Lifespan of fenix lights?

What is the consensus on how long these should last? I've had two now, and L1D and an LD10. First started flickering and losing power after a year, now the second is completely dead after right about a year.

They are used and dropped occasionally but i honestly expected a little more out of them. Is this typical?

Also, what brand model should i look for for a single AAA led light? To be clipped on the strap of my backpack to be close at hand. Not sure if i want to go fenix again after my experiences, even though i love both lights i have had while they lasted.

That flickering is probably just a bad switch you should change it out and I bet it will work good as new. I've had a couple Fenix switches go bad but I have never had a complete failure.

Make sure the retaining ring in the tailcap that holds the switch in is tight. You can use the tips of a needlenose pliers. Those frequently come loose and then the light flakes out.

jhc37013 said:

That flickering is probably just a bad switch you should change it out and I bet it will work good as new. I've had a couple Fenix switches go bad but I have never had a complete failure.

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+1 yeah, sounds like a worn out switch. if you can't get a replacement, try spraying it from the inside with WD40. Worth a try.

robinsok said:

What is the consensus on how long these should last? I've had two now, and L1D and an LD10. First started flickering and losing power after a year, now the second is completely dead after right about a year.

They are used and dropped occasionally but i honestly expected a little more out of them. Is this typical?

Also, what brand model should i look for for a single AAA led light? To be clipped on the strap of my backpack to be close at hand. Not sure if i want to go fenix again after my experiences, even though i love both lights i have had while they lasted.

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try an iTP A3 EOS Upgraded you will not regret! esp if youre running it with a 10440. Lumens could easily hit 200+.

I agree with roadkill, I have one and it is awesome. When you decide to go the Li-ion route, it is even better!

nbp said:

Make sure the retaining ring in the tailcap that holds the switch in is tight. You can use the tips of a needlenose pliers. Those frequently come loose and then the light flakes out.

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Great suggestion. I had a failure on my Olight T15. I was very dissapionted and was packing it to be returned to the supplier, then it hit me. Why not just look at that first, and it was the problem. Now its problem free since that time.

i've had an L2T for some years now and it has been trouble free, aside from the mentioned ring coming loose once in a while

Batteries are probably flat.

robinsok said:

First started flickering and losing power after a year, now the second is completely dead after right about a year.

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I haven't had problems with any of my Fenix lights. As stated above, I would check the batteries and tighten the retaining ring in the switch cap. One time I let my TK11 get down to low on a protected 18650 and it flickered because the battery was dying or the contacts were getting dirty (this was before I knew not to overdischarge li-ion, and keep them topped off). If those suggestions don't work I would clean the whole light (threads, contacts, retaining ring, etc.) with rubbing alcohol and use some decent lube and I bet it fires right up. If not then I'd use a paper clip as a substitute switch to see if that is your problem (unscrew tail cap switch, make contact with the end of battery to the end of the battery tube).

Fenix themselves recommend tightening the ring in the tailcap and cleaning and relubing the light when flickering occurs. I think you should definitely give that a try. Their recent clickies seem to be pretty well done and not to cause problems often. I would stay clear of spraying WD40 in the tailcap, apart from that I don't know what that should help with, it wouldn't be pretty.

You should expect more life out of them than that. I killed a L2T by letting it fall a couple times too often. I get the impression that my current Fenixes are more sturdy, though. As for the AAA, the Fenix E01 has a very good reputation if you're content with a bright enough light for inside the house when it's dark that runs many hours on an AAA and you don't have a problem with very blueish tint and less-than-stellar beam pattern. I find it pretty useful, as do many others who have adapted the less-lumens-is-better-sometimes-philosophy. Have a look at the beamshots and decide for yourself. It's bright enough with a nice spill to see about 3m in a dark forest with night adapted eyes. Because of the wide beam it's also perfect for navigating indoors. Maybe already too bright for that, if you don't want to wake anyone. The ITP seems to be less robust but offers a lot more light and flexibility if you will. I use my AAA as a keychain light and am always happy to have it with me, as it is plenty useful in darkness and lasts forever. I also have a EDC (SF E1B or Ra Clicky or 4sevens Ti Mini123) to give me the brightness when needed.

All of my Fenix lights are still going strong - an L1T, LD01 and e01 which have all been carried for well over a year now, closer to three or so for the L1T.

If you are having some problems, some basic maintenance may keep your lights going a bit longer - make sure all batteries are fresh or fully charged, clean and lube the threads on the threaded parts, make sure all contact surfaces are clean (the joins between bodies, battery terminals) and in lights with clickies that the switch is tight.

Barring disaster they should be soldiering on for a long time yet...

Is it hard to get warranty service from Fenix?

As others have stated the switch is the only mechanical item in the light which is subject to wear, high resistance, and vibration (loosening) The LED is typically rated at 50000 hours which is about 5.7 years.

My first "decent" light was a Fenix L1P I bought in 2005. I was blown away by the outpout of such a little light (at the time). I gifted several, all of which are dead and gone now. I sold mine years ago but it functioned properly up until they day I decided to let go. I bought 2-3 more Fenix models back in the day (L1S, P1, etc..) and ended up selling or trading them. I moved on to other lights, before eventually buying a TK1... I loved this light... It served me well and never exhibited any problems up until the year or so later that I sold it. After a few year hiatus with no Fenix lights, I decided to purchase an MC-10. I like the anglelight idea and seeing as though my 2 ZL's failed me miserably, I thought I'd give it a try. Well, after the third day of owning it, I noticed intermittent switch problems. banging it on my hand would sometimes fix it... Finally I decided I had had enough and returned it for a replacement, which I promptly sold. I wouldn't buy another Fenix unless they came out with like a XM-L quad for under $50.

AIRASSAULT18B said:

Is it hard to get warranty service from Fenix?

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I'd like to know that as well. So far my Fenix's have been reliable, but it would be nice to know if they offer service in the USA. Also would like to know if spare parts are available as well.

I had a dead switch in my ld10. Got 1 sent to me by the shop where I bought the light. No questions aske, just got my switch and my ld10 works like new.
So I would say: pretty easy to get parts

nbp said:

Make sure the retaining ring in the tailcap that holds the switch in is tight. You can use the tips of a needlenose pliers. Those frequently come loose and then the light flakes out.

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YES - look inside the tailcap. There is a silver retaining ring inside with 2 indentions (oposite each other,) and a pair of needle nose plyers fits in them well. Screw the ring tight and this may fix it. I had a relitively new Fenix LD20 do this to me while hiking in the mountains with my wife & kids. I was so mad that my "favorite" light (at the time) had blinked & then flickered out....and it was at a critical time too. We were hiking later than we meant to & needed light, but I had spare lights....I always have spare ones with me. Anyway, when I got home I called 4sevens (where I bought it,) and they told me to do this. It worked, and the light is going strong.

Regarding how long a light should last - in my opinion they should last a lifetime. My first real light was a fenix P1D CE (single cr123 light) that I bought in 2005. I carried it on my keychain until 2009, and it got beat up & dropped a lot....and it looks beat up too. Still running strong to this day.

I don't remember hearing a lot of complaints of Fenix failures (and I have none, as posted above), except the occasional switch. Any light can fail and Fenix sells a lot of lights so they seem pretty dependable, I would say the bad luck shao.fu.tzer had with Fenix is very uncommon.

Well i will check the rings in the tailcaps and see what that does guys, thanks for the tip. Hopefully that takes care of it because it seems like these lights should be able to run for a long time still..