My Imalent DX80 caught fire, vented smoke, almost exploded (replacement head arrived)

neo71665 · 2019-12-02T22:27:15.000Z

I musta deleted the original email. I am sending another one right now

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-02T22:27:35.000Z

They should warranty it, since it’s still within the warranty period. Hard to know if they will, since you haven’t said if you contacted Imalent. A retailer isn’t going to help you. Take Mad Max’s advice.

neo71665 · 2019-12-03T00:04:19.000Z

I used the email (one given above) first as it was the only one on the paperwork. I resorted to contacting retailers after I never got a reply. I only was contacting retailers trying to see if there was a different email to use. I never expected a retailer to do anything but maybe give me some info on a different contact email.

This all started about 2 months ago now. Heck I even started a thread on here about it back then.

I have sent another email today. Maybe the other got sent to spam or a trash folder, I do understand it happens. Hopefully this one goes through. Frankly I just want to know if they will fix it, if not I’m gonna tear the battery pack apart and use the cells. Maybe sell the remains to somebody that wants to tinker with it for a few bucks. I’d rather have the working light though.

trailhunter · 2019-12-03T01:22:04.000Z

neo71665:

I used the email (one given above) first as it was the only one on the paperwork. I resorted to contacting retailers after I never got a reply. I only was contacting retailers trying to see if there was a different email to use. I never expected a retailer to do anything but maybe give me some info on a different contact email.

This all started about 2 months ago now. Heck I even started a thread on here about it back then.

I have sent another email today. Maybe the other got sent to spam or a trash folder, I do understand it happens. Hopefully this one goes through. Frankly I just want to know if they will fix it, if not I’m gonna tear the battery pack apart and use the cells. Maybe sell the remains to somebody that wants to tinker with it for a few bucks. I’d rather have the working light though.

Better Business Beaureu

neo71665 · 2019-12-03T17:00:07.000Z

New head is being sent to me

mortuus · 2019-12-03T21:20:40.000Z

won light or not it should still go under the flashlight makers warranty. good u getting a new head hopefully it will work.

snakebite · 2019-12-08T17:49:09.000Z

my educated guess is that a mosfet failed or got latched up and dumped full battery into the inductor which burned up the traces and desoldered the inductor.
once you get carbon and a dc arc going it will burn till there nothing left to burn.

DBSAR:

UPDATES,May,16,2019

The replacement head arrived today for the DX80. I thank Imalent for the fast & great customer service, and quick solution & replacement of the failed light.

(I managed to get the burned head apart… it looks like the driver nearly exploded, (several of the components were blown off the driver board completely, and some of the large copper traces were melted off. My only guess here either one of the square large inductor coils shorted, or a trace close-shorted to cause some high-amp DC arching, (like a welder affect) maybe someone more experienced with circuitry could identify what happened here. (it happened when the light was cold and when turned off, and occurred as soon as i tried to turn it on.)

snakebite · 2019-12-08T17:52:47.000Z

sounds like a latch up condition.
inadequate gate pulldown or bad power conditioning on the buck chip that allows it to get in a bad state on power connection(screwing battery tube in)

Blinkinglights:

My DX80 blew up again, WTF!
I mechanically locked it out before use because the damn button is so easy to turn on. I twisted the light and tried to turn it back on, smoke went to the glass, light stinks and now dead, SUCKSSS!

Pip · 2019-12-08T19:59:21.000Z

snakebite:

sounds like a latch up condition.
inadequate gate pulldown or bad power conditioning on the buck chip that allows it to get in a bad state on power connection(screwing battery tube in)

Fwiw mine also blew during battery connection. Similar results to what everyone else had. It definitely seems like a design issue. I wish Imalent would let us know if the issue is fixed in the later models. I’ve sent mine out to Imalent and they’re supposed to repair or replace it. When it comes back I could connect and disconnect the battery multiple times to try to simulate it and risk losing another head, or I could just leave the battery connected forever and it will probably work fine forever. Do I really want this thing in my house? If Imalent fixed the issue they probably can’t acknowledge it without doing a recall.

WalkIntoTheLight · 2019-12-08T20:09:54.000Z

Pip:

Fwiw mine also blew during battery connection. Similar results to what everyone else had. It definitely seems like a design issue. I wish Imalent would let us know if the issue is fixed in the later models. I’ve sent mine out to Imalent and they’re supposed to repair or replace it. When it comes back I could connect and disconnect the battery multiple times to try to simulate it and risk losing another head, or I could just leave the battery connected forever and it will probably work fine forever.

Personally, I’d test out the battery installation at least 100 times before I was willing to accept it.

Do I really want this thing in my house?

If you have to ask….

If Imalent fixed the issue they probably can’t acknowledge it without doing a recall.

Yeah, I’m not so sure Chinese companies have to obey recall rules.

snakebite · 2019-12-08T20:53:48.000Z

imalent=immolate?

James_C · 2024-07-12T03:07:13.373Z

I realize this is an old thread, but I think this is pretty interesting. I had purchased a broken DX80 for parts and finally got around to opening it. The failure on my sample was less catastrophic. Note, I removed an inductor (square 100) from the top-right of the driver. I think this is where the failure originated. It was barely attached.

It’s interesting to see the differences in the components between this one and @DBSAR 's. I can spot a few but I’m no driver expert so I don’t know what they could be for. There’s a helpful youtube video out there with a teardown and it shows even more differences in components. It seems like they went through a few iterations but evidently there were still some problems.

I haven’t removed the driver yet so it’s hard to say how damaged it is; however, given the apparent propensity for these things to blow up, I’m hesitant to even try to fix it.

DBSAR · 2024-07-13T17:25:49.673Z

“knock on wood” the new DX80 head Imalent sent me after mine caughtfire has been working great ever since. The replacement units ad changes to the driver it seems, and corrected the problem (hopefully) - DB

Covetfolkish · 2024-07-14T18:20:16.487Z

DBSAR! Completely unrelated to this post I’ve been trying to track you down as I have questions on the garage/shed you reviewed on Amazon. I have the same kit and would like to do something similar to the modification you made, if you’d be willing to entertain some of my questions what would be the best place to get in contact with you?

Screenshot_20240714_135240_Amazon Shopping1080×2400 154 KB

Mandrake50 · 2024-07-14T19:28:22.072Z

Please see this thread

raccoon · 2024-07-14T23:23:25.436Z

It’s a pleasure to have you onboard, Covetfolkish!

ebastler · 2024-07-14T23:30:50.516Z

There is also this one so luckily he seems to have made it through the worst - might still not be in the mood or shape to be too active on here for a while

DBSAR · 2024-07-15T20:38:32.419Z

sure. What do you want to know about it?

Covetfolkish · 2024-07-16T12:25:34.898Z

First off thanks for responding I’m sorry to hear about everything going on but glad that it sounds like you’re on the mend! I was curious on how you framed the Tracked garage door as opposed to a roll-up door that would be typically found on the kit? Also you mentioned in the review that you bought materials for the roof do you happen to remember how many sheets that required? Thank you

DBSAR · 2024-07-16T20:23:30.111Z

Thank you ebastler, much aprciated… I am not in the best of health yet, but i’m fighting my best to return…