A thread on what not-so-smart things you've done (flashlight related).
I'll start: Many of you know I've been using my zebralight SC60 as an EDC. Lots of plusses to this torch...18650 but small, bright, best UI ever, pleasant tint, good pocket-clip, etc... But all is not perfect in zebraworld. Last week I had it in my pocket and sometime during the day while wrestling around with my young kids it fell off in my bed. I didn't realize it untill about 3 in the morning when I smelled something funny and felt something hot. Sure enough, either the wife or I must have hit it and accidently turned it on. D'oh! Nothing cuts through the sleep haze like finding a burning hunk of aluminum in bed. So, I'm fully awake now and trying my darndest to get get the battery out of it, but it was too hot to hold, so I had to use the pillowcase like an oven mitt. All the while the missus is still blissfully asleep... I set the cell and torch on the bedstand and tried to salvage the remainder of what sleep I could.
The next morning I did an initial damage assessment. Other than much deserved spousal mockery, the only casualty was the cell. The torch was fine, with no ill effects from the nights festivities, but the "Protected" Trustfire 18650 was completely pooched! Voltage was @ 0.3v and no chance of revival. So much for the protection... Also, thinking that the protection circuit may just have not reset I removed it and read the cell itself....no dice, still dead.
So I learned a few things:
- Never trust protected cells. ( the circuit I removed was the exact same type used on AW's cells, so I don't want to hear about that...)
- The SC60 only has low voltage warning (i.e. blinks) when voltage gets too low, but doesn't cut off. Only a bad thing if you're asleep...
- The best thermal design in a torch is completely negated by a down comforter.
- The accidental activation flaw of zebralights has completely pissed me off.
- My wifes laughter is still ringing in my ears...
With that in mind, I still like zebralights overall, but for an edc it's a no-go for me. Yes, I know about the tailcap lockout, but then that makes operation a two handed proposition. A simple addition to the UI of a lockout via 3 quick clicks would negate this problem.
So, what not so smart moments have you had lately?