Fenix E12 disassembly

LED Flashlights – General Info 1 x AA / 1 x 14500 Flashlights
1

I’m trying to pull the pill out of my new fenix E12 but it’s not coming. I first examined the head for a line where two parts were screwed together like on several other fenix lights I’ve taken apart, finding nothing I went on the the obvious…

There are two small holes in the PCB / contact bored in the head. Using a pair of split-ring pliers I can rotate that PCB and even pull it out slightly but I can only rotate it back-n-forth about 45* before it stops, I can’t unscrew it. I was hoping there was some sort of cam or something simple but I’ve played with it awhile now and haven’t made any progress. What direction do I need to screw/pull/manipulate this PCB to get it / the pill out?

I’m trying to open it mainly to properly seat the TIR, it’s all jacked up crooked in there but also to see about making it dimmer, actually just making low mode less bright (its ~10Lm now) but I figure that’ll be about impossible so I’ll have to settle for lowering all modes by [perhaps] swapping an older XP-E (warm of course) in place of the cool XP-E2.

2

I was in your shoes about a week ago. Wasn’t happy with the beam pattern and thought I’d disassemble, straighten things out and reassemble, right? Wrong.

I wish I had taken pictures, and now that I’ve got it all back together, I’m not excited to take it apart again.

So, it’s hard to explain, but the driver/pcb seems to be only loosely attached to the pill. Not threaded into it, glued maybe. The pcb sits in two raised, thin cutouts in the pill and if you exert any pressure at all, it detaches. Especially if you try to unscrew it with splitring pliers. After detachment, the only things holding it all together are the emitter leads.

I didn’t know this, and after the same back and forth with it, I forced it.

And ripped the emitter leads off of the driver.

Pulled out the pcb (which is a two-board, buck looking deal) and then I could see the pill, and (from the bottom, the TIR alignment holes and the emitter leads and their holes.

Tried unsuccessfully to unscrew the pill using those holes BECAUSE IT’S GLUED/LOCTITED IN. Which is why it won’t turn with the PCB in the first place.

At this point I figured I was screwed anyway so I got out my little butane pencil torch and heated things up. The pill then screwed right out! Cleaned everything up, soldered new leads to the pill (after figuring out polarity with a DMM) then to the LED and reassembled.

Can’t get to it for a couple of days, but I’ll try to disassemble and post pics.

My suggestion at this point would be to heat the head up carefully and while shoving the PCB into the slots of the pill (that you can’t see) and try to unscrew the assembly…

3

So heat the head then downward pressure on the PCB to jam it in place while rotating the whole pill?

So your lens was crooked too huh, that’s sad to hear, usually fenix gets it right. Glad I waited a few weeks to mess with it and you did it first lol. Thanks for the help tho.

4

Yes, but even then it’s still sketchy…

My lens wasn’t crooked, I just wasn’t thrilled with the beam pattern. Thought I could center the optic better. WRONG. :slight_smile:

I actually ordered another one when I thought mine was toast because my wife adopted it and LOVES it. We just had a baby, and she tail-stands it (the light, not the baby) on her bedside table and just leaves it on all low night. Perfect for nursing etc… I put a new eneloop in it every few days and she loves it.

Anyway. New one has same not-perfect beam. Needless to say I’m leaving it alone. :slight_smile:

5

Maybe I’m lucky that mine has a perfect beam.

6

so glad i bought enough E11’s to last me awhile did the same with LD25 when they got replaced with new and improved to pointlessness

4 MK1 E11 and 3 MK2 E11 5 LD25’s

got 2 more MK2 E11’s enroute and am thinking of getting afew E21’s for good measure

7

Have you seen this thread?

I use one of these little 3 led USB lights with warm emitters for my workshop night light.

8

How do to know what version of E11 your gettin when you order? I have never even seen those middle “Mk2’s”. I was just thinking I wanted to give my sister an E11 earlier today as I watched her use a cell phone for a flashlight.

And about the E21’s great lights. I can’t believe they went up in price so much now that they’ve switched to XP-E2’s. Last fall I got one for $28 bucks (a good deal, at that time $32-33 was average) now they’re $45+. I’m also waiting to see if/when an E22 comes out that is still rear clicky only 2xAA.

9

Cereal killer the MK1 E11 went out of production long ago I would be amazed if you managed to buy one, I get mine from an ebay seller called sopard all my E11 & E21’s came from him.
Just ordered a LD41 from him and have never had any problems in the 2 years i have been buying from him and delivery is normally 2-3 weeks to the UK.
FYI he is selling E21 for $34 delivered.

For your sister take a look at the L10 Nichia 219 fantastic colour rendition simple interface, my mother loves hers i got her the orange model and a natural for myself i carry it as my “gentlemans” flashlight when i go out both are 4 mode versions. There is also a version with the Cree XP-G2 LED (R5) 10 different coloured bodies (yes theres a pink one) if you prefer the cooler type of LED.

I am betting the E22 will have a reverse clicky and i really like my forward clicky momentary on as i find it useful.

10

I love the L10, have two for the wife and I and also gave my mom one but I’m hesitant to get one for my sis cause last summer I got her a Preon 1 and she doesn’t carry it because its twisty so I don’t think she’d carry the L10.

That brings up a thought I’ve had about the E12 since I’ve got it. I love the form but I’m not crazy about the mode spacing. Like I say in the OP I really want a lower low, ~1Lm or under. I’ve been debating ordering up another 4-mode L10 and either swapping the driver or even the whole pill into the E12 head. That would give me better modes and possible a real reflector (I have no issue with TIR’s in general but this one is so tight, I would prefer my smaller EDC light have a little more flood.

Can anyone measure the diameter & height of the E12’s pill for me.

11

Just wanted to share my project here, it wasnt easy but totally worth it! If anyone’s interested PM me.