything as long as it's conductive. You can also do that with a multi-meter which is set to current.

Here a link for troubleshooting lights
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/227518

cycleologist said:

Marduke- By "does not work" I mean the light is off when I click it to the *high* mode. High is the 1st click from the *off* setting. The 2nd click switches the light to low. The light functions as normal on that setting. The 3rd click will turn the light back to the *off* position. The sequence should go as followed: 1st click - High, 2nd click - low, 3rd click -off. The light light currently works as followed: 1st click - nothing, 2nd click - low, 3rd click off.

This torch was purchased from deal extreme it is a MTE SSC P7 C-Bin 900-Lumen 2-Mode LED Flashlight (1*18650) sku# 12623 http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.12623

I'm using a single Trustfire 18650 cell to power the torch.

Thanks - Remi

Click to expand...

I have almost exactly the same problem with my new MTE P7 - 2 Mode.
The difference in my case is that its the low mode which is not working, high works fine. I have confirmed this by comparing it with another identical light (I ordered 3 of these from DX).
I think what caused it to fail was accidentally inserting the battery in reverse
:shakehead

What I have tried so far:
1. Swap out the tailcaps with one of the working flashlights. Both tailcaps work perfectly in the working light. Problem still there with the faulty light.
2. Opened it up to check whether something looks obviously wrong with the driver - only to find that there is no driver :thinking:
So this is a direct drive setup??
3. Checked the solder joints and they all look OK.

Any other suggestions as to what could be wrong here?
Could someone explain how the high/low modes get set in this direct drive setup?
I see there is a resistor in the tailcap which obviously has something to do with setting the mode. But then why wouldn't swapping out the tailcap fix the problem?

cycleologist said:

Is the resistor located on the switch board or is it attached to the LED board? If it is on the LED board how do you get to it?
Thanks Remi

Click to expand...

With the light on depress the switch just enough to interrupt the light and then release it. If it doesn't change modes the light switches with a resistor in the tailcap. With a resistor in the tailcap you have to fully click the light off and back on to change modes. If it is in the controller momentarily interrupting the power switches modes.

I think most two mode lights have a resistor in the tailcap.

I got a DX 7P (different model) that flat didn't work. I found they had lubed the threads and o-rings with some black stuff. I cleaned it all off with Deoxit and applied some Deoxit Gold. The light worked perfectly. I had another light with an RMA from DX. It wasn't as bright as everyone said it should be. The same treatment brought it up to speed and I cancelled the RMA.

You could probably get the same results with 91% alcohol and some q-tips. I didn't disassemble the lights but just got the black stuff off the threads and o-rings. I suspect the supplier has an abandoned tractor or WW II jeep they are scooping axle grease from to eliminate the cons that the o-rings aren't lubed.

After I confirmed the lights were working I applied some silicone grease that the seller claimed was dielectric. I have no idea whether the grease is any good, but it at least didn't degrade the light output like the black stuff.

I've had generally good luck with DX, but when I see the black stuff I know it has to come off.

OK So I resoldered the connections on the star, even though they looked OK to start with.
It solved my problem.

My MTE P7 now switches between High>Low>Off>On perfectly

:thumbsup: