Help with NITECORE HC50 disassemble

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Hello everyone

My NITECORE HC50 is broken it sometimes work and sometimes no and when it work the light is very very dim like moon light
but the mods is working the red light is working normal so i am doubting the XM-L2 in it i think it needs to be replaced so have any one disassembled it ? and have some pics ?

2

What voltage is your cell?

The hc50 will flash how many volts you have and have you checked with a multi meter?

Try cleaning the tailcap contact points with alcohol. Areas such as the un anodized thread area that contacts the tailcap. Inside the tailcap itself, clean the bottom of the switch and the gold contact pin and spring.- see if that helps.

I have seen teardown pics of this light and replacing the led is not easy or even might not be possible.

The driver and led are all on the one pcb. Trying to put enough heat into the pcb to allow a reflow of a new led will probably make all of the other driver components such as resistors etc may fall off because of their close proximity.

If i were you i would contact nitecore if you still have probs as they will fix it for a small fee.

3

I have done it, it is not that hard.

  • Obviously you remove the tailcap first.
  • Then the other tailcap that is glued needs to come off - it is glued but not that hard to remove because the light is not a round cylinder, so you have plenty of grip with standard pliers/vice without slipping.
  • Then the driver and the LED board slide out of the glued end.
  • The lens/bezel/reflector stays where it is and does not need to be touched.
  • The LED is soldered through two boards - an MCPCB and a heatsink. Actually the LED is flowed to the MCPCB, and the MCPCB is then attached to the heatsink with two “through puddles” of solder. You will understand when you see it.
  • You will have to heat the two contact pads/pools of solder kind of simultaneously to get the LED MCPCB board off of the heatsink, that was the only awkward part IMO.
  • After you’ve got a new warm while high CRI LED reflowed in place :wink: , reassembly is the reverse of removal.
4

I have tried to remove the other tailcap but seems to be impossible to be removed without hurting it, any other thoughts ?

5

I still cant open the light without hurting it, but i noticed something, in winter it seemed to be working good and in summer the light stops working as i mentioned earlier it give light yes but very very very dim, so i tried something i put it in the Deep freezer till it freezes without battery, and walaaa it works good as new then i keep using it for long time then it broke again then i freeze it and so on

Any one have any explanation ?