New guy just bought a Fenix TK-41 and may have an off-center LED

[/URL][/IMG] Hi: Just received my new Fenix TK-41(non U2 version) today and after loading it with 8 AA alkalines(new nimh's are breaking-in),turned it on and I noticed a darker oblong shape just outside of the main beam's hotspot...sorry if I am not using the proper terms as this is my first"real" flashlight!..... anyways,I looked at the LED in the head and it seems to be a little off-center, and there are two black pins on the top and bottom, which are maybe locating pins to get the LED right on center,which seems that the LED is a little off when looking at these 'pins'
Would this cause the dark oblong shape?. I can move the shape around by just rotating the light and it moves(oblong shape) accordingly.
I managed to take a pic,but may not be a very good close-up shot,but you can definitely see the small black pegs top and bottom,which I think are centering pegs,which don't line up with led at all,maybe 1/64" off!
Should I send this light back? Thanks,Hot Brass

I bought a TK-41 a few weeks ago, and had to return it due to the on/off switch malfunctioning, but I wish it didnt malfunction cause I actually really liked the light. The LED in mine was well centered. I have read posts from members who have bought different lights, and some people seem to get a light with an off centered LED, while others buy the same light and their LED is centered. I have a couple lights that have LED's that arent perfectly centered, but I dont see any strange shapes or any issues that would cause me to have returned the lights.

But if you can turn the light, and the odd shape moves around as you turn the light, then it must be something wrong with the light thats causing it. I cant imagine what it is though. I'm the wrong person to ask how to post pictures, as I just asked the question a few days ago myself, and I still dont understand it.....

I think you have to download your pics to an internet photo sharing site, then somehow bring them here from there(?) I did go to the trouble of opening a Picassa online photo sharing account, and uploaded lots of pics, but then I couldnt find the tools that I am supposed to use to get those pics here! So apparently I wasted about 4 hours....

Can you post your pic ?

Hot Brass said:

I took a pic,but not sure how to put it here?

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I usually upload my pictures to imgur and then link them here, but other services like Picasa Web Albums should work too.

Sorry! I may try Photbucket and see if I can figure out how to post pics here. Thanks,Hot Brass

If it bothers you, send it back. I've noticed that artifacts are usually less bothersome in the "real world" than when I shine the light on a white wall. Your LED should come from the factory well centered. I just checked mine and it appears to be perfectly centered. There is no distracting artifact in the beam.

I sent a pic of the off-centered LED to my dealer who is going to forward it to Fenix,so we'll what happens next!?. I only shone the light on an interior wall in daylight,so maybe it won't affect the beam too much when used in the dark,but I will try it tonite for sure! Pretty sure it's the led out of whack,cause the oblong shape moves when I rotate the light in my hand and the shape moves accordingly....maybe not a big deal,but i want to know after reading others with off-centered LED on their TK-41's. Probably would have never noticed whether the LED was off or not if I had not read about it! Kept me up all night,(well,maybe not ALL night!)) but thinking about if I was "one' who got the "bad" one!Thanks,Hot Brass

Hot Brass said:

I sent a pic of the off center LED to my dealer who is going to forward it to Fenix,so

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correct protocol imho is:
1. you dont ask questions and waste time
2. you simply return the light to the dealer, and the dealer covers the return shipping costs
3. the dealer sends out a new light as FREE replacement
4. but before doing so, the dealer checks the light personally and manually and guarantees that everything is fine
5. you receive the FREE and double quality-checked replacement light and are happy
6. what the dealer does with the returned unit is his business. his problem, not yours.

I've seen Fenix lights with (very) mal-centered LED's which produced a blurry hotspot. Several Fenix lights. Eccentric LED's .. this happens even with Fenix, yes!

If you buy your light from amazon, declare it as "defective" in this case (Depends on your definition of "defectiveness") and return, amazon will even offer you to issue a full refund incl shipping costs. For sure amazon will cover your return shipping costs.

Good luck.

Just figured how to do a pic!![/URL][/IMG]

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Probably not a good close-up shot! I had to use a magnifying glass to see the black centering pins.
Hot Brass

Thanks everyone! Not sure if I am making this more than it is on this light,but it's a real bummer,cause I had to wait a whole week and now I may have to ship it back!. I am going to try it out tonight and see if it affects anything as far as the beam quality....don't really want to send it back! Maybe the newer U2 versions are better?!(860lumens)?. Thanks,Hot Brass

shelm said:

correct protocol imho is:
1. you dont ask questions and waste time
2. you simply return the light to the dealer, and the dealer covers the return shipping costs
3. the dealer sends out a new light as FREE replacement
4. but before doing so, the dealer checks the light personally and manually and guarantees that everything is fine
5. you receive the FREE and double quality-checked replacement light and are happy
6. what the dealer does with the returned unit is his business. his problem, not yours.

I've seen Fenix lights with (very) mal-centered LED's which produced a blurry hotspot. Several Fenix lights. Eccentric LED's .. this happens even with Fenix, yes!

If you buy your light from amazon, declare it as "defective" in this case (Depends on your definition of "defectiveness") and return, amazon will even offer you to issue a full refund incl shipping costs. For sure amazon will cover your return shipping costs.

Good luck.

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Thanks! I bought it from an authorized dealer in British Columbia. Amazon would not ship to Canada for some reason,same with my Maha Powerex C9000 charger!! Thanks,Hot Brass

Honestly bro, I'd send it back and get a new one. When you spend $100+ on a flashlight you deserve a well-centered LED, and if you're anything like me, this will just bother you if you decide to keep it.

Hot Brass said:

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Probably not a good close-up shot! I had to use a magnifying glass to see the black centering pins.
Hot Brass

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Definitely off-center. Don't worry about the pins ... look at how the dome is aligned. Send it back.

Off center. send it back- get a new one.

UpstandingCitizen said:

this will just bother you if

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this!