Inova X5 broken, or not??

Strange question you might think, but here's the deal.

My brand new X5 arrived just 2 weeks ago, and has quite simply performed fabulously until yesterday when it was dropped from waist height onto a kitchen lino covered floor.

There was a flicker then fade out... after much fiddling with removing cap, small knocks, I got it back alight but very dim only just viewable which is how it stayed for the rest of the night. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif

While in shock that it could break so easily, I put it on the side carefully intending to send it back today.. but on waking up and turning the cap, it seems fine again..

So, is my X5 broken or not.. I can't have it failing at the smallest knock, not even for 12 hours, I spent fairly serious money for a reason - should I accept this as just one of those things until it happens again, or should I be sending it back and try to convince them its faulty when it clearly lights up ok at the moment.

Being within 30 days of purchase in the uk, a item would normally be replaced if proved to be faulty but after 30 days we are into repair..

Any thoughts?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

Brand new X5 ? Are you talking about a X5T or the original model ? Anyway, it sounds like a contact problem to me. There's a spring adjusted contact pin down the barrel of the X5T. You may try some contact spray and then tap the light a few times or repeat the drop from various hights and angles to check wether this failure is reproducible. If you're not satisfied with the results, you can still choose to send it back.

Chris

How many hours do you have on the batteries?

When the batteries get weak the light will get dimmer, the batteries tend to "recharge" themselves slightly after a little rest.

If the Batteries are good , send it back to them.
My X5T did the same thing -it seemed about 1/2 output with even new batteries in it.I e-mailed Inova and they said send it back and a new unit was sent to me very quickly .

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Brand new X5 ? Are you talking about a X5T or the original model ?

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Its a new one, the X5T.

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Anyway, it sounds like a contact problem to me. There's a spring adjusted contact pin down the barrel of the X5T. You may try some contact spray and then tap the light a few times or repeat the drop from various hights and angles to check wether this failure is reproducible. If you're not satisfied with the results, you can still choose to send it back.

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Ah, nice one cheers.. i'll look at that now.

In response to the others here, the batteries should have had lots of life left and its was nice a bright just before the drop, but I did try swapping them anyway in the end with no difference.

Nice to hear they had a no mess policy with the replacement Led-Ed, I was guessing that as it now seems to work they might be funny about replacing.

Zathras...
Inova should give you no problems replacing your light.
I have had a x5t for a couple months and love it.
I have banged mine around a bit and its fine.
Unless you have a slight contact problem, you light is defective. They are built very will, and will take a beating.

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jtice said:
Inova should give you no problems replacing your light.
I have had a x5t for a couple months and love it.
I have banged mine around a bit and its fine.
Unless you have a slight contact problem, you light is defective. They are built very will, and will take a beating.

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Yup, I think it must be faulty.. I've given it a few small knocks now in testing, taken batteries in/out repeatedly, it has a habit of flickering and going 1/8 brightness for a while.

So unless I can work out how to adjust the spring it looks like its back to Inova... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

my first one used to flicker also, called them and was told it was from the first batch and they would replace it as it wasn't fixable. Sounds like they knew of the problem and had replaced a lot of the, that was about 6 months ago.

Mine has had a lot of abuse and is still working well.

I think you could throw these things through a 2nd story window run downstairs then outside and turn it on. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/twakfl.gif

I too had to send mine back to Inova(not for throwing it out the window/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/faint.gif) and they shipped replacemet with no problems.

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Yup, I think it must be faulty.. I've given it a few small knocks now in testing, taken batteries in/out repeatedly, it has a habit of flickering and going 1/8 brightness for a while.

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I'd send it back if the failure is reproducible. There is no way to adjust anything by yourself, because everything is potted in the head of the X5T. Hope you'll get a good one this time.

Chris

X5 has now been returned, and I'm waiting on a replacement to arrive which has been posted today, on day 6 - not bad at all given by expectations of UK support generally.

The suggestion at first was they would repair, but after a quick note to say I would prefer replacement as it was a new one, they agreed to do so no problem.

Can't wait, even only having it for 2 weeks I already miss it as much as I would my Letherman. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif