Tired of Fenix Lights Failing

[markr6]

I don't see Pflexpro in #22, or anywhere. Am I overlooking it? I am curious to know the poke since I was always interested in those lights and dropins.

 

[bykfixer]

So is the guy who started this thread bashing Fenix ever going to come back and say that he had a bad battery? I just had the same thing occur with my new Nitecore MH20GT and it looks like I need to trash that company for bad quality. Has a Nitecore is crap thread been started yet? Oh, once I slipped the new Keeppower in there it was bliss again, but I'll admit to being pissed off whne the bad battery was in there and I pressed the button and the light didn't work.

Thank you.

Ironically there's a thread bashing Malkoff lights for the same reason this one was started. Mean old Malkoff springs crushed his poor innocent flat tops.

I know plenty of folks who own Fenix products and have zero qualms. But they use proper batteries.

It used to be you bought a light, slid in some batteries and turned it on. All was right with the world.

Now you have a million billion choices of something for nothing 'guilt free' lumens for a buck 22 and you get all kinds of moaning and groaning that this light or that one is not working and somehow it is the light at fault.

Here we have a forum with a mega ton of threads about proper rechargeable batteries just seemingly collecting dust.

And yet this thread is on page 4 debating the merits (or lack thereof) of Fenix lights.

 

[Woods Walker]

It is easy for people to get stressed out then jump to conclusions as trouble shooting takes time. For example I am trouble shooting my ZL SC5w. As always I suspect the battery but will have to test several batteries for rapid discharge in the light. This could take a month. Easier just to blame the light. LOL. Also lots of people use message boards for pure information only aka once the OP got his answer it was back to normal life till the person needs the community again for their next year conundrum.

to me it is all good.

 

[tom-]

For me its not all good, rather it is very very good. In perhaps a flawed manner I was attempting to illustrate that referencing other brands is a requirement in making evaluations between makers-and I really do understand and appreciate the work that the mods do. I believe that when all is said and done all components are sourced from the same geographic area and a firms claim that their product is made in the US is strongly suspect to me-rather I attribute this claim to manufacturing mischief/trade legislation shenanigans-show me verify proof to the contrary and I will admit I am in error. In fact there is one advertiser here whose claims as to country of origin almost have me convinced I need professional help, I read the site info and cannot for the life of me understand the claim...

Anyway, where I am going with this is; unless lights offer similar performance parameters it is inherently flawed to reach any conclusion about the quality/reliability of one brand over any other-lights of rudimentary performance will offer better reliability than those products that offer much much higher performance:factor in statistical failure rates and attempting to draw any conclusion regarding quality between relatively low unit makers and much larger producing firms make any assessment impossible.

 

[therock]

So is the guy who started this thread bashing Fenix ever going to come back and say that he had a bad battery? I just had the same thing occur with my new Nitecore MH20GT and it looks like I need to trash that company for bad quality. Has a Nitecore is crap thread been started yet? Oh, once I slipped the new Keeppower in there it was bliss again, but I'll admit to being pissed off whne the bad battery was in there and I pressed the button and the light didn't work.

Hi, I'm back. Just after the OP I changed from Xfinity to Uverse and changed my email here and all my permissions got turned off. The confirmation email got lost in the middle and I never seen it. I finally found a way back in today. I have been reading though. I just could not do anything other than read. I thought I got banned!

Yes, I have had cases where it was the battery. I have had 4 out of 4 Plantronic's protected Panasonic's fail. One split and the others PCB's separated. I have two co-workers that followed my lead and got PDs' with the same luck. But their bateries were OK.

One of my co-workers is shipping his back for warranty Tuesday and mine is in the box as a ride along with my notes. Its out of warranty so I asked what my options are. I'll keep it in my carpeted bedroom.
All these issues are off and on across two years.
Other than venting my frustrations my OP is for recommendations and information. You guys have carried on here great while I was locked out. Thanks

 

[therock]

Great info and links. I am thinking of not running protected batteries since I have a smart charger and the flashlight I will end up with will have its own protection methods. What do you think?

 

[vadimax]

Great info and links. I am thinking of not running protected batteries since I have a smart charger and the flashlight I will end up with will have its own protection methods. What do you think?

Some lights do not even fit protected batteries inside So, it is absolutely OK.

 

[CelticCross74]

they have over discharge protection built into them. Not so sure about over heat protection but so far my Fenix lights I stuck unprotected GA's in love them.

 

[therock]

OK, the follow up. I sent my PD32 in the box with a friends warranty trip back, a PD35 I think. They both came back with a note saying "New Head". No charge.
I'll give them this, mine looked like it was kept on the floorboard of a truck, I'm sure it was out of the warranty period.
Its hard to complain now.
Life is tough sometimes. You try to quit smoking and everyone offers you a cigarette. Go on a diet and free pizza and doughnuts abound everywhere you go.

I looked at all the suggestions and don't like the form factors along with the price tags. I'm stuck in the middle I guess.
I'll run this one again and if it fails I'll look at the potted brands again. Gotta do something, I use it in my profession. I did purchased some Panasonic NCR18650B 18650's in 3400 mAh unprotected.

Thanks Guys

 

[ven]

If its getting tough/heavy use then really malkoff would be the answer imho, or a cheaper host (think solarforce or even a 6p) and a malkoff drop in, EDCplus triple(potted too) , sportac triple to name a few solid options and not that high in cost. Drop ins from around $30 to $60 ish, hosts from $20-$50 ish....................so all in $100 should more than cover it, for a solid light............just thoughts on another option.

Good luck and glad sorted, my dealings with fenix have been good, although limited over the years as generally i find a solid brand.

 

[etc]

I only owned two Fenix's. The first models that came out early on. Only problem I had was the contact plate in the taii cap coming loose, causing no light, or erratic performance. Easy fix using a needle nose pliers to tighten it back up. Does Fenix still use a contact plate that can be adjusted?

Bill

I was advised that when my L2D failed circa 2008... got a replacement which failed also. They lost some modes and would flash in a bizarre morse-code like pattern. The third one I sold NIB. That was the end of it.

Fenix is innovative, bright and at that time, delivered more lumens than anything else as far as I understood. With no viable competition.

In their defense, they were an impressive lite with 200 +/- lumens from just 2xAA cells. Nobody else came close. Still are.

the competition has caught up now.

Ever since then, no multimode anything. single mode Malkoffs.

I wouldn't trust any Asian lite with my life... it's not just fenix.

for mission critical stuff, only Surefire clones with Malkoff. I do keep a Quark mini in the car as a backup mechanism.

 

[Sarratt]

I will add to the voices of the early Fenix lights .... like ''maraflex'' above me --- I have a L2D CE and the L1 silly cap).. tho I have never abused the light I have no fear when I go to get it that it will light.

 

[CelticCross74]

there are not many US made lights anymore besides Mag and customs. Yes Surefires are stuffed with just as much overseas parts as any Fenix only the SF bodies are made here. Zebralight has a pleasantly high amount of US sourced parts. As for Fenix gosh darn them! I have always thought that should Fenix open a manufacturing plant in say South Carolina and source everything domestically it would be a mega game changer across the board and the US Fenix made lights would really just cost roughly the same as they do now.

Will once again sum up with my Fenix warranty story. Awhile ago the first of 5 or 6 PD35's I have gotten over the years finally went on the fritz. The lower modes would come on then fizzle out in a second. Keep in mind this light has been saved from a sewer drain during a flash flood, been dropped an easy 20 feet, kicked, covered in construction materials, dropped in the Potomac river etc. It took all that for the lower 3 modes to fail. I emailed Fenix, they emailed me back asking for the serial number which I gave them and the next day they emailed me an address in New York state to send it to for free warranty repair. New York state? Perplexed I sent it in. Expecting not to see it again for a couple of months the light was back in my mailbox in just under two weeks totally rebuilt for free. It actually works better than it did new. I believe they even put in a new emitter. The light was very far out of Fenix warranty period but they did this anyways.

Should Fenix open a US plant the entire industry would go to the bathroom in their pants in panic...

 

[Swedpat]

I have(and had) a lot of Fenix lights(check my light collection). Only one of them, of what I can recall, fails and that's TA30. The light just suddenly shuts off after a while. It's propably something wrong with the revolving dimmer ring. It's a pity because I like it and wish Fenix would offer an updated TA-series with the same design and UI and newer LED.

 

[ven]

Having pretty much all the brands (pretty much=not all), Fenix are a good brand....................need to bare in mind the amount bought/sold and ones with issues. Their customer service has been good for me, other than an e25 DOA(cheap light), never had a fail. They are pretty tough, vinh will even tell you of all the lights he opens up, Fenix are the ones that impress him for the work/quality inside...........that says a lot. There are slowly catching brands and getting close, thrunite and acebeam(talking more expensive models, not the $20 ones) as everything is built to cost.

I have no problems recommending this brand from my experiences over the years and will continue to get future models .

As CC states, most USA made or UK made for that matter has Chinese inside or parts of anyway, not saying its right, but i bet 90% parts are sourced in China unless small outfits ,where they source USA only parts for example. For anything larger scale, to survive in this day and age, companies dont have any choice.............are there any LED's that are actually made in the USA(not a trick question, genuine one) or drivers for example.............honestly dont know.

 

[GODOFWAR]

My wife is hard on lights, especially the ones she uses in and around the barn. In the past several years she has killed many lights, most by dropping them.

A couple Surefires, two Malkoffs, an HDS, and a NovaTac. There are probably others, but those are the ones we can remember.

Her Fenix TK35UE took a beating, always came back for more, and never failed her. She now uses an Acebeam K60 and a Fenix HL55 as her all around lights.

Last week I saw her toss the HL55 onto her tack box. It slid across and went off the back, dropping onto concrete from about ~36". I said holy smokes you don't treat that light very nicely.

She replied...

"It's a flashlight...I don't care and I'm sure it doesn't either...unless you're telling me flashlights have feelings!!!".

A couple Surefire? why I don't believe that

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Yes Surefires are stuffed with just as much overseas parts as any Fenix only the SF bodies are made here.

Would be good to see substantiation. Maybe someone has broken a SF LED light down to find the not made in USA parts?

Bill

 

[seery]

there are not many US made lights anymore...Yes Surefires are stuffed with just as much overseas parts as any Fenix only the SF bodies are made here.

100% true.

Many people still think SF is made in the USA.

And to be honest, I think Fenix and Acebeam make higher quality bodies than Surefire.

 

[Warp]

Ok-so Malkoff/Surefire (with the exception of a single model which will set one back over a g note) make products that in no way even approach the periphery of what the Asian makers offer and yet some will comment on the built quality and perceived reliability of one v the others-don't quite get it. As for the 'failure' rates; to be accurate not only must the number of sales be factored in but so must the capabilities-with regard to the latter-it would be similar to comparing the Model T to any late model vehicle after all they both did the same thing correct? Keep in mind this-with simplicity comes reliability, all other factors being equal AND increased performance equates to increased stress-these two facts should not be dismissed or even argued.

More than half of the Surefire lights I have had, have failed.

Zero of my Chinese made lights have failed.

And the Chinese made lights get treated far worse, including several Fenix over a period of years, getting beat up pretty hard int he case of a P1D-CE on my keychain for awhile.

Also, Surefire customer service is slow and not particularly responsive (and is taking two tries to fix a light for me right now).

 

[tom-]

I am still trying to understand the attraction of the brand that would hurt more if one drops it on an appendage.