Malkoff dropin on low output

Matt7337

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Nov 5, 2008
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361
Location
Northern Ireland
The 3D Maglite that I keep in the car for emergencies and occasionally for walking the dog rocks a 2-3D 2009 model Malkoff dropin (not 100% sure what LED it has to be honest, think it's a P7 but maybe someone can confirm this for me - it's definately the 240 lumen model) along with a few other mods, none of which matter for the purposes of this thread other than the Medium OP KaiDomain reflector which smooths out the beam and still gives me enough throw for what I use the light for. I'm not sure whether this is a problem with the dropin or if it's just a feature of that model that I am not aware of, but it comes on at about 50% brightness some of the time. I am aware that the Malkoff dropins do have regulation and will drop the current to the LED to give diminished output when the batteries are running low, but this light will come on at around 50% brightness on a set of fresh-from-the-packet Duracell D cells. Sometimes it flicks to 100% brightness within 5 seconds of coming on, and sometimes it won't flick from 50-100% at all. Other times the light will come on at 100% and stay that way for extended periods of time. Using the momentary function on the 3D body to signal can sometimes give a 50-100-50-100-50-100 pattern, but not always.

I'd like to know if this might be a fault because as I've said, the light lives in the car and is there primarily for emergency use, and I'd like to know that I can rely on it.

Thanks in advance.
 

jellydonut

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Jun 13, 2010
Messages
995
Location
Europe
Sounds like the typical 'bad contact' symptoms to me. I can strobe my Malkoff 2C on no-name C alkalines without any issues, it shouldn't be that way.

You could try cleaning and relubing the threads at both the head and tailcap, the threads inside the tailcap and the spring. If that doesn't help, try taking the dropin out of the light, inspect the body and the dropin and reassemble if there's nothing obvious.

If THAT doesn't help.. Contact Gene, he will sort you out. :)
 

scot

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Joined
Oct 25, 2009
Messages
98
Location
soCal
Contact Gene, I had a similar problem with my 2-3 D Mag dropin and he new immediately what the problem was and helped me out. Call him.
 

Matt7337

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Joined
Nov 5, 2008
Messages
361
Location
Northern Ireland
Thanks guys. I've already tried cleaning the threads and re-lubing everything and it didn't make a difference. I guess I need to email Gene then.
 
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