Mini Maglite flickering issue...

booky · Feb 2, 2012

I have a Mini Mag with a TLE-5EX led. I haven't used it in awhile, and just recently noticed that the light flickers when in use.

If I give it a little shake it flickers, so that leads me to believe that something might be loose. I am flashlight noob, so not quite sure what it could be.

Any ideas or suggestions on how to remedy this?

Thanks in advance for your help!

Astro · Feb 2, 2012

Have you tried cleaning the theads on the end cap and the body yet? I recently had a similar issue with a MiniMag LED, cleaning with alcohol and a cotton bud fixed it.

NeonLights · Feb 2, 2012

I've had issues like this with stock incan and LED drop-ins on MiniMags ever since I started using them 20 or so years ago. Usually it involves some corrosion on the contacts and/or battery terminals in the light. I usually use some contact cleaner (alcohol will work in a pinch) on the tailcap threads and contacts in the light, as well as on the positive and negative terminals of the battery, and then follow it up with a contact treatment like DeoxIT.

booky · Feb 2, 2012

Thanks for the tips guys. I'll give them a try.

chmsam · Feb 2, 2012

Usually it's either a spring that gets compressed (stretch it gently) or it's a dirty contact on the batteries, the spring, or base of the circuitry or the LED itself (depends on the light). It's a good idea to read through some of the cleaning and maintenance threads. Look at some of the stickes and you'll learn a lot.

Best things to use are a good electrical contact cleaner and consider some of the DeOxit products. They aren't cheap but you don't use much and it's good on almost anything electronic.

BTW, don't get overly hung up on the grease/lube threads since there's a lot of "mines better than yours" stuff. As long as it won't cause problems with o-rings on the light(s) you'll probably be OK.

This is where a little reading goes a long way and saves you a lot of aggrevation.

One last thing -- avoid the temptation to over-tighten the parts of the light. It's possible to damage the batteries or the circuitry on some lights by doing so.

booky · Feb 2, 2012

chmsam said:
Usually it's either a spring that gets compressed (stretch it gently) or it's a dirty contact on the batteries, the spring, or base of the circuitry or the LED itself (depends on the light). It's a good idea to read through some of the cleaning and maintenance threads. Look at some of the stickes and you'll learn a lot.

Best things to use are a good electrical contact cleaner and consider some of the DeOxit products. They aren't cheap but you don't use much and it's good on almost anything electronic.

BTW, don't get overly hung up on the grease/lube threads since there's a lot of "mines better than yours" stuff. As long as it won't cause problems with o-rings on the light(s) you'll probably be OK.

This is where a little reading goes a long way and saves you a lot of aggrevation.

One last thing -- avoid the temptation to over-tighten the parts of the light. It's possible to damage the batteries or the circuitry on some lights by doing so.

Appreciate the input!

Mini Maglite flickering issue...

booky

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Astro

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NeonLights

Flashlight Enthusiast

booky

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chmsam

Flashlight Enthusiast

booky

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