Question about Coast Mini Tac 7830

I just got one of these from ****'s Sporting Goods and this is rather odd. I get it home and I want to put a rechargeable battery in it. The packaging states it uses one AAA battery. The thing appears to be sealed!! Normally, the cap would unscrew on a light like this, but no go! Either the battery in it has leaked (It works fine though) or this is one of the worst designs I have seen in a light! This light is also not on the Coast webpage. There is a model 7830 listed there, but it uses 4 button cell batteries. This could be a new updated version. Does anybody out there own this light? I do not care a whole lot for Coast lights, but this was only $9.99 and looked decent. It also did not use screwy batteries or holders like most other Coast lights. and is kind of large for a AAA light. It measures 3 1/2" long and is more than 1/2 " in diameter.

Mike

I've owned a couple of Coast lights over the years. Not saying this is common on all their models, but the ones I've owned have unscrewed only from the head. One of the ones I'm familar with is an Eddie Bauer light that was simply a re-branded Coast light. Looks a lot like the one you have. Despite not looking as though the head unscrews, it does. Try unscrewing the head in order to change the battery.

Most of the LL lights usually unscrew from the tailcap, I can't speak about their earlier models though. Try using something grippy, what I find works well is the underside of a mouse pad. Try unscrewing from the tc, if you don't have any luck try unscrewing from the bezel. If you still can't get it off exchanging it might be your only option. Once you do get it off, add some lube to the threads. It isn't a rechargeable model (meaning it doesn't come with a charger, and keyring lights aren't usually made that way) so the battery has to come out from somewhere.

I have two of these lights. They unscrew from the tail. They are actually great little lights. I have a Fenix EO1, LDO1 and a L1D. For some reason of all of them this little Coast AAA is my favorite. It seems to be a bit brighter than my EO1 and much less purple in tint. It runs for about 11 hours and seems well regulated. The best part for me is that it has a clicky.

d1337 said:

I have two of these lights. They unscrew from the tail. They are actually great little lights. I have a Fenix EO1, LDO1 and a L1D. For some reason of all of them this little Coast AAA is my favorite. It seems to be a bit brighter than my EO1 and much less purple in tint. It runs for about 11 hours and seems well regulated. The best part for me is that it has a clicky.

Click to expand...

I agree about being brighter, but the first time I used mine outside in the rain; it malfunctioned. It wasn't even a heavy downpour.

Monocrom said:

I agree about being brighter, but the first time I used mine outside in the rain; it malfunctioned. It wasn't even a heavy downpour.

Click to expand...

I have a really good fix for that... I haven't used it in the rain. I wonder if it was fluke or if it isn't water resistant? I do have two, maybe I'll do a test one of them.

d1337 said:

I have a really good fix for that... I haven't used it in the rain. I wonder if it was fluke or if it isn't water resistant? I do have two, maybe I'll do a test one of them.

Click to expand...

I use my Fenix L0D Rebel 80 as a back-up light. True, it does have a much higher price-tag, but you get a lot more output on its high setting. Point being, I have used my L0D in a heavy downpour. No issues at all.

CPFer FlashCrazy has demonstrated that some Coast models can handle water very well. However, my experiences with the smaller Coast lights has been the opposite.

In my opinion there is no question that any of the lights I mentioned before (except maybe the EO1) are technically better lights than the coast. i'm just amazed that I when I reach for a light 8 out of 10 times it's this little Coast.

Looks like I will just exchange it. The cap on this thing is on for good! The only way I will get it off is to damage the light. Thanks for everybody's help!