Anyone have any issues with Jetbeam BA10 switch?

Mike89

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I've had the BA10 for a couple of weeks now. While I really like the light, I don't like the switch. It feels very spongy with a grating feel when pressed. Very different than my other lights. I'm thinking I got one with a bad switch. I'm trying right now to either get another switch sent to me or exchange the light.

What do you other owners that have this light think of the switch?
 

ScaryFatKidGT

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I have the BC25 and BC10 and like them but I have herd the switch on the PC10 is soft and spongy but never grating.
 

Danielight

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I had a BC10, but ended up returning it because of the switch: spongy, and it made a clicking sound with momentary on (when it should have been silent). :shakehead
 

Xacto

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I have a BC10 and although the switch may not be as crisp as other forward clickies, I do like it since it comes somehow close to the E1b switch (long way between momentary and constant on). I have the light in my EDC rotation for a little bit over a week now.

Cheers
Thorsten
 
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davecroft

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No issues with mine. There is a gap between the rubber boot and the switch inside so I guess it feels a bit 'squashy' but it has never been a problem for me. Reliable and robust, works every time. I took mine apart the other day (I posted a pic on another thread). The switch itself appears to be a standard nylon/plastic and metal job, nicely made, no rough edges etc. And more importantly it worked exactly like before when I put it back together!
 

SHADE02

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same issue here with my jet bc25, I had it exchange.
also i noticed, that the switch is set as a standar for all the new lines, at least in this models:


3m xml, pc25, bc25, ba10,ba20,bc10,bc20,etc


i like more the switch of my older 3m r5 xp-g, when i have the proper tools to remove the tail cap switch , i will try to swap it ,into my 3m xml
 

Mike89

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I have a new switch (whole tailpiece) being sent to me. I'll post when I get it to see if the switch is the same as it was. The switches on both the Jetbeam PA40 and the Shiningbeam Caveman for example are much better feeling to me, more crisp, precise and positive instead of the mushy lagging feel of the BA10 switch. While I still like the light of the BA10, it's the worst feeling switch of all the flashlights I have owned.
 
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shelm

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people have reported that the switch (clicky) is the same as in

klarus p1a, p2a, p1c

i have the p1a and yeah the switch feels, sounds cheapish and uncomfortable. mine does even a double-click sound when you press it all the way down, i.e. press it down more than needed. a non-flashaholic wouldnt mind though.
 

Steve'O

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It seems to me like this is a ongoing production flaw where a double forward click can be felt every fourth press of the switch.
I have a 2 year old rrt1 that has had this problem from new, but it has got better with use with a drop of some synthetic oil applied in to the plastic switch mechanism.

The exact same flaw is evident in a pc10 that I purchased new only 2 weeks ago. The switch on this light got stuck in the forward press position a few times.
A few drops of thick oil smoothed it out a lot.
I'm sure that Jetbeam must have known about this crappy switch saga for a long time now, but have chosen to do nothing about it.

The truth of the matter is, I have cheap £1.00 nichia led flashlights around the house, that have far better clicky's than what Jetbeam are putting in some of their lights.
 
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SHADE02

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I'm sure that Jetbeam must have known about this crappy switch saga for a long time now, but have chosen to do nothing about it.

The truth of the matter is, I have cheap £1.00 nichia led flashlights around the house, that have far better clicky's than what Jetbeam are putting in some of their lights.

sad and true,


but my jetbeam 3m r5 xp-g next to my new 3m xml, both switch are totally differente and also feel different,
the one in the r5 is built to last,solid and strong.
thats way, i am going to swap both switches,
wait for more info on this...
 

Steve'O

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I have a Jetbeam M1X version 3 in green, that is flawless, the switch is perfect and the flashlight has never once let me down.
It is a quality item which Jetbeam manufactured around 2008 or 2009.
 

Mike89

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I got the new tailpiece today and it didn't even work. Would not turn the light on at all. Also the switch on that one felt even worse than the first one. I have already mailed the light back and am asking for a refund. I don't even want the light anymore.
 
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Steve'O

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Mike89, no one can blame you for sending it back, I bet you are mad as hell about this.
It's a real shame what is happening at Jetbeam with this quality control issue.
If Jetbeam management are aware of this clicky issue, then what on earth are they thinking to let a problem such as this go on for so long, and do absolutely nothing about it.
We all know that people who buy Jetbeam products expect high quality, and this should include a decent clicky switch, like you get with other Chinese makes.
Good flashlights are not complete without a good switch, just the same as a rifle is only as good as it's trigger.
A good smooth reliable consistent switch costs penny's to manufacture, so why lose sales and get bad rep by fitting crappy switches.
It is time this silly problem was dead and buried by Jetbeam/Sysmax.
 

Mike89

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I had also been emailing Jetbeam directly about this issue at the same time I was emailing where I bought it. The Jetbeam guy was pretty non committal about the whole thing, sort of acting like he didn't know what I was talking about concerning feel of switches. I got the feeling that they are not acknowledging any issues with their switches. I have pretty mixed feeling about this whole thing regarding Jetbeam. The only other Jetbeam light I have is the PA40 which I absolutely love (except I would rather it cycled up in mode instead of down). The light output of that light is fabulous and switch is very nice feeling. But now after buying the BA10, I'm really hesitant on getting another Jetbeam light thinking I'm going to be dealing with the limp switch thing again. I was offered another Jetbeam and turned it down flat. I'll either take another brand for replacement (say the Fenix LD10 or something comparable in price) or just get the refund.
 
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shelm

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Jetbeam's attitude has to be "the clicky switch has acceptable quality and works just fine, nobody questions the functionality of it, it doesnt fail blablah". the problem is us. we dont like the switch because it feels and sounds strange (or cheapish).

only because you dont like it doesnt mean that Jetbeam has to react and change the design, suppliers and production line.

i agree that with some synthetic oil and a shorter and thicker rubber cover boot, the cheap switch doesnt seem too bad any longer.

but i also agree that the original design (rubber boot, unlubed clicky) is a total catastrophe
 

Mike89

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Well I got my refund back. Now I'm trying to decide if I'm just going to keep the money or get another single AA light. If I do I'm going to stay within the price range of what I had paid for the BA10. So far I see two good candidates.

ITP SA1 Eluma and the Shiningbeam I-mini.
 

Mike89

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I would be surprised as Jetbeam never did acknowledge there was a problem with the switch to begin with.
 

Racer

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The switch on mine is squishy, but just like the Neutron I can loosen the bezel and let some air out. Then it firms up a little.
 

samd

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The BA10 was my first good light. I bought it when it first came out and I had nothing to compare so I didn't know if it was a good switch or not. Later, I tried my friend's ld20 and the Fenix has a better feeling switch.

My BA10 does have a squishy feeling switch with some air between the switch and the boot as well. The rubber boot does seem too thin. Plus, the movement of the switch did start to feel a little rough. After reading this thread I took it apart and put some lubricant and that might have helped.

Then I added some material (thin fitted pieces of cardboard) to fill that air gap between the switch and the boot and the switch feels better. The initial feeling of the button is firmer because of the cardboard. We'll see how that works long-term. Now that I think of it, maybe I should have put some rubbery material in there instead.

Overall, I am still pleased with this light (bought it in March of 2011). It is simple and relatively inexpensive.
 
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