Nitecore Smart PD EX11.2 Glitchy behavior

zespectre · Nov 10, 2012

I have a brand new Nitecore Smart PD EX11.2 and I have discovered it has one repeating glitch. Randomly, but frequently, when I punch it once to turn it off it instead swaps down to lowest mode and stays on in that mode. At first I thought I must be double clicking but I have been very careful to use a firm SINGLE push to turn it off and I still get this behavior.

I'm emailing Nitecore to see what they say.

netprince · Nov 10, 2012

Its a design flaw. I had two of these and they both had the same problem. Good luck. Let us know what you find out.

Flying Turtle · Nov 10, 2012

My D11.2 does the same thing occasionally. Cleaning seems to help some. I think it's mostly due to not pressing sharply enough. It's still my favorite AA.

Geoff

Zeruel · Nov 11, 2012

It happens to most, if not all, my 11.2 version (both EX11.2 and D11.2). I have strenuously tested them and came to the conclusion it's not due to the lack of firm clicking. I have emailed NiteCore in the past with this issue AND this:

which I thought they have already addressed earlier on. This happened after a casual drop from my table. (this light has been replaced promptly by the dealer, but what if I drop the new one again? :sweat

It's been more than 8 months and I've not heard from them. So it's either they choose to ignore my email, or they have a very stringent email firewall. Or maybe they've just missed it, who knows. Hope you have better luck and let us know what they say.

On the contrary, ALL my D10s do not have this glitch issue and has proven to be reliable for the years I've been using them. To those-who-avoid-a-brand-because-of-an-issue or those-who-boycott-brands-because-they-have-a-single-bad-experience, all flashlight brands have lemons at one point or another and NiteCore is no exception, but the crux of the matter is how they address the issue.

shelm · Nov 11, 2012

Zeruel said:
AND this:

Seriously??

HMFC!! (=h**y m***** ****ing C*****!!)

zespectre · Nov 11, 2012

Wow Zeruel, that is dissapointing!

Ti²C · Nov 11, 2012

zespectre said:
I have a brand new Nitecore Smart PD EX11.2 and I have discovered it has one repeating glitch. Randomly, but frequently, when I punch it once to turn it off it instead swaps down to lowest mode and stays on in that mode. At first I thought I must be double clicking but I have been very careful to use a firm SINGLE push to turn it off and I still get this behavior.

zespectre said:
I'm emailing Nitecore to see what they say.

Same problem with one of my two ex11.2's. mine also eats batts on standby, the CS told me to send it back to china to fix that.

do you use rechargeable li-ion ?

RedForest UK · Nov 11, 2012

Yes it's a very common issue on all 11.2 models. I have tried 4 or 5 different 11.2 circuits to see if it's a glitch, but it happens on all of them. It actually seems to be an issue with the ring sticking slightly, but I would class it as a design issue as the tolerances needed for it not to happen are minute. The best simple 'fix' I have found is to use a toothpick or cocktail stick to rotate the brass ring in the head (actually you can probably do it by hand on the EX series) to different positions and retry, there seem to be 'sweet-spots' where if positioned correctly the sticking and switching to low is eliminated, or at least seriously reduced. I recommend rotating clockwise to keep it stably held in place against the spring beneath, but it can even depend on the orientation of said spring and the brass ring combined in which case you may need to rotate clockwise to get the spring into a certain position, then anti-clockwise a certain amount to position the ring optimally.

Sorry if that didn't make much sense, but I'd recommend just giving it a go. It's a trial and error job really anyway..

shelm · Nov 11, 2012

RedForest UK said:
Yes it's a very common issue on all 11.2 models. I have tried 4 or 5 different 11.2 circuits to see if it's a glitch, but it happens on all of them. It actually seems to be an issue with the ring sticking slightly, but I would class it as a design issue as the tolerances needed for it not to happen are minute. The best simple 'fix' I have found is to use a toothpick or cocktail stick to rotate the brass ring in the head (actually you can probably do it by hand on the EX series) to different positions and retry, there seem to be 'sweet-spots' where if positioned correctly the sticking and switching to low is eliminated, or at least seriously reduced. I recommend rotating clockwise to keep it stably held in place against the spring beneath, but it can even depend on the orientation of said spring and the brass ring combined in which case you may need to rotate clockwise to get the spring into a certain position, then anti-clockwise a certain amount to position the ring optimally.

Sorry if that didn't make much sense, but I'd recommend just giving it a go. It's a trial and error job really anyway..

Great info, thanks!!
I was getting interested in buying 1 piece of EX11.2 or some other Nitecore flashlight but this :ironic: has changed my opinion and i am now looking with more interest :huh: into the Sunwayman new TITANIUM rcr123 flashlight, M11R i think it is.

Nitecore? Oh please. :ohgeez:

saypat · Nov 11, 2012

could anyone please tell me what the problem is with this picture as i don't see any? I love my EX 11.2 It's glitchy, I knew that going in. But I love the light and the unique UI.

zespectre · Nov 12, 2012

saypat said:
could anyone please tell me what the problem is with this picture as i don't see any? I love my EX 11.2 It's glitchy, I knew that going in. But I love the light and the unique UI.

The case is split. The copper you are seeing is the module inside.

zespectre · Nov 12, 2012

The thing is, I really do like this light a lot (size, modes, etc) but this glitch is making me nutz!

zespectre · Nov 13, 2012

Update in two parts.

Part One: The reply from NiteCore. For the record, they replied pretty quickly, I've just been busy.

Hello Sir,
Thank you for your email. If you are sure operation is correct, but EX11 behaves wrong, I would suggest you to send it back to us for repair.

Below is our shipping address:
Rm1407-08,Glorious Tower,850 East Dongfeng Road,Guangzhou,China 510600

Attn.: Lei Jun lai,
Phone: 86 20 83862000
-------------------------.....................................
Attention:
1. Attach a note with your package to tell us the problem of the lights, and your name, country
2. Declare it as "Flashlights" and low value, with each light not exceed USD 20
3. Send the whole lights without package, but make sure the lights are packed well and strong enough to avoid possible damages during transportation. Pack each light individually with bubble bags.
4. Mark down the tracking number and inform us when you make shipments.

Since I'm pretty sure I don't want to send this back to China, I decided I'd see if I understood what RedForest UK was trying to tell me

RedForest UK said:
<snip>It actually seems to be an issue with the ring sticking slightly, but I would class it as a design issue as the tolerances needed for it not to happen are minute. The best simple 'fix' I have found is to use a toothpick or cocktail stick to rotate the brass ring in the head (actually you can probably do it by hand on the EX series) to different positions and retry, there seem to be 'sweet-spots' where if positioned correctly the sticking and switching to low is eliminated, or at least seriously reduced.

I tightened the brass ring about half a turn and so far the light has behaved the way I expected it to. I'm wondering if I should put just a drop of lock-tite on it or something.

Zeruel · Nov 13, 2012

That's unfortunate. It appears they are unaware of the prevalent problem and choose to address individual issue as it comes.

Not sure if I get what you mean by using lock-tite, I don't advise doing this at all because the brass ring needs to be mobile to contact the brass contact on the circuit board while depressing from the piston.

zespectre · Nov 25, 2012

UPDATE - Now I'm just really disgusted with this light.
It has been sitting on my dresser for about two weeks and I went to use it last night and the battery was drained. Now I'm pretty sure I didn't leave it in the "firefly" mode it wants to default to but I'm also checking that. I just put a fresh cell in, made absolutely sure it's turned off, and I'm going to leave it set on my dresser for another two weeks. If it's dead again from "parasitic drain" then Nitecore has some work to do to make things right here!

RedForest UK · Nov 25, 2012

I'd guess most likely that it was accidentally in moon mode, it's almost unnoticable when it's on. Do not put loktite on thr ring as it's movement is essential for turning the light on/off etc. It may take quite a lot of fiddling with it though to get it just right.

netprince · Nov 25, 2012

Nope, I'd guess it has high parasitic drain. On mine I can actually hear the driver still active after I turn the light off, just hold your ear near the threads. It is supposed to enter low power mode after around 90 seconds, but its not THAT low.

I have to unscrew the head when the light is stored to preserve the batt.

crazyk4952 · Nov 25, 2012

My D11 has developed this exact same problem about a month ago. It also started turning itself on in my pocket (it never used to do this). I've gotten so frustrated with it that I've gone back to using my D10 as my EDC.

I don't mind the D10, but I prefer the beam pattern and the tint of the D11.

I am currently looking for a replacement EDC that is similar, possibly the explorer EA1.

zespectre · Nov 26, 2012

Oh for the love of Conrad Hubert....
I came home tonight and noticed that the EX11.2 was ON (in "firefly" mode). Now to be completely clear, I turned it off yesterday and made SURE it was off and then I set it on my dresser and nobody has touched it since. This is REALLY frustrating because, in use, I rather like this light a lot.

(Heh, and I just noticed crazyk4952's post above).

crazyk4952 · Nov 26, 2012

As I said in my post above, I was looking for a replacement EDC. I was considering getting another nitecore, but decided to go with the ZebraLight SC52 instead. Hopefully it will be more reliable than the D11...

Nitecore Smart PD EX11.2 Glitchy behavior

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