Blaster 3P failure...again

My Blaster 3P is in the shop for the 2nd time for the same failure. I've been using Radio Shack NiMHy (D) cell rated 4700maHrs. Is there anyone else going through this or do I have a problem child? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

chiphead

What is the failure exactly? Is it lost contact on the ground to the star, or did the LED fry?

If it's the later, then the VF of the led is too low for NiMH. A K bin or higher would be better. I thought the 3P had resistance in there though, so it should have been ok... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon3.gif

My most recent failure on a Hyper-Blaster was the LED emitter actually falling off, and I barely used this light prior to this. I ended up getting rid of the light (circular bin). I am curious if your failure is similar?

Failure in this case means going from major lumens to the output that of a (plain)MiniMag-AA.
chiphead

357
I had the same problem with the LED emmitter parting company with the alloy disk. I replaced it with a TX1J star, works well even brighter than when it was stock, cleaner beam as well.

chiphead,

It looks like you might have got a bad one, I have had no trouble with my 3P, I did have to re-earth it by making sure
the star was in full contact with the ground plate.

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357 said:
My most recent failure on a Hyper-Blaster was the LED emitter actually falling off, and I barely used this light prior to this. I ended up getting rid of the light (circular bin). I am curious if your failure is similar?

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357
If you decide to throw away anymore lights, please let me know. I'll pay you something for them. It would be a better deal for you than feeding them to the landfill.
TIA

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UncleFester said:
[ QUOTE ]
357 said:
My most recent failure on a Hyper-Blaster was the LED emitter actually falling off, and I barely used this light prior to this. I ended up getting rid of the light (circular bin). I am curious if your failure is similar?

[/ QUOTE ]

357
If you decide to throw away anymore lights, please let me know. I'll pay you something for them. It would be a better deal for you than feeding them to the landfill.
TIA

[/ QUOTE ]

Good to know, some $ is better than none. I just don't have patience for obvious poor construction, and when an emitter just falls off I can't trust a light. I'd definitely consider sending someone a broken light at reduced price, provided they take care of shipping both ways.

blasters are sturdy lights, if the emitter was poorly put on then it's an easy fix!

I'd like to hang on to it! It's either that buy a 3 or 4 "D" Mag and mod it with a drop in.

chiphead

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chiphead said:
I'd like to hang on to it! It's either that buy a 3 or 4 "D" Mag and mod it with a drop in.

chiphead

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This is what I've ended up doing. Sticking with Maglites and modding them with luxeon LEDs and sometimes other parts.

This is the only reasonably priced solution that meets my quality requirements.

357

What are you using in your MagLight?

chiphead

double post, please delete

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357

What are you using in your MagLight?

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Nothing exciting, I have EverLEDs in all my Maglites. Some Lambertian, and some side-emitters.


The Mags with EverLED side emitters also have a LDF lens to clean up the ugly beam artifacts.


Since I find the beam quality satisfactory on the Lambertian Ever-LEDs, I leave the clear lens on it for more throw.

If I found a reliable, easy to install myself Lux III emitter for a Maglite, I'd give it a try. But the only ones I've heard of either require experienced installation, or are not properly heatsinked. If anyone has Lux III suggestions, I will listen. I essentially want to stick with Maglites because of all the C and D flashlights, they are the only one that meets my quality requirements without being too expensive (as the Tektite C/D lights are). I don't mind paying a lot of money for a really nice 123 light like a Surefire, but since there is NOT anything in C/D that come close to Surefire quality my opinion says I don't want to pay Surefire price.

357 perhaps someone could AA an emitter on a osink or hotlips and solder 2 wires to it epoxy the back so they don't tug on the led leads, and then solder the other end of the wires into a PR base. That would allow you to change mags and not much work, all you'd have to do is cut the cam off of a reflector!

357
You've got a dang good point there! I'd walk away from from Mags due to the anoying black hole in the middle of the beam. I still give them to young ladies who have none at all. But I don't get the idea of "side" emmiter, how do you focus a beam?

chiphead

Still can't beat a good EL Blaster-111

chiphead the everled uses a Side emitter luxeon. It has an inverted cone on the top of the dome of the led that makes the light shine out the sides of the led, so it shines out towards the reflector instead of striaght out. Actually SE luxeons end up with a bit larger hotspot than normal high dome ones in a reflector go figure...

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chiphead said:
357
You've got a dang good point there! I'd walk away from from Mags due to the anoying black hole in the middle of the beam. I still give them to young ladies who have none at all. But I don't get the idea of "side" emmiter, how do you focus a beam?

chiphead

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Side emitter is just an led that emits most of its light toward the side. It has some focus, but I personally hate any focusable lights anyway. I essentially put my Mags at tight focus and leave it at that, otherwise the ugly black hole shows. Although, I have to say with the LDF lens there is little more focusability (the black hole does not show as quickly).