Defective Inova T3?

I recently bought an Inova T3 and I really like the light, but it's momentary signal mode is kind of flaky. Every now and then I will depress the tac switch and the light doesn't come on. The light will always come on if I click the switch to 'permanent on', so the switch isn't broken completely.

I e-mailed Inova's customer support (who have about a 6 minute response time by the way) and they sent me a replacement tail cap for the T3. This tail cap has the exact same problem. It just seems like the connection may be interrupted occasionally. Sometimes if the light doesn't come on right away...it will flicker on if I hold the button for a few seconds. Other times it will come on if I tilt the light around a bit.

I suspect a poor negative contact, as the problem behaves sort of like one I had with an over-compacted spring in an Infinity Ultra. If I really tighten the cap, the problem seems to be alleviated a bit, but it's not completely gone. I think it may be the spring in the little (-) contact nub at the back of the bezel is not putting enough pressure on the back of the batteries. Has anyone had this problem with their T3? Can anyone offer advice on how I could possibly remedy this issue? Inova has made the springs pretty much inaccessible, so I might need them to fix it, or I'll void my warranty.

I don't doubt Inova would replace my unit, but it seems like such a hassle to be without the T3 for weeks while they mail me a replacement after I send mine away to them.

I would reccomend sending it back unless you can bend the springs out a bit and see if that works. You might be able to put a slug of some kind to shorten the contact distance.

I suspect you are correct in that the problem is at the negative contact. Even if you have a long pair of forceps it could be risky to reach in and pull on the contact spring.

My T3 had a similar problem which was easily solved by using one of the long cotton swabs with alcohol and cleaning the brass contact down in the tube. When I looked in with another bright light I could clearly see some black crud on the contact which was easily removed.

Also have to ask the simple question. Have you tried another set or brand of batteries?

Anything more than simple cleaning, I recommend you send it in. It's a pain, but it is a brand new light.

BTW, I have 4 T lights. I really like them and they have been perfectly reliable.

Mark

I tried fixing my micra and it broke entirely... but inova will replace it either way, so give her a try.

-David

I sent in an X03 and they got a brand new one back to me in about 5 days.

That seems like it is worth the wait to me.

I had a T3 that had a violet/purple beam and Inova replaced it in less than a week. They even sent 2 new batteries with it. They seem to be very easy to deal with.