Help Fault Finding on my Trustfire X8

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
1

Hi

Thanks you to you all for the great forum, it is a great resource and based on information I read on the site I purchased a Trustfire X8 flashlight and have been very happy with it.

Unfortunately it fell of my kitchen counter the other night and snapped the thread in the middle of the light body. I bonded the shaft together again using epoxy but the flashlight does not work any longer and I am not sure what the problem is.

I am new to LED Flashlights so please excuse the basic nature of my questions.

What is the best way to test out my LED emitter to check if it is still working?

What else can I should check for damage?

I do have a multimeter so can test voltages etc

Thanks

JohnB

2

Hi there sc00bs and welcome to BLF

I think what happens is that the electrical path from the negative end of the batteries is broken. Because epoxy is an isolator.

So you need to make a negative path. How?

Others may be able to help you better than I on that. My solutions are rather ghetto.

BTW have fun here, I do :-)

3

Thanks Ledsmoke

It's amazing have been screwing around with the thing for the last week trying to figure out where the problem could be, finally gave up and posted my message looking for some suggestions. I then thought, let me test the resistance of the body to make sure it had a good connection.

Sure as nuts the body was breaking the connection so I managed to scrape away some of the epoxy, created a link over the joint and all seems to be working now.

:-)

So, all seems to be working now

JohnB

4

Sweet! I love it when I am right LOL

How do you like it, the light, BTW??

5

Welcome to the monkey house, sc00bs.

6

Very happy with the X8, great value for money and throws fantastic light. Owned a small 200 lumen light before so a HUGE step up in light power and the build quality is pretty good.

Slightly disappointed with my unplanned 1 meter drop test results but cannot say the result was unexpected.

JohnB

7

Ok, so the problem has been isolated to the connection between the two halves of the battery tube that broke when the torch was dropped (thread sheered off). I epoxied the two halves together which works great except I am battling to get a good electrical link between the two halves. I have tried soldering but cannot heat the pipe up sufficiently to solder onto it.

Anyone have any bright suggestions as to how to get the connection between the halves working better?

Thanks

JohnB

8

I just did a google search for electrically conductive epoxy and found many products that I think 'may' work... they are not cheap though, and I don't know how strong they are.

9

you cant solder with regular electrical solder to aluminum.

there are special brazing rods that allow you to repair aluminum but they are tricky to use and require the use of a torch.

id look for someone in your area to TIG weld the two halves together.

it would look like a cool battle scar. :)

Brian

10

Welcome to the forum, John! Sorry about your light. Maybe someone has a spare X8 body or a none working one they could sell you cheap. Try posting in the WTB forum.

Johnny

11

Ok, good idea, perhaps an aluminium tig welder, will have a look around, only need a small spot

Thanks

JohnB

12

Surely, there has to be a body tube out there that will fit the head of the x8?

13

Don't have one but depending on the length of the spring couldn't you try the human lathe method to reconnect them?