Hello, four years ago, I received a Wuben t050r and an original 21700 ABD4800 battery included. Everything was okay.
Now, a mysterious thing happened - the battery charges and discharges normally in separate Vapcell charger (and the resistance is OK), but it doesn’t work in the flashlights. I tried it in 4 different flashlights. Sometimes it briefly flickers if I screw the cap very lightly but just touch the contact. It doesn’t work on ultra-low, nor on any mode, nor does the standby indicator light on flashlights with a standby indicator. What could have happened?
The only thing I could think of was whether it could be related to the magnetic tail cap on the flashlight where the battery has been for years? Did the magnet cause some mysterious damage/behaviours?
But why does it behave normally in the charger? Does anyone have any idea what might be happening? Any suggestions?
Seems unlikely. Is this a protected cell? Or a button top?
Wonder if something isn’t making contact while in the lights.
You, of course, have cleaned the ends of the battery with a mild abrasive like a pencil erasure?
If you have the means, try putting a resistive load on the battery and take a look at the current flowing. Then wiggle stuff and see what happens.
All, the Best,
Jeff
Hey jeff,
The contacts looked fine, but I tried what you suggested and it didn’t help. And yes, it is a protected battery.
What scares me even more, and now it’s a mystery that I can’t figure out, is that I bought a brand new same battery and it also doesn’t work in any flashlight… I don’t understand it at all, it worked 100% in the Wuben, I have been using it in it since it was new. I never tried it in other flashlights before. Any more ideas, or is this inexplicable behavior?
ChatGPT also suggested that it could be because the spring is too compressed (Sofirn IF25A, Astrolux FT02S, Astrolux EC01), which would explain why it flickers at first contact but then nothing happens as I continue to tighten it. But why doesn’t it work in the Wuben, I don’t understand… could it be the exact opposite, that the contact has been lost there?
It’s too long. That Wuben cell is 75mm long. A standard flat top 21700 is 70mm. Many lights cannot accommodate the added length of a protected cell with USB circuits. Your not making contact with the end of the battery tube to complete the circuit in your non-Wuben lights because the cell is too long. Don’t try to force it or you could damage the cell, the driver, or tailcap guts.
I managed to get the Wuben flashlight working again! The contacts on the battery were OK, the problem was with the flashlight inside head. After cleaning inside contact +Pole, the flashlight is working beautifully again. And as for mystery number 2, it might be as TIfisher writes - but I don’t understand what he means by the ABD4800 being too long to make contact with the end of the battery tube. On the opposite, the spring is compressed too much, and that might be the issue as the 'engineer" chat gpt said
Sorry. In order to complete the circuit in most lights, there has to be continuity between the head (driver), battery tube, and tailcap (switch). Because the cell is too long, it prevents the tailcap from tightening down enough to make contact with the non-anodised (raw) portion of the battery tube to complete the connection. Thus, no continuity and the light doesn’t work.
That makes sense. I’m also thinking the too long battery preventing the tail cap from making contact might well be the problem.
All the Best,
Jeff