Ultrafire OSRAM RL-2088 flickering

After looking for a multicell 18650 flashlight platform with good runtime and high output, I settled on an RL-2088. I purchased one online, was happy with the construction and brightness. I probably overpaid for the light (140.00), but I really do like the build, shape, runtime, and heft of the light. Recently however I ran into some problems.

A few weeks ago I took a flight to my hometown to visit my family before deployment. While I was there, we compared torches (lol) and the flashlight functioned without a problem...easily the brightest. Upon returning home, I found the flashlight constantly switching on and off once mechanically turned on. Holding the light still, it will stay on, but if you shake or rotate the tube, it will turn off and turn on repeatedly, like there is a loose connection somewhere in the light. I'm hypothesizing that while it was in my suitcase, as it was being thrown around, that something might have been loosened or damaged.

I broke the light down, examined for damage (found none), and reassembled. I don't have equipment for testing circuits or voltages etc, but I do believe it may be a loose connection somewhere, possibly with the switch. I'm honestly stumped at this point, and don't want to send it back to the manufacture due to overseas shipping and the potential for my favorite torch to get lost in the mail.

Has anyone experienced problems like this with this torch or others? Is there anyone on the forum that specializes in flashlight repair? This light is hard to come by these days and I'd like to hold onto it.

Any help or advice you can give would be appreciated.

How far did you disassemble it? Have you tried bypassing the switch with a bit of metal to see if it's a switch problem? opened up the pill and looked at the driver?

To eliminate the switch as the source of the problem, take the tail cap off and connect the negative battery terminal to the bare aluminum on the body tube. Use a heavy enough gauge for the current (14 or 16 would be plenty). If the light comes on steady w/o flickering, the switch is the culprit, if it is still displaying the same behaviour I would guess the driver is the culprit.

I would check all the terminals in the battery holder as well.

Thanks for the feedback!

I never done anything like this before, so to be clear:

I need a 14 or 16 gauge wire (once the tail cap is removed) to complete the circuit, by connecting the negative side of the battery carrier directly to the aluminum body of the light? Am I connecting it to the inside or outside of the body? If the switch is the problem, what options do I have? Can it be repaired by someone who knows what they are doing?

Get some thick wire, place one end on the back of the battery, and the other on bare metal on the flashlight body. See if you can replicate the flickering.

If the switch is bad, you can disassemble the tailcap and swap it out.

You could go through and try tightening everything, sounds like there might be a loose contact somewhere. there should be pairs of holes in everything, you can push pointy tweezers or some other similar tool into those and turn to tighten.

Another question:

Are there companies out there or people within this forum that offer flashlight repair services? Given my inexperience, I'm only will to tinker or disassemble this light to a point.

By the way, if anybody is looking for an RL-2088, I am selling mine. It has an Osram OSTAR emitter. In case anybody is interested, send me a PM.