L4 Sound Gone, Out of Regulation?

ResQTech

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Ive noticed the 'hissing' sound that normally came out of the z57 on my L4 has stopped. Is the L4 now out of regulation? Ive been using it for a while on it's 1st set of betteries, havent tried to see if putting fresh cells made the sound comes back.
 

K-T

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I don't know what hissing sound you are talking about. The Z57 is a 100% mechanical part, the whole "magic" is inside the head (the KL4 itself) so whatever you hear that comes from the tailcap it doesn't indicate the "out of regulation" mode, the unregulated mode is very noticeable as it is still a useful light but doesn't have the punch the L4 produces with new batteries.

Hope that helps a bit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Klaus.
 

Kiessling

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maybe you have a bad contact in your Z57 producing some "arcing" which would produce such a noise. this would not be too good since it adds resistance and lowers efficiency and may even damage your switch due to heat buildup.
bernhard
 

LEDagent

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MTFD17,

I've noticed some strange sounds originating from the tailcap (z57) of my L4 too. If you listen really closely during activation, you can hear a small ticking sound as soon as the switch makes electrical contact. Kind of like a sparking or arching sound.

I've noticed a "hissing" sound too sometimes but I find it unusual that you hear a constant hissing sound though. It might mean that the switch isn't conducting electricity very well....but this is just a guess. Try cleaning the contacts well in the head and the switch area. It might yield a brighter light if the hissing is stopped.

In your case however, the hissing sound may have stopped because the original batteries are run down and your light is out of regulation. Try a new set and see if it comes back.
 

Erik Johnson

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All L4s make a slight click in the head when activated (as mentioned in an earlier thread). But if you hear more of a hiss and from the tail, then it is probably a 'dirty' switch. Mind you, the regulation circuit may hide the problem by not flickering the light (for the dirty switch, not talking about dropping out of regulation). My Z57 switch does not flicker in momentary mode on a two cell body. On an e1e+KL4 it can flicker a bit. My guess is that the regulation is hiding the dirty power, but the TW4 config is never in regulation mode.

I too am still on my first battery set, so I am no expert (not yet anyway). I keep switching back and forth between L4 and TW4 configurations. I should probably just get a second L4 so that I have two KL4 heads, but money is tight right now.

Erik.
 

PaulW

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[ QUOTE ]
Erik Johnson said:
All L4s make a slight click in the head when activated (as mentioned in an earlier thread). . . .
Erik.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hi Erik,

Welcome to CPF. Glad to have you with us.

My L4 doesn't make that clicking sound in the head. But my A2 clicks when I switch from low level to high level. I also remember that earlier thread you mention. It's been quite a while since I saw it, but perhaps it could have been about the A2?
 

Erik Johnson

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Paul,

Are you sure about not getting a slight click?

Hold the bezel up to your ear (be careful not to fry your brain:), and press the button. On my L4, and on many others, there is a faint click. The latest guess that I have heard is that it is a small arc.

Erik.
 

IlluminatingBikr

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The only click I hear when I turn on my L4 is the tail-cap. I'm pretty sure it's not the bezel that is making the noise.
 

Stanley

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I think I had the same noise with my E1e/KL1. It seemed like it happened when the battery was running low, but the sound I got was more like a high pitched electronic buzzing sound, not so much of a hiss. Could be like MTFD17 said, it probably just ran out of regulation...
 

IlluminatingBikr

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If it went out of regulation, you will be able to notice it by the beam. The overall light output decreases even while the L4 is in regulation, but when it drops out of regulation you will notice a dramatic different in output.
 

PaulW

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[ QUOTE ]
Erik Johnson said:
Paul,

Are you sure about not getting a slight click?


[/ QUOTE ]

Yes. Sorry.

Paul
 
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