Problem with L4/ Pila combination

I have been using my Surefire L4 with 3.7 volt batteries for about a month now. I use the once or twice a week as a supplemental headlamp when bike riding at night. The ride is longer than 50 minutes, so I carry a spare Pila battery to change out when the L4 starts to flicker. I have completed this routin about 10 times.

Last night, when my first battery fell below the regulation threshhold, I replaced it with a freshly recharged Pila and... NO LIGHT. Once I retried it, the light came on, but based on the output, it was clearly out of regulation - and the light was now making a buzzing oscillating sound.

I recharged the batteries immediately when I got home, and then tested the L4. Both fully charged batteries would not give full output, and still their was the Oscillating buzzing sound.

Next, I replaced the Pila with 2 CR123's.... the light sputtered for a few seconds and then full brightness! then replaced the 2X CR123s with a Pila...which resulted in full brightness and no sound.

Is my light defective, has anyone experienced this before, any ideas why? Did the regulator have a hickup?

Any comments would be greatly appreciated.

Weird, very wierd.

Sure sounds like the circuitry got "stuck" for a moment.

Hello NanoBurner,

I have a BabyPin from Mr Bulk that sometimes "talks" to me when the switch is lightly pressed. You may want to check out your switch/spring assembly. I can not duplicate this with my L4.

Tom

My Super Baby Pin also makes a faint audible sound (a kind of buzzing noise at around 700Hz or thereabouts from the head-end when the switch is pressed in part way), but my L4 with Pila 168S does not make any sound under any conditions.

oh, is the flashlight talking their language to us??flashlight got spirit
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/naughty.gif

Make sure the threads are clean and are conducting that juice. You'd be surprised at what a difference it could make.

Thanks for all of the input. A poor connection makes sense.

Hopefully it doesn't happen again - I hate being left in the dark.

I am glad it was not the Pilas causing the problem