High and Turbo look the same

I've started noticing something strange with my 4Sevens Quark "X" 123-2 flashlight.

The difference between high and turbo used to be very robust. But now, when the light is first turned on, there is a negligible difference between high and turbo. After switching back and forth a few times, there's no longer any discernible change at all.

Some of you may know that the output of the Quark "X" series drops after three minutes on turbo. This is not the source of the problem, as the whole test takes only, perhaps, 30 seconds.

I have also considered that the flashlight was not properly switching between the tightened and loosened bezel modes. However, I am able to cycle through the tightened and loosened bezel sequences normally, so that can't be it either.

So, as far as I can tell, it's either got to do with the batteries getting low (I'm still on my first pair of batteries, so I don't know exactly how the light behaves with low batteries) or it's a malfunction.

Is this a fairly normal occurrence with flashlights, or should I be contacting customer service?


P.S. Rock on, CPFers! :rock:

I don't have your exact light but do have the Mini123. What you describe is normal in multi-level lights as battery capacity is used and Voltage falls off. High mode is lost first because of insufficient Voltage to maintain it. It may come on briefly because the batteries have sat a while and Voltage has risen but it will fall back to the next level quickly and as you change from High to the next level, there will be no difference in brightness. Change the batteries.

Time for new batteries. thanks!

When in doubt, try new batteries first. IF that fails, clean all the contacts. Sometimes the tailcap ring is loose as well. These 3 things solve 95% of all problems.

Yeah, when batteries are running low, the turbo will look like High and the high will look like high, then when they get lower, they will be the same output... so will look like medium and medium, then low and low then moonlight and moonlight.

It does give an amazing amount of runtime when you think about it. You get regulation until the cells cannot keep up turbo, then it just starts to drop.

The big trouble I had was having it set as turbo and low or equally spaced apart levels... using low for days then realising that turbo is only putting out a couple of lumens. Sometimes funny on the regular (non-tactical) quarks where moonlight, low, medium, high and turbo are all really dim.

had the same issue with the light not being able to go into Turbo mode even on fresh batteries. I had the light RMA'ed. Might as well make use of the 10 year warranty. Oh yeah, when I opened the light and smelled the PCB portion of the head, it smelled of burnt electronics.

Didn't know about the stepping down of the turbo x 123. Is that true? So the 450 lumens is only for 3 minutes?

Farlark said:

Time for new batteries. thanks!

Click to expand...

For me, primaries are just too precious to toss out just because "turbo" has gone. If I don't absolutely need the brightest level, I'll use it as I can until high becomes medium.. then to low etc. Of course I have other lights, so I always have something else (that's working on high) to fall back on, while using the depleating one for other tasks.

My recommendation.... if turbo is your "primary" use (no pun intended) ... then I'd consider going the rechargeable (RCR -16340) route.