I recently received a 1xAA Powerlight from DX for $4.28. I was actually really pleased with it- it looks great, feels much more expensive than the price suggests, feels well built, puts out a lot of light, and has excellent battery life.
But after a few days of use, it is starting to flicker, shut off, and not turn on when I press the switch. I tightened everything nice and tight, and I tried another battery, and I gave it a few nice whacks in my palm on both ends, but it still just flickers or doesn't turn on most of the time. Now, you'll probably say, "Just throw the thing away and buy yourself another flashlight, what do you expect from a $4.28 flashlight you tightwad?" But the thing is, this light has absolutely incredible battery life. It ran for days on a dead AA cell that I put in it that would no longer power my wireless mouse. So for me, this thing is worth saving. I doubt DX would refund me, for $4.28 it's not worth it. Any tricks you can suggest for me to fix it? Keep in mind that you are talking to a complete dolt (UK) / clutz (USA) who can barely brush his teeth without something going wrong.
It is often the case that the electrical connection between the head and body is mostly a blob of solder. If it gets dirty, there may be little or no conduction of power. It may need a blob of solder in the right place - that was how i cured my Tank007 light. My camera is hopeless at close ups - will try to borrow my father's one tomorrow and see if I can get better pictures to explain what I mean.
Good point - try removing the tailcap and using a piece of wire between the negative end of the battery and the body. If there is no flickering, then the switch is the problem.
A paper clip is an incredibly useful tool in troubleshooting. Straighten it out and use it to bridge dodgy connections. Probably the single most useful tool in figuring out what is wrong.
Thanks for the tip, I'll look it over carefully when I have some time. But I kind of suspect the switch, because it was working fine when I received it. If I lightly bump the switch I can get it to flicker and even turn on and off, just barely tapping the rubber cover of the switch. I have another Powerlight arriving in another DX order, I hope it doesn't have this problem, because the Powerlight would be a real budget deal champ otherwise for $4.28.
Not easily, it has some sort of white plastic inner face, and the spring contact protrudes from that. This light does not appear to be very easy to disassemble, but then again I'm all thumbs.
Nope, just smooth white plastic. I'm almost sure that it's the switch now, I can sort of peck at the switch with the side of my fingernail, and that makes it flicker or turn on or off.
Time for a chisel and hammer. Hmm, maybe just the the hammer. WHACK. Yup, fixed it good. Waiting on new light now. Seriously, If the switch is bad then it won’t do any harm to complete its demise carving it out for replacement. Demo is all about preserving the parts you want to keep at the expense of those you don’t.
I think Rufus made a boo boo, he seems to have dragged a load of 2010 posts up the recent posts list. Still, credit for being helpful in all of them. :bigsmile:
