FW3A Troubleshooting / FAQ

Yep… as far as performance these knive are not inferior, they preform well. It’s just the last little bit of fitment of handle slabs, one more tap on a pin to close a tiny gap, etc., etc.

But like you said, that seperates the men from the boys. And it also seperates price points. :wink:

Maybe they are where they want to be in the market place???

Yeah lol, or maybe we are just fussy moaning old gits! :disguised_face: But I don’t think so really, it’s not a big ask to have it done properly, I would expect it on a $10 light for the masses, but a $35 for enthusiasts… well maybe not.

/\ :+1: … I am a somewhat picky old fart, but I don’t even think things like this is being picky. It’s just like you said… do it right. The first time:wink:

Expected results: lamp turns on/off, smooth ramping of light level from floor to ceiling. (very similar to the Q8 behavior)

Actual results: lamp turns on, switches between ceiling, and turbo mode. lamp will not shut off without removing the battery.

Now, I purchased two FW3A lamps, one works exactly as expected, the other lamp does not function like my Q8. It could be that the lamp is in some odd mode, but it does not function as expected.

Battery used: Sanyo UR18650NSX, also tried LG HG2 - no change.

Has anyone got any advice on further troubleshooting?

This worked for me. Thanks. My symptoms were, I would just get a blink as I was tightening the head on but other than that the light was unresponsive. I had taken both ends off a few times when I was trying to figure out what was going on. But nothing worked until I followed these instructions.

I followed these directions and now the lamp comes on with a rapid seizure inducing bright flash, and wont turn off without removing the battery. At least it is a different response.

EDIT:

Since I figured that there had to be something going on in the tail, I carefully disassembled the tail switch, and found it full of some kind of grey grit. Carefully cleaned the switch out, and reassembled the switch into the tail - took a couple of tries, but the lamp now appears to be working - however it is stuck in step mode.

EDIT 2:

Reset, everything is now working as expected.

First
There may be a short circuit somewhere
You can try to loosen the drive pressure ring
Adjust the position of the drive

I think it is the issues we will see in this thread that drove Liteflux out of business.
It’s easy to make the electrical connection in a twisty, but once you add a clicky there is trouble.
The FW3A takes the idea of a clicky one step higher, that second signal you have to send from the tail to the driver is painfully difficult.
The good news is that if you weren’t mechanically inclined this will be a great primer.
The better news is that once you’ve got everything snugged down and you understand all the points of failure it will be no big deal.
HDS solved the problem but their implementation adds some thickness to the body tube and there may be patent issues and they cost way more.
There is a product called DeOxit or similar that might be applied to the connections in the tail before assembly. Supposed to remove and prevent oxidation.
I’m SURE some of the crafty folks on BLF have a budget formulation that does just as good.
(just searched “deoxit” on BLF and oh boy, there’s a lot)

Liteflux and the FW3A use virtually the same method of connecting the electronic switch: An inner tube insulated from the outer tube serves as the electrical contact. However, the FW3A relies on anodizing for insulation while Liteflux used a separate plastic tube between the inner and outer tubes.

this is going to be annoying

so if you follow these instructions, you have to remove the head to take the battery out?

wle

I’ve owned many Liteflux and the insulation was never a problem. It was always the points of conduction; the end of the tubes. These have just barely started selling and this issue is showing up. There will be a tsunami of users who have malfunctioning lights. A local BLF member texted me with issues on the very day his light arrived, random turn-on, no button control, etc. Not what most people expect from a new light. What happened to him will happen to many.
No need to defend the design, it’s just problematic and folks will have to learn how to take it apart. They will be better for it.
This is definitely not a light for first responders or any mission critical applications, but if you’re not afraid to crack it open it should be a great EDC.
The local member I mentioned fixed his by loosening and tightening tail cap.

can you just polish the tube ends, where they are supposed to make contact, and BDWI (be done with it)?

it sounds like there are 2 conductors, that have to traverse 2 connection points, right?

there is a tail, a middle, and a head section, so the tubes touch at 2 places…?

side question, is there any chance of an 18350-length middle tube, like the BLF-A6?

wle

WLE, I have complete confidence that BLF will crack the code that Liteflux could not.
Liteflux was considered a boutique brand and I don’t think they sold as many as the FW3A will. Also I think the very nature of the users and the support forum is completely different.
There are some very serious brainiacs here and I doubt this issue will go unsolved.
I haven’t received mine yet so I can’t investigate any fixes or best practices yet, but will post anything once I get mine and can check them out.
The local member I mentioned had very positive things to say about the beam and tint.

i am slated for mine to come tomorrrow or next day

i’m a banzai fixer too, though I sort of hope mine ‘just works’

i had issues like with the DQG tiny and others, so i know about troubleshooting this kind of thing

the annoying thing is, it is a simple circuit but you cannot observe anything directly - it all happens in the sealed light, and you can;t measure voltages and currrents under real conditions, all you can do is hypothesize and test

so far we have seen tube contact, heat sink compound and driver looseness all as problems

wle

To be honest, has the heatsink compound caused any problems? No, it’s there and it works.

We’ve tried to make this message hard to miss… but with enough determination, it can still be done.

Don't you have to remove the tailcap to take off the clip?

good point raccoon - I don’t want a clip on mine.

Yeah, I never use clips on my flashlights.

Yes, if you are going to take off the clip you must remove the tailcap to do so. That is aboit the only reason you have to remove the tailcap.