I have been trying to “bring my buddy along”, you know… into the LIGHT, lol…
alas, he is a muggles.
he was my first “gifted a light” recipient. Couple years back? it was christmas, and i was just got into the home depot thingy. They had these “650s” on sale for christmas, and i got myself one. Got HIM one too, poor guy needed a half decent light.
i cant get him a lithium, he runs his budget NiCd tools down to NOTHING, then he “cooks” them on the charger for weeks at a time… then wonders why his tools “dont last”, lol…
i wanted him to have a decent light, and after i saw how decent the home depot 650 was for myself? i went and got him one too.
since it was “3 D cell”, he could get normal batteries, and he couldnt screw anything up… or so i thought.
after his initial “wow, this is a really cool light!” thing (under driver xml2, decent reflector design) he liked the light for the couple years he had it. Mentioned it every once in a while as he would use it, how he liked it. He wont let me MOD IT for a couple amps to REALLY enjoy his light? but… whatever, at least he has something so he need not be completely embarrassed.
but he IS a muggles, after all.
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they went on vacation… “something wrong with the light”. They took it to the beach. “let me guess, kids put it in saltwater for a week?”
“no… light went off on the kids, i went to change batteries? they wont come OUT…”
“Alkaleak batteries…”
“uh, no… i use the alkaline batteries… what are alkaleaks?”
“THATS why flashlight dudes use LITHIUM batteries! tghey dont LEAK and ruin flashlights when you let them sit!”
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i had to take 2 strap wrenches to get the light apart, and drive the middle D cell out, lol… i brought the light body home so i can run a reamer thru the battery tube, cause i cant clean out the hard gunk from it, LMAO
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i almost cried… when he tried to get the batteries out that leaked?? he POUNDED it on the asphalt… the battery tube end under the tailcap? looks like a BEAR chewed on it, lol… i’m gonna see if i can chuck it up in my lathe dont knbow if its too long for my little lathe or not. I might have to file it off carefully, or, see if i can mill it off flat again.
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the light STILL HAD the original batteries in it from when i gave him the light, lol… after a couple years of intermittent use? it finally leaked.
i am thinking of MODDING it, putting a 3 amp driver in it, to replace the 800ma stock under-driver… reasoning? it will drain the 3 D cells QUICKER enough maybe it will need batteries before it leaks next time, LMAO, as well as be a “real light” for him… i figure 3-D cells running 3 amps should stiull give decent runtime…
… of course, i am also considering swapping OUT his XML2 star and swapping IN a LB xml emitter i have here, lol… not like he will ever know the difference or appreciate it… this way when the next set of alkaleaks ruins the light? it wont be ruining a good emitter or driver, LMAO…
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i cant even give him a lithium light, he would run it down to ZERO VOLTS and it would be like a disposable light to him, lol… thats what he does to all his NiCd tool packs, he just kills them then COOKS them for weeks on the chargers, lol…