What’s the funniest thing that happen to you after purchasing a light?

This one is funny enough that I figured I'd share with y'all. Little back ground information;

I recently purchased a Fenix E11 in hopes to carry it on my key ring.

When the light arrived, I found that the forward switch was defective (or didn't function properly). I'd have to click the switch several times before the light would turn off. While using the momentary, the light at times would stay on after releasing the switch.

Received an RMA number, mailed the light to the online vender. After which the service person told me aside from the switch being slightly loose, the switch was functioning fine, as in No Problems.

The light arrives (same light, not a new replacement. Don't know why, you gotta ask them why not send a new/replacement light), threw a battery in, and …. Bah-dah-bing! Same problem as mentioned, no difference in how this defective/faulty switch functioned!

Ok Pops, so what so funny about that? ....

Well, when I finally got the E11 turned off, I lightly tossed it on my desk. As soon as the light hit the desk, …. It turned itself ON! … … Picked it up and it wouldn't turn off, ….... well it finally did after hitting the switch a half dozen times, but talk about a hardheaded light.

While sitting at my desk, I dropped the light on my desk from a height of may be 2 inches, and every time the light hit the desk, … (a side from turning it's self on again) it'd try to go into disco mode, but only flicker on! … As in, I guess, it wants to ...


Ok, so what's your story?



Btw, the E11 is presently (like Luca Brasi) sleeping with the fishes!

That's a bummer... sounds like something is loose inside... maybe the switch retainer ring?? (don't have an E11 myself)

Might not be funny the way I'm telling it, but everytime we think about it, my cousin and I are laughing our heads off:

One summer about 5 years ago, I went to WartMart with my cousin so he could buy a decent flashlight and a sleeping bag to go camping. We spotted a flashlight display that I had been ignoring, mostly because I though 40$ was a little steep for a flashlight I didn't know anything about. I didn't know back then what 45 lumens represented in terms of brightness, but the second I spotted "Rayovac" on the pack, I knew it had to be worth the money and convinced my cousin to get one too.

The second we got in the car (it was real close to noon in June, so VERY bright outside) we opened our packages, put the batteries in and lit the floor of the car. We where so astounded that we laughed like madmen; "It's high noon and we can see the light in the car!!! ahahahaha!!!". Then I wanted to see more of it, so I raced home and we lit everything we could in my appartment even with the blinds open. Then I had a genious moment, where I turned the lights on over the dining table (60 watt bulb) and pointed my flashlight directly at the bulb just to see. Indeed we saw something... something we could not even fathom... we actually created a shadow to a lit 60 watt bulb. We laughed our heads off for hours, days and weeks to come.

Nowadays, we turn our TK70's on and look at each other "remember we used to laugh at making a shadow to a light bulb with a 45 lumen cheapo?" And we now laugh at how stupid and ignorant we where.

Well Cataract, I guess you and your cousin can't say (what one of our former Presidents said) "I didn't inhale"! ...

AZPops said:

Well Cataract, I guess you and your cousin can't say (what one of our former Presidents said) "I didn't inhale"! ...

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I think he meant to say "I didn't EXhale"



Funniest thing that ever happened after purchasing a flashlight....

hmmmm...

Maybe this:

I bought a XX million candle power hand torch (Forget the brand, etc...at PepBoys...), and was at home charging it. Decided to get something to eat for dinner, as I was famished. Put bread in the toaster, and when it popped, went to get a knife. I noticed the handle on the silverware drawer was loose, so I went into the garage to get a screwdriver. The garage light was out, so I went upstairs to get a new bulb...I opened the closet to get a new bulb, and noticed the laundry detergent was in the wrong closet, it was supposed to be in the laundry room...so I brought it down to the laundry room.

In the laundry room, I noticed the hamper was full, and remembered I was out of socks, so I started a load of laundry...and then remembered I had to change the bulb in the garage still, so went back to get the bulb. I get the bulb, and go back into the garage, and can't screw the bulb in because I need a ladder, and by the ladder, I see my oil change stuff out because the jeep was due for an oil change. So I crawl under the jeep to change the oil. While I'm changing the oil, the little gasket falls off the filter, when I start it up, oil sprays everywhere.

I go to get some kitty litter to sop it up, and step on a roller skate in the dark garage, and fall back and whack my head so I saw stars.

After a bit, I stagger to my feet, and realize I have a decent gash, and am covered in blood, oil and kitty litter.

My wife comes home, and asks what the hell happened. I said I got hungry.

She took me to the hospital, I got stitched up, etc, came home to the mess, said I'll get it all in the morning...and went to bed.

The next day, I was STILL hungry, the drawer handle was still loose, there was burned toast in the toaster, the jeep and driveway was covered in oil, the garage looked like a murder scene, the laundry was smelling musty in the washer, the garage was still w/o a bulb, I was still w/o a clean pair of socks, and the new light's battery had over charged and was garbage.

AZPops said:

Well Cataract, I guess you and your cousin can't say (what one of our former Presidents said) "I didn't inhale"! ...

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LOL. Try to prove this one, though.

TEEJ: Sounds like an episode of Malcolm in the middle where Al is changing the oil on his car after a similar series of events, and then Lois walks in to ask about the light bulb she wanted changed and he screams back "What does it look like I'm doing???"

Mine's not exactly epic but it made me laugh.

I bought a Fenix TK41 and it arrived yesterday. Got home, charged up some 2450mAh Energizers and waited for it to get dark.

Put the batts in the torch when it was dark, turned it on the back room and giggled to myself like a school kid.

Went into the darkened loungeroom where my wife was watching TV and proudly announced to her "This is that new torch I bought" turned it on and pointed it at the wall about 5 metres away.

Her response cracked me up - "Are you f***ing for real?!?!? That things bloody blinding!!!!"

TEMPA said:

Mine's not exactly epic but it made me laugh.

I bought a Fenix TK41 and it arrived yesterday. Got home, charged up some 2450mAh Energizers and waited for it to get dark.

Put the batts in the torch when it was dark, turned it on the back room and giggled to myself like a school kid.

Went into the darkened loungeroom where my wife was watching TV and proudly announced to her "This is that new torch I bought" turned it on and pointed it at the wall about 5 metres away.

Her response cracked me up - "Are you f***ing for real?!?!? That things bloody blinding!!!!"

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:laughing: .... That's a Good One!

TEMPA said:

[...[
Her response cracked me up - "Are you f***ing for real?!?!? That things bloody blinding!!!!"

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LOL! She saw the light!

I have another one. Wasn't right after purchasing the light, but I never put this one on CPF before:

I was doing a cleaning on a film processor with strong chemicals and then dumped all the chemicals through the regular drainage system. The drains go through procesing at some point, but before that they join other drainage pipes. One of the guys from the next room walks in worried: (the following was a french-Canadian conversation)
Him: "are dumping dangerous products through the drainage system?"
Me: "yes... why?"
Him: "we have an open drain in there and it's smells really bad... are these dangerous to breathe?"
Me: "not really, doesn't say so on the MSDS, but you certainly don't want to touch those"

So I walk over with him and he points the drain under a deep work table. There are no lights on in the room other than black lights as they do fluorescent dye inspection, so I turn on my pd20 while pointing under the desk.
Him: "F***!" (the actual word, for those who know, was TABARN**!)

It wasn't a good time to start talking about my flashlight, but he was definitely impressed...




I hope the stories keep coming.

Several months ago I was flying out of Logan airrport with my 6PX Pro in my pocket. Going through security I put loose items in the little basket they gave you. Change, cell phone, sunglasses, pen, and flashlight. The TSA agent picks up my light and askes me "What's this for?" I reply "Well, to see in the dark...". She gives me this look that says I just have her an answer that diddnt make sence. So she turns the light over in her hands, presses the tailcap and gets 200 lumens in her face. After blinking alot and stumbling a bit she waved me through. Still makes me laugh lol.

It's funny how people react when they see how much light these lights throw out, even one's with a AA alkaline.

I gave a good friend's personal secretary a Stainless Steal Jetbeam E3S R4 this Christmas. We sat at her desk while she opened her gift (She loved the sleek look of the SS), we placed a battery in it to show her how to use it.

While it was in it's high mode position, she clicks it on, … Then of all things, looks "directly" into the light … … While throwing her head back, she places her hand over the lens (you should've seen her facial expression, and this woman is ablsolutely beautiful), … Then guess what? ….She points the dang light directly at me! ... :duck: …. All the while, while trying to get her vision back, she tells me, Wow this little light's bright!

Later that afternoon, I gave my friend his gift, a V10R Ti (with the important AA extension, a holster and to get him started 4 CR123A's in a battery carrier) since he liked both my Rotary and V10R. You should have seen this person who literally has everything, how excited he was when he unwrapped his gift (Since I wrapped it in a large box, he was expecting a box of Hawaiian Macadamia nuts. I purchase and pass out over two cases of chocolate covered Macadamia nuts to his managers and employees every Christmas, plus a case of Corona's for each department).

When he clicked it on, I quickly told him don't look into it. He told me "you think I'm nuts, this thing will burn your eye out" … I told him what his secretary did and we had good laugh!

I really wished I could've purchased a Rotary for him, but you know how that one goes. Maybe, I'll order one in June, so I'll get it by next Christmas! … LOL

Juuuust kidding Henry! …

bnemmie said:

Several months ago I was flying out of Logan airrport with my 6PX Pro in my pocket. Going through security I put loose items in the little basket they gave you. Change, cell phone, sunglasses, pen, and flashlight. The TSA agent picks up my light and askes me "What's this for?" I reply "Well, to see in the dark...". She gives me this look that says I just have her an answer that diddnt make sence. So she turns the light over in her hands, presses the tailcap and gets 200 lumens in her face. After blinking alot and stumbling a bit she waved me through. Still makes me laugh lol.

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I've had the same experience as well, and TSA agents need to make sure that the flashlight is indeed a flashlight and will turn them on to see it lit up - almost every time in their faces. :duh2:

My experience is with a routine police roadblock when I was on my way back from work. An officer shined his incan mini m@g inside my car, then asked for my papers.

I didn't realize that my Drivers' license has expired for a couple of weeks, so the officer told me to pull over and get a ticket. As I was pulling over, I saw the officer handed my license to another officer that sat at table, issuing tickets. I walked over to the table and saw that all the officer has to work with was one of those crappy 5mm LED array camping lantern casting dim, angry blue light on the table.:shakehead

The officer asked me to verify my details and sign the ticket he was citing. I can't see anything legible in the blue light, so I (under the supervision of the officer, very deliberately and slowly) reached for my E2DL to illuminate. I wanted to use the low 5 lumens light but the 200 lumens light shone first - and the officer recoiled back in surprise. I clicked on the low and even the 5 lumens from my light was clearly better in illuminating the table than the cheap lantern. I apologized for surprising him with the light, but he was not angry or anything but requests to inspect my E2DL.

The next 10 minutes was spent watching the officer playing with my light - cycling between the hi and lo, and shining the beam at a distant tree line. Other police officers came over and played with the light as well, and compared it with their mini m@gs. I kept hearing things like "This thing is bright!", "Whoa it shines far", etc. :huh:

Eventually, the officer handed the light back to me and started to ask me about the light. He was impressed by the amount of light that came out of the thing. I told him that it was a pricey flashlight, but one that is very reliable. He asked a few other details about it to which I answered, and told him about a local SF distributor. He took down the details on his notebook and thanked me for it. He said he will get his station chief to get an 'update' for their outdated flashlights.

And then he said:

"Get your license renewed on Monday. I'll let you off with a warning this time."

Re: What’s the funniest thing that happen to you after purchasing a light?

This happened to me about 8 years ago and although I was laughing fit to burst, the real laugh was on the anonymous twit who caused the situation.

So there I was at work, writing out an order for tools, service consumables and stuff from a trade supplier I regularly use. The order fell a little short of the threshold for free next day delivery so I started randomly clicking through the pages on their website looking for things to make up the numbers (which is always fatal for me because I usually find lots of shiny kit which I have no use for but suddenly develop a junkie's urge to buy as if my life depended on it.) Out of the blue I spot a discounted item in the torches and lighting section - "Disposable Pocket Light - price 10p". (That was about 6 cents US.) At that price I thought I'd get 10 and give them to my young niece and nephew to play with. Quite reasonably, I figured at that price they must be some button cell powered LED squeeze light mounted in a cardboard fold-over that would last a week if you were lucky. The next day, several big boxes arrived and as I ticked off my list, I accounted for all the tools and whatnots I was expecting. After unpacking, I was surprised to find that there was still one fairly decent sized box left and the only items not yet found were the disposable torches. I looked at it for a bit and thought this can't be them because it's too big and weighty. When I opened it I was astounded to find 10 2xAA Mini-Maglites, complete with gift boxes. Naturally I thought they'd sent the wrong items and that I'd have to go through the hassle of sending them back. I checked my original order form just to make sure I wasn't the dope and had put down the wrong order code. Nope, I'd done it right. I rechecked the website and the stock code was correct too. The supplier had let an error through and put the wrong price on the Mini-Mags, and over here a seller is legally obliged to sell at whatever price they advertise, even if it's wrong. I immediately emailed a number friends and advised them to buy buy buy, but in the time it took, the supplier must have woken up to their error and withdrawn to product. If I'd known what I was getting I'd have nabbed a hundred! Anyway, I was jumping for joy at my good fortune - 10 Maglites for a £1, can't go wrong. The real laughs came when I looked at the delivery note and spotted that they'd screwed up the screwed up price. The lights should have been 10p each but were listed at 1p each! 10 Min-Mags for 10p. Now that really put a smile on my face, but it got even bigger a week later when the invoice arrived. They'd collectively marked all 10 torches at zero pence. I got 10 Maglites for nothing!

I'd like to think that instead of some bored employee being stupid, somewhere it was someone's last day and they decided to 'stick it to the man'. Thank you whoever you are.

Wasn't very funny! I bought a new Streamlight SL20 years ago on Friday afternoon, went hunting on Fri nite and dropped it in a lake, the water sure was cold recovering my light, it was still on!
Larry

bnemmie said:

So she turns the light over in her hands, presses the tailcap and gets 200 lumens in her face. After blinking alot and stumbling a bit she waved me through. Still makes me laugh lol.

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I love it!!!

Keith