ThruNite Archer 1A switch failure

IanJ

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
47
Location
Seattle, WA
I realize this will come as a surprise to fairly few of you, but figured I'd throw it out as a data point. I picked up an Archer 1A in the beginning of August, 2014 for use as an EDC light, replacing a Fenix E11. I liked the 10 lumen level of the Archer, and the price was certainly decent -- $30ish. Then in December I started noticing hints of the switch not quite working the instant I hit it, and now (late January/early February, 2015) I have to jiggle the switch more often than not to get the light to turn on. Unfortunately, that's a death knell for me, so I've got my first Foursevens light on its way as a replacement.

I'm sure I could make or find a pin spanner to take the switch apart, and I may still, but I figured the light would last more than six months. I only operate the switch 2-3 times a day typically, so that's only about 500 actuations before it's nearly useless as a functional daily-carry light. Obviously this is only one light, and maybe it was made on the day they had the apprentice switch-grease guy on the line. I'm underwhelmed, though.

FWIW, my points of comparison are an HDS EDC Basic 42 (how's that for old?) that lasted about 5 years before the switch started to get a little iffy, followed by a series of cheaper 1xAA lights like the Fenix E11 and Archer 1A. The Archer is the first one that died of switch failure instead of being put aside due to Flashlight Acquisition Syndrome. I noted that the Foursevens has a 10 year warranty, so hopefully a switch failure will not be the end of it.
 

reppans

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 25, 2007
Messages
4,873
Don't own this light but most mechanical tail clickies simply need the retaining disk (surrounding the spring) tightened down occasionally with needle nosed pliers. Or sometimes just opened up and cleaned a bit underneath.
 

IanJ

Newly Enlightened
Joined
Nov 18, 2005
Messages
47
Location
Seattle, WA
I'll have to take a look. The pin spanner holes are about 1mm, and I'm not sure I have needle nosed pliers small enough. The switch acts as though some internal contact actuated by the plunger isn't able to move freely, or has corrosion on it, causing intermittent contact. It does feel like a problem that should be user-serviceable (ie, cleaning or lubricating), but the spanner is a sufficiently uncommon tool that I wouldn't expect most users to be able to deal with it.
 

Javora

Enlightened
Joined
Feb 18, 2014
Messages
224
This happened to me with my Archer 2A last week. It was just as Reppans explained, the retaining disk in the tail cap came loose. It just needs to be tightened back down. I was able to do it with a hair pin, but if you have a cheap pair of tweezers that will work as well. Just bend the tweezers ends apart until the ends fit into the indents on either side of the spring. Hope this helps.
 

Fireclaw18

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 16, 2011
Messages
2,408
I'll have to take a look. The pin spanner holes are about 1mm, and I'm not sure I have needle nosed pliers small enough. The switch acts as though some internal contact actuated by the plunger isn't able to move freely, or has corrosion on it, causing intermittent contact. It does feel like a problem that should be user-serviceable (ie, cleaning or lubricating), but the spanner is a sufficiently uncommon tool that I wouldn't expect most users to be able to deal with it.

If your pliers don't fit try this
:
1. Take a large paperclip and open it up into a "U" shape.
2. Insert the 2 points of the clip into the retaining ring wholes.
3. Using long-nose pliers grip the paper sideways right above the bottom of the tailcap. the pliers need to go across both arms of the paperclip and you'll need to grip hard. The goal is for the pliers to act as a wrench.
4. turn the pliers to screw or unscrew the retaining ring.
 

HotWire

Flashlight Enthusiast
Joined
Mar 9, 2011
Messages
1,651
A pair of tweezers is also useful for tightening the switch.
 
Top