Copper FW3C poor quality

Ok, why is it when you really want something it ends up being bad, broken etc.
My copper fw3a just arrived and immediately I noticed an odd beam profile.
After taking it apart, it was clear what the issue is.
The emitter base is screwed in off centre. :person_facepalming: worse, because it’s screwed in I can’t move it. One side has a big gap, the other is tight up against the copper.
The question is, what to do about it?


FW3*C*….?

Is it possible to sand back one side of the optic so it sits flat?

No, not an option, I’m not even considering drilling and tapping holes. Even if I had the tools, which I don’t it would invalidate the warranty.

Yeah sorry ‘c’ lol
It sits flat, it’s off centre is the issue, the beam is just awful, you can even see the legs in it when you rotate it! (or that’s what it appears to be) :person_facepalming:
It’s going to have to go back ……….
The only option as I see it is to remove the screw, my other fw3a doesn’t even have a screw, so it can’t be needed as such?

Paypal case opened. :person_facepalming: Let BG sort it out, I opened the case with them too, after PP of course.
LAST time I buy a LuminSLOP product, lesson learned. Makes you wonder why there were 6 at a reduced price……… I expect they are returns/rejects.
Just as well I didn’t take the cash off my boss for my regular fw3a, which I’ll be keeping now lol!

Just remove the screw. It only prevents rotation of the MCPCB while screwing the bezel on/off.

Yeah, I did think that, but wasn’t entirely sure. You see my little fatty BC15/P25 has a similar screw and it holds a contact wire on the other side of the shelf - I was a bit cautious this had a similar thing.
However if that screw is doing as you say, it would indeed be safe to remove it - but I’ll ask BG first in the dispute. I don’t want a single reason to arise for them to say I invalidated the warranty, just in case something happens in the future. If they say go for it, I will.

Sorted, screw removed and it’s ok. I know some might think it silly to cause the fuss, but it’s not so much now, as things that may occur in time to come… :person_facepalming:

Normally, the hole in the shelf is off centre, so a bit of movement can shear off the leads.
But in this case the hole in the shelf and the MCPCB is IN the centre, so no shearing.
But the leads might get twisted.
Twisting of the leads can be limited by pushing down the optics while screwing in the bezel.
It helps if there is an optic AND a glass lens, that will reduce the rotating force on the optic.

Yeah, agreed Henk, but it only needed a slight touch once the screw was out - the wires will be fine, i doubt it will ever be opened again. The sst20 nw is much more pleasant than the xpl hi v6 3d - which I thought were nice, and still do. Just no so nice.

You can use thermal adhesive to stop it from rotating.

You know thinking about it, it could just as easily be an issue with the led board itself - being cut slightly in the wrong place , I’ll never know.
Either way, it wasn’t ideal. Still, sorted now, smile back on chops :slight_smile:
Just starting a photo set to show how it patinas, which I’ll put up at some point - all I need to do is remember to do it every day!

You could enlarge the bottom of the hole to have more clearance around the head of the screw while keeping it to avoid the MCPCB to rotate.

Or use a slightly longer flat head screw and a shim around the MCPCB, GITD tape maybe.

Maybe use a small needle file and make the screw hole slightly oval to allow the board to be shifted center and still torqued in place.

Key word?

Just checked my FW3A and all three of the ones I have exhibit the same off-center issue between the LED emitter base and the inner diameter of the flashlight's tube as shown in the first post of this thread for the FW3C. I can even see the misalignments with the flashlights assembled as the three LEDs and the optic are slightly closer to one side.

But it does not create any issues with the beam quality on my particular FW3A lights because the three legs on the optic that fit into the three holes on the LED emitter base allow the optic to line up correctly with the LED emitter board because the optic is smaller in diameter and does not touch the flashlight's tube. When I screw the lens back on it seems to hold everything together firmly and keep the parts aligned correctly.

I know, but you can hope lol!

Yeah mate there are a few options, but to be honest it seems to be fine now, I suppose the only worry is the board not sitting flat on the shelf, but it wasn’t an issue in my original one which had no screw. I’ll see how it goes though.
Only been open a few hours and a patina is already starting!

Normally there is enough room in the bezel area for the optic to accommodate when the MCPCB is off center, but it wouldn’t be an issue in the first place if they machined these parts with tighter tolarences.