My new flashlight has stopped working right after receiving it... (fasttech support......sigh)

[TexasLumens]

@comfychair

FT doesn't build any of the stuff they sell, the 'they' who left out the insulation (though I can't make out anything missing in that pic) would be FT's supplier.

Is the solder sticking up too high, centering ring not thick enough? Honestly that flat-base reflector is meant for XR-E LEDs, the ones for other LEDs usually has a machined area around the emitter holes for clearance.

I realize FT doesn't build these... but THEY sell them. They need some quality control. What you see is all there was... I did some testing, it just blew the driver, the LED's still work. The solder was just too high. Poof! When we build these in-house, we do a couple of things... either top the solder joints with silicone or we cut a 1/32" thick neoprene insulator that covers the entire base of the reflector. Like I say... I usually look but was just going to test this one and didn't. My bad. I just don't appreciate being stiffed or having to fight with someone that screwed it up to start with. I would never do that to a customer. Thanks. Dan.

[comfychair]

@THS89

@comfychair

Unless you have done other testing you haven't mentioned here, you have not ruled out much of anything. Did you see my comment about current draw and a short from LED- to ground causing the cell's protection to trip? Have you unscrewed the pill from the reflector and checked for shorts to the underside of the reflector?

It will be easy to walk you through what to check where, but if you refuse to check the things suggested it will be slightly more difficult. :)

Just checked it. Didn’t realize it unscrews so easily. No shorts from the reflector to emitter. The 2 wires seem to be soldered very cleanly to the emitter.

Ohm meter, check between LED- and ground (side of pill), and between LED+ and ground.

With the reflector still off, connect 2x AAs (or a single CR123, if you have one) direct to the +/- solder pads on the top of the star.

[THS89]

@THS89

@comfychair

Unless you have done other testing you haven’t mentioned here, you have not ruled out much of anything. Did you see my comment about current draw and a short from LED- to ground causing the cell’s protection to trip? Have you unscrewed the pill from the reflector and checked for shorts to the underside of the reflector?

It will be easy to walk you through what to check where, but if you refuse to check the things suggested it will be slightly more difficult.

Just checked it. Didn’t realize it unscrews so easily.

No shorts from the reflector to emitter. The 2 wires seem to be soldered very cleanly to the emitter.

OK I think I might have fixed it. Dusted off the old soldering iron and took off the driver board.

Everything looked ok so I just put it back together.

Tada, it is working again (for now).

Perhaps heating it up ended up reflowing solder somewhere on the driver ??

The reflector did get a bit dirty with me taking it apart and all especially once I tried to clean it… Guess it’s best to leave the polished surface since I ended up putting minor scratches on it.

Anyway it is still shitty on fasttech’s part that they expect us to fix defective items and tell us to close paypal disputes or else they won’t help….

I’ll still be trying to get this exchanged or refunded since I want to give it to someone and I do not wanna have to worry about it dying yet again…

[Old-Lumens]

Well, Fasttech's policy states:

Assurance

1. Do products come with warranties?

Unless otherwise noted on the product page, product warranty is 6 months counted from the date of shipment.

• Within 3 months after shipment:
  Upon returning, defective items are replaced and shipped back to customers for free. Return shipping reimbursement is USD 40 or 50% of the item's price, whichever is lower. This is how they are probably approaching it. It was a Mfg defect, not a Shipping defect, so their warranty is very clear here.
  
  
• 3 to 6 months after shipment:
  Upon returning, defective items are replaced and shipped back to customers for free. Return shipping reimbursement is unavailable.
  
  
• Afterwards:
  Customers may still send defective items back to FastTech. FastTech passes those items back to their manufacturers and helps coordinating the repair. Customers are responsible for shipping charges both ways.
  
  Depending on the problem, fees may be assessed by the manufacturers. FastTech will contact customers before committing the repairs.

Parts not covered by standard warranties

1. Consumables including but not limited to ink, depletion of disposable or primary batteries, etc.
2. Parts naturally exposed to tear and wear including but not limited to screen protectors, cases, etc.
3. Damages or degradations caused by improper operations including but not limited to torn cables, blown fuses, bricks due to installation of custom firmwares, etc.

2. How do you handle defective on arrival / DOA orders?

FastTech guarantees safe delivery of your orders. We exchange all damaged items.(Damaged meaning damaged in transit, not faulty from the Mfg) FastTech covers all return shipping charges.

Contact us for a RMA, within 5 days of delivery, and ship products back via the least expensive method.

3. Product price protection

loading...

4. What is the Money Back Guarantee?

Not happy with a product? Return it to us.
You may return undamaged items to us postmarked within 45 calendar days of delivery. If the return is not a result of our error, customers will be required to cover shipping cost both ways. Please make sure the item is returned in the original condition, with the original packaging and accessories.

Please note that shipping and handling charges apply if returns are not results of FastTech's error.

Click here to return a product.

Eligibility:

• Products must not be altered or modified.
• Raw components and PCB boards cannot be accepted for return after they are installed or soldered.
• Consumables cannot returned once they are opened.
• When returning replacement products, the original (defective or non-functional) unit must also be returned, or a fee may be assessed.
• Volume/wholesale (signified by volume discounts), and customized orders are not covered by this offer.

It seems like it's probably clear in the Warranty and return info that Fasttech has posted. They must feel it was most likely not damaged in shipping, but it was a Mfg defect, so different rules apply. From what you are saying, that seems to be what Fasttech is doing, so, no they would not pay shipping, nor would they replace, per their policy.

[THS89]

@Old-Lumens

Well, Fasttech’s policy states:

Assurance

1. Do products come with warranties?

Unless otherwise noted on the product page, product warranty is 6 months counted from the date of shipment.

• Within 3 months after shipment:
  Upon returning, defective items are replaced and shipped back to customers for free. Return shipping reimbursement is USD 40 or 50% of the item’s price, whichever is lower. This is how they are probably approaching it. It was a Mfg defect, not a Shipping defect, so their warranty is very clear here.
  
  

• 3 to 6 months after shipment:
  Upon returning, defective items are replaced and shipped back to customers for free. Return shipping reimbursement is unavailable.
  
  

• Afterwards:
  Customers may still send defective items back to FastTech. FastTech passes those items back to their manufacturers and helps coordinating the repair. Customers are responsible for shipping charges both ways.
  
  Depending on the problem, fees may be assessed by the manufacturers. FastTech will contact customers before committing the repairs.

Parts not covered by standard warranties

1. Consumables including but not limited to ink, depletion of disposable or primary batteries, etc.

2. Parts naturally exposed to tear and wear including but not limited to screen protectors, cases, etc.

3. Damages or degradations caused by improper operations including but not limited to torn cables, blown fuses, bricks due to installation of custom firmwares, etc.

2. How do you handle defective on arrival / DOA orders?

FastTech guarantees safe delivery of your orders. We exchange all damaged items.(Damaged meaning damaged in transit, not faulty from the Mfg) FastTech covers all return shipping charges.

Contact us for a RMA, within 5 days of delivery, and ship products back via the least expensive method.

3. Product price protection

loading…

4. What is the Money Back Guarantee?

Not happy with a product? Return it to us.
You may return undamaged items to us postmarked within 45 calendar days of delivery. If the return is not a result of our error, customers will be required to cover shipping cost both ways. Please make sure the item is returned in the original condition, with the original packaging and accessories.

Please note that shipping and handling charges apply if returns are not results of FastTech’s error.

Click here to return a product.

Eligibility:

• Products must not be altered or modified.

• Raw components and PCB boards cannot be accepted for return after they are installed or soldered.

• Consumables cannot returned once they are opened.

• When returning replacement products, the original (defective or non-functional) unit must also be returned, or a fee may be assessed.

• Volume/wholesale (signified by volume discounts), and customized orders are not covered by this offer.

It seems like it’s probably clear in the Warranty and return info that Fasttech has posted. They must feel it was most likely not damaged in shipping, but it was a Mfg defect, so different rules apply. From what you are saying, that seems to be what Fasttech is doing, so, no they would not pay shipping, nor would they replace, per their policy.

Yea I ain’t reading all that. To hell with their policy.

[T.H.Cone]

O-L I didn’t go look up Ultrafire’s policy, but Nitecore’s is that the light has to go back to where it was purchased for warranty issues. So, when they (FT) won’t take it back, you are then stuck between a rock and a hard place. Those companies need to stop saying it is the other guy’s problem and figure out how to handle the inevitable problems that crop up in an equitable way.

Playing hot potato shouldn’t be the goto CS policy.

And guy’s… Happy New Year. May we all be blessed with family, friends, and good health.

[THS89]

Aaaand it magically stopped working again. This driver is broken or something.

Fasttech’s response was the same…close the dispute first…

I’ve told them that they have till tomorrow or else I am escalating this to paypal.

[Helios1 (Helios-)]

Don’t escalate too soon, it looks bad. I would wait until close to the time limit for escalation.

When you do escalate be sure to write “Seller demanded I close the dispute before they would even attempt to solve the issue.”

@THS89

Sellers only make excuses (like fasttech did in my case) that the system wont let them process a exchange or refund until the dispute is closed.

FT absolutely can do an exchange or refund while the dispute is open. That is how paypal intends for sellers to resolve disputes. FT does not want to. FT may even have set up their own system to make it hard for front line customer service reps process an exchange or refund.

[T.H.Cone]

How many times have we seen this? A seller comes to our attention, does really well initially, then, once we have a level of trust with them, they go the other way.

They say that the first time the dog bites you it is the dog’s fault, but that the second time the dog bites you it is your fault.

How many more time will we fall for this?