Nitecore D11 R5 Malfunction, Will not fully turn off.

Hey guys,

I've had this little nitecore shoved in the closet for a few years because I could never figure out the issue. Maybe someone has a bright idea. Its a nitecore d11 r5 limited edition I think from when the r5 was first released, thatll tell you how old it is haha. For some reason the light will never fully turn off but remain at its absolute lowest output. I'm thinking it might just be lube needed on the piston oring but I dont have any handy. Anyone have any other thoughts or a quick substitute lube I could use to test the theory?

Thanks everyone

snipes1027 said:

Hey guys,

I've had this little nitecore shoved in the closet for a few years because I could never figure out the issue. Maybe someone has a bright idea. Its a nitecore d11 r5 limited edition I think from when the r5 was first released, thatll tell you how old it is haha. For some reason the light will never fully turn off but remain at its absolute lowest output. I'm thinking it might just be lube needed on the piston oring but I dont have any handy. Anyone have any other thoughts or a quick substitute lube I could use to test the theory?

Thanks everyone

Click to expand...

Maybe some sort of tesla effect or loose wiring

snipes1027 said:

Hey guys,

I've had this little nitecore shoved in the closet for a few years because I could never figure out the issue. Maybe someone has a bright idea. Its a nitecore d11 r5 limited edition I think from when the r5 was first released, thatll tell you how old it is haha. For some reason the light will never fully turn off but remain at its absolute lowest output. I'm thinking it might just be lube needed on the piston oring but I dont have any handy. Anyone have any other thoughts or a quick substitute lube I could use to test the theory?

Thanks everyone

Click to expand...

My guess would be the same...or at least, you have nothing to loose by doing a good cleaning and lube. Only thing I can offer is a reminder not to use petroleum based lubes. Maybe vegetable oil...till you can get the right stuff...

Badbeams3 said:

My guess would be the same...or at least, you have nothing to loose by doing a good cleaning and lube. Only thing I can offer is a reminder not to use petroleum based lubes. Maybe vegetable oil...till you can get the right stuff...

Click to expand...

Hit myself a little for not thinking of vege oil, its 6 ft away in my kitchen. Tool busy looking in my tool box.

Interesting experimentation, found my original package, dont ask how, and swapped out o rings and relubed. No dice. So I removed one oring completely and still had the same issue. Take a look at the photo and see what you think. The brass ring in the circuit board seems to be raised ever so slightly on the right side. Could this be the culprit? Sorry for poor quality.


https://www.dropbox.com/s/izoybcfh8ao59q3/2013-08-01 00.05.49.jpg

Not sure if the slightly raised brass ring is the cause of the problem but it does look like it. Maybe that is what is in contact with the battery piston tube which is causing it not to shut down completely?

I agree...could very well be the problem...

Looking at my old D10 the cooper split ring is flush all the way around...

Sounds like the ring for the piston is stuck. There is a spring under it, pushing it up. Find something to grab the gap in the ring and turn it clockwise. If the pill under the brass ring is loose it might help tightening the pill. And it should loosen the brass ring so the piston will push it to contact the pill, and the spring will push back the piston when you let go. Sounds like the brass ring only gets pushed up on one side.

jorn said:

Sounds like the ring for the piston is stuck. There is a spring under it, pushing it up. Find something to grab the gap in the ring and turn it clockwise. If the pill under the brass ring is loose it might help tightening the pill. And it should loosen the brass ring so the piston will push it to contact the pill, and the spring will push back the piston when you let go. Sounds like the brass ring only gets pushed up on one side.

Click to expand...

While turning the ring clockwise its getting stuck in the threading and wont come out of the head. The pill seems to be tight, and I dont see how I could tighten it anyway, but it seems like if I could get the brass ring out and straighten it, it might fix the problem.

I recently got a NC D11 V2 from CPF MP and its action was intermittent. The previous owner had obviously been in my little flashlight.

I HATE when others screw up stuff before I can adjust/fix. Nine times out of ten, they just make things worse.

Now, after I fixed about a half-dozen issues, the D11 has been working flawlessly for me; during its EDC use.

I hope you can get your cool little light back to a dependable condition.

LedTed said:

I recently got a NC D11 V2 from CPF MP and its action was intermittent. The previous owner had obviously been in my little flashlight.

I HATE when others screw up stuff before I can adjust/fix. Nine times out of ten, they just make things worse.

Now, after I fixed about a half-dozen issues, the D11 has been working flawlessly for me; during its EDC use.

I hope you can get your cool little light back to a dependable condition.

Click to expand...

Any thoughts on this one?

The brass ring was the major culprit on mine and probably is on yours.

Any tips on straightening it either in or outside the head?

Just push it in, it will lock it in place. Or rip it out and check if its straight.

jorn said:

Just push it in, it will lock it in place. Or rip it out and check if its straight.

Click to expand...

Pushing it in seemed to have no effect, and I'm trying to gently rip it out but the gently part isnt going well.

Pryed it out and straightened the ring but flickers on in off position.

I can open mine with a safetypin. Bend the point and grab under one side of the ring. Rip it up from one side.

Or you can turn the ring so the split comes over one of the holes in the pill , grab the hole in the pill and unscrew the pill with a needle. Easy to remove the split ring when the whole pill is out.

You can turn the split ring counter clockvise and hope the spring and splitring grabs the pill and unscrews it.

jorn said:

I can open mine with a safetypin. Bend the point and grab under one side of the ring. Rip it up from one side.

Or you can turn the ring so the split comes over one of the holes in the pill , grab the hole in the pill and unscrew the pill with a needle. Easy to remove the split ring when the whole pill is out.

You can turn the split ring counter clockvise and hope the spring and splitring grabs the pill and unscrews it.

Click to expand...

Perhaps they changed the design somewhat along the line, I only have the split ring and pill, no spring, and turning it just spins the ring. But I did eventually get it out and the pill appears to be tight, ring straightened, but still flickering.

The issue is you prob lack a spring under the split ring then. It should be something under it, pushing it up so it wont make constant contact with the driver. The piston switch is a big mecanical electronic switch. Push the piston and it will drive the split ring into the driver, and give it current. When you let go, the spring under the split ring pushes everything back and breaks the current. The driver gets current, or a impulse when the piston pushes the split ring into the driver. Press and hold will give constant current, and click will give a fast impulse. The biggest difference between the d10 and 11 is the ui. What its programmed to do when it gets different impulses or constant current combos. I think the d11 still should have a spring under the split ring. I dont own a d11, but i suspect you miss a spring.