Dead Nuwaii Q III

Hi Guys

Being EDCing my Nuwaii QIII now for about 6 months, love the light, or did. Size for amount of light just what I wanted.

Well this weekend doing a bit of sorting, preparing to pack for the hols, got to looking for that one T-shirt you absolutely must find, normally right at the back of the wardrobe. Pulled out the QIII started searching. After about a minute the QIII died. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif I mean it just went off. No dimming, no flicker, just off. Swamped out the battery for one straight out the box no change still dead.

I mean I can understand a filament bulb just blowing but I thought leds don't just die like that.

So esteemed forumites/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowdown.gif what are my options other than just slinging the thing in the bin.

My instinct is to crack open everything that breaks and try to figure out what went wrong. Maybe there was a bad solder joint that you could reattach or the switch contacts broke and you may be able to buy a new switch from Etendue. If you have a multi-meter and the time maybe you can revive the light.

Search for the instructions on disassembling the light, there are a couple of threads I remember. I'm too close to falling asleep in the chair to attempt a search right now, but you will have to heat the head to break the epoxy that holds it on.

Testing to see if the switch is working or not can be as easy as taking off the tail cap and touching a paper clip or aluminum foil against both the threads and negative battery contact.

Good luck! Maybe it will even be fun to fool around with.

Hi Haulinlow

Thanks, I'll have a look for those threads, I seem to remember seeing something. I'd read somewhere that you've got to heat the head to get it apart. What kind of heat are we talking here electric heat gun maybe or something less brutal. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/help.gif

What have I got to lose, at the worst I'll break further what's already broke at best I can revive the animal.

I have a DMM, but my soldering iron's more on the industrial scale. Fine work in the head may require something a little more delicate. Speaking of which what power soldering iron would useful in this application?

Open to any and all comments.

First you should isolate what it is broken.

It is easy to discard that the switch is the culprit by folllowing HaulinLow's instructions.
Also, if there is a burnt smell in the battery compartment then you have a dead driver.

Anyway if this is the case and you can use a soldering iron this is a good opportunity to enter the modding world and convert your QIII to Direct Drive. Look at the instructions here.

If the one failing is the LED (rare!) it is also easy to test it, just use wires to connect it to a CR123A respecting the polarity. If it does not light it is easy to buy a new one and replace it.

I have just seen your post.
To open the head the trick is just to get the loctite hot enough. Although most people use the "plastic bag in boiling water" method, I have used a hair dryer, and electric heat gun and even directly a lighter.
Just direct the heat to the area where the threads are (in the lower part of the knurling in the head) and rotate it to distribute the heat evenly. After a few seconds initially try to open (with gloves!) if not continue and retry frequently. It should take less than a minute.

Wow Luminaria,

I'd seen that thread earlier and it was the one I was thinking of in my previous post.

Where do I get my hands on one of these Drivers, is it via the sandwhich shoppe or elsewhere. Sorry if it's mentioned in the thread just haven't registered seeing it.

I have two other QIII's stashed in my car's as emergency lights. I could take off one of the switch caps swamp them round to check if the problem lies with the switch.

I'll check that tonight, still not found that damn T-shirt./ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crackup.gif

Thanks for the info.

I had one "die" too, and it turned out to be the tailcap. The little crooked wire from the PCB that contacts the inside of the tailcap was actually not making good contact. I just bent it out a little bit and that did it.

Thanks Galiphrey

Will check it out, seems this is the weak spot on QIII's. If it turns out to be the tailswitch, I might as well check the other two out as well.

Now I've started this thread I'm almost wishing that there is something in the head so I can justify a mod, either DD or other.

Torn between being reasonable ie just fix a perfectly acceptable light or satifiying that little voice inside that say's rip apart and make it better.

So guys

After putting the brats to bed, finally found some time to check out the tailcap following the advice given.

I found a fully functional QIII swapped over the tailcap of the suspect light and it works fine on the new body so the problem doesn't lie in the tail.

Well better pull out the old heat gun and asbestos gloves, looks there's some modding to be done.

Once I get the head apart I'll see what the damage is, then I'd better study that direct drive mod.

I'll be back.

If you are looking for some stock switches, I have a few to sell. These are just the switch themselves and not the complete PCB. If you are looking into doing a mod, you may consider a "smart" flashlight, I.E. FLuPIC =D

Hi goldserve

I think I'm OK with the switches as I've checked out all three of mine and them seem fine.

I'm interested in FLuPIC mod, it reminds me a little of the Lionheart by Mr Bulk. I'm new to the modding game do you have any step by step ( read idiotproof ) instructions for the novice.

I like the idea of low-hi-sos.

idiotproof instruction for me, too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/duh2.gif

Abby_Lad:

Check out this thread: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1046225

LITEmania:

When did you change names???

I've just changed my CPF ID name. Sorry, I need to jump in my bed now...talk you tomorrow my time.

Warren
aka. Viki/Etendue/LITEmania

would anyone have a replacement clip for the Q-III?