weirdness with HDS EDC Basic 42

My ancient HDS EDC Basic 42 GT has been acting oddly recently. It's been draining batteries fairly quickly, like within 2 weeks with it just sitting on my table, unused. In the last few weeks, I caught it twice spontaneously turning itself on (maybe that's why it drains?). One time, I found it on and it wouldn't turn off but would change levels. I've done soft resets each time I put another AW RCR123 in it after finding it dead. Today, I caught the light giving me the low battery warning blinks, so I did a 10 sec. hard reset, verified normal factory operation, set it down, and an hour later found it had turned itself on. This light has been modified years ago with a more modern tail cap and a Nichia 219A, but everything had been working great.

Poltergeists? Just bad contacts somewhere? Known flaw?

I've had one come one by itself on occasion. I suspected static electricity. Cleaned all contacts, never came back. Don't know if my theory is right, or if my fix actually fixed it.

I'm think Henry would answer a question on these originals (no parts for repairs) if you email him.

I had somewhat similar behavior with a 170T, it became quite finicky and odd, would sometimes turn on to low then flicker off, amongst other things. Factory resets helped for a while but the problems got worse. Sent it in and was told it was an internal issue that happens from time to time. Being that it's potted (the electronics) repair may be unlikely, was so in my case.

Despite HDS's exceptional quality reputation, I've read a few posts like yours. Sophisticated electronics get wonky sometimes, potted or not. Electronic clickies can have excessive parasitic drain when they go bad and are not easily user serviced. The more features, the more potential for problems.

Good thing Henry is a stand up guy and will get you going in short order, and with minimal hassles - use that warranty and send it in for repair.

I too had a 170 that would turn on spontaneously (and sometimes even change levels).

This was several years ago, and I can't remember exactly what I did, but after a hard reset and "locking out" the programming menu, the problem seemed to resolve.

I have used it occasionally and regularly since then, with no further problems ... :shrug:

If a good cleaning of the contacts doesn't work, inspect the threads very carefully and look for a burr or shaving. I had an identical issue in times past and found a long, metal shaving about a hair's thickness causing my issues.

Good luck!

Hmmm....I thought I posted, but it isn't showing up. I understood that Henry sold this original design and had no parts or repairs. The best I heard was he might give a discount on a new light. I'll try a thorough cleaning first.

FWIW, I've read he also offers "detuned" replacements if unable to repair (i.e., a light of equivalent output/functionality).

Update: I reworked the electrical contacts in my tail cap and its working OK right now. My light is a frankenlight, with a tail made up of a type B tube and a button cap off of a 17670 tube. I had to break the Loctite to make this up. When I went back to the original type A tail, it seemed to work fine. Even though I had previously wiped Deoxit on all contacts in the tail, I went back to the frankencap and did a 600 grit light burnish of the battery tube rim, bent the copper spring for a larger contact area, burnished the end of the copper spring, cleaned the contact areas of the tube, cap circuit board, and spring end with alcohol, then wiped with Deoxit.

It seems to be working OK for now; I have not seen it spontaneously turn on since (fingers crossed). If I had to come up with a theory, maybe something about oxidation on aluminum tube rim and/or copper spring end causing intermittent contacts interpreted by the light as switch presses. I'm hoping its NOT electronics in the head.

Interesting. Glad it's working for you.

Curious: how hard was it to get the tailcap off the type-B body? Did you use heat? Explosives?

gottawearshades said:

Interesting. Glad it's working for you.

Curious: how hard was it to get the tailcap off the type-B body? Did you use heat? Explosives?

Click to expand...

IIRC it was red Loctite and medium hard to remove. I use a heat gun, and Loctite says you need to heat to over 450F. That's enough to melt solder, and IIRC, my battery spring fell off when the solder melted. I also use rubber strap wrenches and a tubing vise (AKA bicycle work stand). I have had harder lights to undo.

Medium hard, huh?

Yep. Medium hard. After a little cleanup (scraping off the Loctite) of these HDS parts, there was no damage and everything looks fine.

Hard, I would define as having to cause damage. I usually post something. A Jetbeam PA40 was hard: I had to break a Wiha ring plier and drill extra holes into the pill. There were a lot of scrapes to the pill, but you can't tell from the outside of the light. My Streamlight original 1W Luxeons were hard. A recent Foursevens Quark head was hard: I melted the plastic LED centering jig.

gottawearshades said:

Medium hard, huh?

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LOL ...

One of my favorite posts here on CPF is the step-by-step Rotary tailcap repair by SOYCD, here ...

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...stems-EDC-18&p=4488338&viewfull=1#post4488338

... with its final line, "and that is it, actually pretty simple" .

For me, I'd call that medium hard, I guess

gottawearshades said:

I've had one come on by itself on occasion.

Click to expand...

That would freak me out. I'd be scared to touch it.

My iPhone used to randomly dial people by itself. I thought it was possessed....

To the topic: Henry has kick butt warranty service for legitimate issues.