Nitecore EA11 dead after a drop (now alive again)

I don’t have the light with me now… does this mean to unscrew the tube from the head?

Yeh, the head unscrews easily

So this means that after unscrewing the tube with only head left, a cell with wires coming from the + and - ends be connected to the center and thread area while someone is pressing the switch?

To the driver’s center (+) and gold colored ring (-) on edge of driver. The threads are anodized and non conductive.

When you have your light, and the head unscrewed, look first at the driver to make sure driver is sitting level and not damaged. If it is not level, it could prevent the battery tube’s negative end from making proper contact with the driver’s negative contact ring.

dropping on concrete sux :frowning:

Ok, will check it out later…I will even compare it visually with the other, working EA11.

I have not yet tested Streamer’s suggestion, but photo below shows the non-working head at the left. On the not-malfunctioning right EA11 head, there is that white blob on the 12 o clock position, near the edge of the outer, negative ring.

Does it have something to do with the problem?

I just tried this and the light worked.

Haha, now the next question is obvious….what to do?

Is that white blob in the pic above a factor in the problem?

I can not tell from pic of the head on left, but is the positive contact on driver flattened slightly or squashed? Has the driver been pushed lower in the head?
This would account for contact problem and light not working,

Remember, the end of battery tube must contact negative ring on driver. So,I think your driver MAY be pushed down slightly not allowing end of tube to make good contact with negative ring.

The head seems to be OK from your battery holder test. :+1:

Not sure if its here the case, but on some lights reversing the battery tube leads to contact problems as both threads have not same length

Not on this light. Threads are different on both ends.

tatasal, in the pic below the ?, is that a lump of solder just to the right of positive contact? That does not belong there.

!

Sometimes inductors are not glued very well and come off, breaking their wires.

I wonder why it’s there in my photo, but re-checking it again now there’s no lump of solder…perhaps it was just a reflection or something created by the camera phone.

So now that a test was performed as suggested by Streamer and the light worked, does it mean that the driver and switch are still good but only a ground problem?

Perhaps the light fell head first, jarring the pcb and moved it forward, out of reach of the tube now?

If so, what then is the next move? My non-modder’s mind tells me to put a conductive spacer between the tube and the (-) negative ring… is this a workable and safe idea?

I’m sure head and switch are fine. :+1:

Yes. Make a circle of appropriately sized wire to fit over the drivers negative ring so tube can make contact. But be very careful as to avoid a short. :open_mouth:

HINT: Sometimes a key-ring of right diameter will fit perfectly over negative ring :student:

Got it.
I have some small brass shim sheets to make a ring, though I cannot find it now… perhaps this will be enough to make contact.

Edit: I tried a loop of soldering lead and it worked!

Now my next question is: If I fabricate a brass shim instead of the soldering lead, will it not be dangerous for the shim if it ‘bites’ into the anodized, threaded part of the head?

No danger. The shim your making will simply be an extension of the negative contact. The entire body of the flashlight is also negative, though it is non-conductive where the anodizing is present. Therefore if the shim bites the anodizing and makes contact with bare threads then there will be no difference in potentials (negative on negative).

Great!

and thanks to you guys…you just saved my day, and my light.

also check button top _ On Battery _ for any flattening. it happens.

also you may try small magnet on button top for extra length to make sure this is not a positive contact problem.