* Resolved *Cheers to Lumens Factory

[prime77]

I would like it to be known that Mark at Lumens Factory has gone out of his way to make me a happy customer. There may have been a email missed on my end but Mark has tried really hard to make everything right. After everything I would purchase from Lumens Factory again.​


Late last month I purchased a E1-LED single mode drop-in from Lumens Factory for my Surefire e1e. I received the drop in and put it in my e1e and it worked fine for a couple of minutes but then it stated blinking. I changed the battery and experienced the same blinking. After several emails to LF they sent me a replacement Drop-in. The second drop-in arrived and worked great for about ten minutes and then quit working all together. I emailed LF again and explained that the second drop-in wasn't working. I even sent them a video of the problems. They said that they wouldn't send me another replacement product or refund my money unless I sent the two faulty products back. The problem is that shipping the two drop-ins back to Hong Kong is more than the cost of another one. In the end I'm out my money with no working product. Here is the video I sent them.

 

[Str8stroke]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Bummer.

But watched the video. A few thoughts popped in my head. I see some blinking in the one that didn't work at all while you were unscrewing it. Makes me think there may be a contact issue of some sort. Is it seating properly? Put it on the body with out the head to test it. Bypass the head by using just the body. It may not be seating in tight enough to make proper contact.

On the blinking one? Strange. Contact issue?? Maybe the battery can't supply proper voltage?? In addition, I was wondering if you could test the voltage on your battery? Is it a new cell? That could be the cause of it not working properly. Do you have a 3.7 volt cell to use? I know they claim it should work on a primary, but I also don't know what their cut off voltages are.

I am sure you tested all that. I was more so curious to know. I also understand they should work as advertised and what feels like bum service, so, I get your frustration.

Just some ideas.

 

[prime77]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Thanks for your suggestions Str8stroke. Regarding the one that doesn't work at all I was surprised that it came on when I made that video to send them. It hadn't worked since the first time it stopped lighting up. I did test it out without the head thinking like you that it may not be seating tight enough. It still wouldn't work. I also tried another e series head and three switches with both drop ins. Still nothing. I have no way of testing battery voltage for the blinking one and have used brand new Surefire batteries with it. I do not have any 3.7 volt batteries to test. It will work fine for a minute or two then start to blink. If I turn it off then back on it will continue blinking. Strangely if I let it sit of a couple of minutes and use it it will work fine for a minute then start to blink. Just out of curiosity I put a well used primary in it and the output is much less but no blinking.

 

[Eric242]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Well, this definitly sucks. But I nonetheless think this is an unwarrented jeer. They provided a replacement after your first inquiry. Then they are confronted with basically the same problem and should send out a second replacement. Sure they could send another one. But I do understand them as well. They can´t keep shipping them to a customer where they end up not working (for whatever reason). So I don´t think it´s too much to ask to return these two dropins and refund you the postage. If something is wrong with these dropins they offer they need to find the problem and that´s not possible if they don´t get the defective ones back. Also I think you should be able to retun these in their tubes for less than the cost of a dropin via first class mail int´l.

To make sure it is not a contact issue you could wrap some aluminum foil around the dropin (make sure not to short it) and/or add a very thin magnet to the top or the back of the battery (if it works with a magnet don´t use it that way, just for testing).

Eric

 

[NextLight]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Prime77

I also bought an E1-LED module by Lumens Factory last month. IMO, it is really designed for use on a LiFePO4 rechargeable (3.0-3.7V). My E1-LED module works fine (I am using an E2 body with a single protected 17670 Li-Ion) but there are a couple of oddities in the module... Mine will run down to 0.7V. (NO lithium family rechargeables should EVER be discharged to such a low voltage.) Likewise, the aggressive drive controller circuitry works hard to maintain 3W+ drive to the LED. My sample of one drew 2.2A at 1.7V. This is far above the designed safe discharge (current) rate of most 123 (16340) sized batteries.

Note the published design voltage of the module is "3.0-3.7V". A factory fresh CR123A Surefire lithium primary will be about 3.26V with NO LOAD, but will be below 3.0V at at ~1A load (3W) almost immediately.

I personally recommend using AW IMR rechargeables (~3.4-4.15V) in 16340 if you are looking to use your E1 body, and turning off and recharging immediately when the light first dims. On "factory Surefire" CR123A primaries, the protection mechanism(s) should prevent fire or explosion (with some Chinese CR123A brands we might no be so lucky) but everything in your light will be really hot if yours passes thru the 1.7V point at ~2.2A as mine did. The regular on-off flash of your light reminds me of protection (low voltage or over-current) but my specimen E1-LED appears to have no such protection. On yours the flash is too fast, regular, and precise, to suggest thermal protection cycling in the battery.

Until you try your E1-LED module with a capable rechargeable (Li-Ion, LiFePO4, or IMR) 16340 or larger, at >= 3.5V to see if the module behaves normally, we don't really know if your module is defective, IMHO.

Good Luck,
NextLight

 

[Mark@LF]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Hi Prime77

A customer told me that you posted about your problem here today, so I came and see what I can help you with.
Sorry I haven't been on CPF recently, due to work being busy during the high season.

I sent an email to you 3 weeks ago about paying for your shipping charges so we can investigate the problem.
But unfortunately I did not get a reply from you.
I can forward that old email to you if you want proof that I send it.

We have not heard similar problems that you had experienced from other customers, so I really want to do a full inspection on the units to investigate why.
Leaving customers with no money and no working product is NOT how we do business.
We have been in business for 9 years now and I am sure many CPFers knows this from past experience.

I will contact you again through email or you can contact me through email and we can talk more on how to do this.
I really want to get to the bottom of this and if it still doesn't work out for you then you can have a full refund or I can make you a custom Single Mode E Series Head for 1 cell use or whatever makes you happy.
Customer satisfaction is our goal and we will do everything we can to help them.


Thanks.

Mark

 

[prime77]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Mark,

For whatever reason I never received the last email you mentioned. You don't have to go through the trouble of sending it again. Communication with you about the problem was always very good. I still would like a functioning drop in. I'll send you an email about sending the two units back that didn't work correctly.

 

[Mark@LF]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Hi Prime77,

Of course, I will wait for your email.
I have sent an email to you about an hour ago, if you don't see it please check your spam folder or contact me on PM here.

Thank you.

Mark

 

[prime77]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

I would like it to be known that Mark at Lumens Factory has gone out of his way to make me a happy customer. There may have been a email missed on my end but Mark has tried really hard to make everything right. After everything I would purchase from Lumens Factoy again.

 

[Str8stroke]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

I would like it to be known that Mark at Lumens Factory has gone out of his way to make me a happy customer. There may have been a email missed on my end but Mark has tried really hard to make everything right. After everything I would purchase from Lumens Factoy again.

Awesome. I figured he would. You may consider modifying your Thread Title to "resolved" or "Cheers"? Or maybe edit your first post to reflect that LF worked to rectify your issue? Some folks may not read the whole thread to find out that they worked with you to resolve it. That is pretty darn good that he worked to correct your issue. So good to hear. I have bought probably a dozen or so LF products and been super happy with them.
Glad it worked out.

 

[prime77]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

Awesome. I figured he would. You may consider modifying your Thread Title to "resolved" or "Cheers"? Or maybe edit your first post to reflect that LF worked to rectify your issue? Some folks may not read the whole thread to find out that they worked with you to resolve it. That is pretty darn good that he worked to correct your issue. So good to hear. I have bought probably a dozen or so LF products and been super happy with them.
Glad it worked out.

Done. Thanks for tips Str8stroke.

 

[Str8stroke]

Re: Jeers to Lumens Factory

:twothumbs Glad I could help.