# New Amondotech N30 problems



## gofaster_s13 (Sep 13, 2008)

I bought an Amondotech N30 which arrived yesterday, when its fully charged(green led on) the HID when switched on starts up reaches what I think is full brightness then gives a couple of flickers and switches off what could the problem be ????


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## Morepower! (Sep 13, 2008)

Sounds very much like a battery problem to me. Did you give it a full charge before using it ? If so try giving it another good long charge and test it again. If the problem is still there I would contact the seller to organise a replacement. Hope this helps.


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## Patriot (Sep 13, 2008)

It does sound like a low voltage problem. Unfortunately, if you've charged it good once already, my guess is that you'll have to send it back for replacement. This kind of thing happens sometimes, even with the best products.


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## BlueBeam22 (Sep 13, 2008)

It sounds like a defective battery to me as well. Generally HID takes about 30-60 seconds to get to 100% brightness, so I think if you get a replacement you will be very pleased with it. I can't wait to get my N30.


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## gofaster_s13 (Sep 15, 2008)

Are battery junction always slow to answer customer service e-mails


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## Patriot (Sep 15, 2008)

gofaster_s13 said:


> Are battery junction always slow to answer customer service e-mails




Not always but it's Monday. Did you try calling them?


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## rufusdufus (Sep 15, 2008)

If I recall correctly most of these lights have batteries which have been sitting around for months due to the business changing hands.
Again if I recall correctly all they need is several cycles of use to bring the battery back to full capacity.


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## MattK (Sep 15, 2008)

Hi gofaster_s13 and welcome to CPF

We're closed on weekends so today would have been our first opportunity to answer your email. We're actually quite fast to handle email, same or next day, but only on weekdays. We have to rest some time. 

You've probably already heard from us by now but, as it has already been pointed out, the most likely cause for an issue like this is a partial charge. We test EVERY N30 before shipment so I am sure your light was working when shipped but a new light usually does need a double charge the first uses and a few cycles to achieve full runtime.

Also, I'm not sure where your located but if you're using a 'tourist style' voltage adapter to convert 220-240 to 120 then that is your most likey cuplrity as those things simply don't work - if you're in a country running on ~220V you'll need a real voltage transformer - not a voltage adapter.

Hope this helps- please email us and we'll help resolve this for you.


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## king2penn (Sep 17, 2008)

MattK said:


> Hi gofaster_s13 and welcome to CPF
> 
> We're closed on weekends so today would have been our first opportunity to answer your email. We're actually quite fast to handle email, same or next day, but only on weekdays. We have to rest some time.
> 
> ...


 

hi mark, im planning to purchase an N30 soon. Will this converter work- http://www.batteryjunction.com/sesttrvocoss.html ? Im living in singapore and the voltage here is 240V...


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## MattK (Sep 17, 2008)

No, that's exactly what doesn't work. 

We're going to start carrying real transformers shortly - more like this kinda stuff: http://www.world-import.com/transformers.htm


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## king2penn (Sep 17, 2008)

awww ok...


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## gofaster_s13 (Sep 18, 2008)

Would this transformer do the job

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=31899


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## MattK (Sep 18, 2008)

Too hard to say - I think this looks better suited and cheaper: 
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=13358


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## gofaster_s13 (Sep 22, 2008)

*18V 1.11A SMPS <H2>*

Would this charger work in the above output ??

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=48484


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## MattK (Sep 22, 2008)

I don't know and cannot recommend it. Again, my recommendation is a real power transformer. 

This looks well suited: http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=13358


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## king2penn (Sep 23, 2008)

MattK said:


> No, that's exactly what doesn't work.
> 
> We're going to start carrying real transformers shortly - more like this kinda stuff: http://www.world-import.com/transformers.htm


 
haha matt once u offer the transformer at battery junction do inform us... im looking forward to purchasing the N30 without any problems whatsoever


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## gofaster_s13 (Sep 23, 2008)

I have given the N30 a second full charge which was enough to run the LED for over 22 hrs but it will still not run the HID lamp, could this still be a voltage problem ?? I have ordered one of the transformers you pointed out above and will try it also.


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## Mockingbird (Sep 23, 2008)

Someone please tell me if this is a bad idea, but it seems to me that you could try removing the battery pack and directly charge it with a 12 volt car battery (with the car *not* running). This wouldn't get you 13.2 volts, but it would probably charge the pack high enough to power up the HID bulb. In the unlikely event that the battery pack is already fully charged to begin with, wouldn't the car battery be able to absorb the excess voltage?


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## IcantC (Sep 23, 2008)

Mockingbird said:


> Someone please tell me if this is a bad idea, but it seems to me that you could try removing the battery pack and directly charge it with a 12 volt car battery (with the car *not* running). This wouldn't get you 13.2 volts, but it would probably charge the pack high enough to power up the HID bulb. In the unlikely event that the battery pack is already fully charged to begin with, wouldn't the car battery be able to absorb the excess voltage?


 

Ummm uhhh yea I don't think so and would not try that.


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## MattK (Sep 23, 2008)

THAT IS A BAD IDEA!


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## Mockingbird (Sep 24, 2008)

OK, so it's a bad idea. Safety first! But, I have gotten away with charging a 12 volt cordless drill battery (NiCd, not NiMH) in that manner several times.


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## mtbkndad (Sep 24, 2008)

Mockingbird said:


> OK, so it's a bad idea. Safety first! But, I have gotten away with charging a 12 volt cordless drill battery (NiCd, not NiMH) in that manner several times.



The N30 does not have a 12 volt pack.
It has a 13.2 volt NiMH pack that tops off around 14 -15 volts when fully charged
Plus cordless drills have chargers separate.
The N30's charging circuitry is built into the battery pack.
This circuitry/battery pack combo requires a 
18V DC 600mA input. THe mA input can vary a bit but, 18V DC should not.

Take Care,
mtbkndad :wave:


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## Mockingbird (Sep 24, 2008)

"The N30's charging circuitry is built into the battery pack."

Doh! I did not know that.


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## mtbkndad (Sep 24, 2008)

Mockingbird said:


> "The N30's charging circuitry is built into the battery pack."
> 
> Doh! I did not know that.



That's okay, rumors have it that I know a little bit about these lights  .

Take Care,
mtbkndad :wave:


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## MattK (Sep 24, 2008)

LOL


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## BVH (Sep 24, 2008)

I certainly don't believe those rumors!


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## Patriot (Sep 24, 2008)

Mockingbird said:


> "The N30's charging circuitry is built into the battery pack."
> 
> Doh! I did not know that.







> *mtbkndad
> *That's okay, rumors have it that I know a little bit about these lights  .




Here is the N30 intro thread and mtbkndad's involvement in it.
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/156617


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## Illum (Oct 5, 2008)

I think I'm having similar issues, rather than post another thread of near equivalent subject I'll just share it here

the light will come on, easily as a click of the switch. Around 20 minutes into the run it flickered and died...:duh2:
The battery is fully charged, took the cell out...reinstalled it, hit the switch and its back on...two minutes later *flicker* *flicker* <darkness>
Good thing I was walking with my 1185'd M6 so I had a spare...the LED still works btw

does it sound like a battery issue also?


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## gchand (Oct 6, 2008)

As Mattk and mtbkndad have pointed out in this thread (and elsewhere), the N30 
can require more than one charging cycle to reach full charge. I have this "problem" with 
my N30 - before I realized what was going on, I was getting 12-20 minute run times with 
one charging cycle, after letting the N30 "rest" for a month or so after charging (the NiMH 
batteries in the N30 exhibit the 1% or do self discharge rate per day that is typical with 
other NiMH cells predating the modern Sanyo and equivalent LSD cells). With two charging 
cycles, each allowed to run until the charging LED changed state, I get the nominal 70 
minute run time from the HID.

Illum_the_nation identifies his location as being within the United States 120VAC power 
grid, so might want to try the multiple full charge cycle routine. Gofaster_123 doesn't 
identify his/her country. My N30 charger is labeled as having a 120VAC input, and an 
18VDC 600ma output. For someone outside of the USA 120VAC domestic power grid, 
a locally procured converter producing the required 18VDC, or a good quality step-down 
transformer would seem to be appropriate.

George


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## Illum (Oct 6, 2008)

I bought the light second hand....i wasn't aware that my battery hasn't gone through break-in, alrighty..thats exactly want I need to know

:thanks:


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## gchand (Oct 6, 2008)

Illum_the_nation said:


> I bought the light second hand....i wasn't aware that my battery hasn't gone through break-in, alrighty..thats exactly want I need to know
> 
> :thanks:



My N30 needs the multiple charge cycle routine each time that it is charged, not just during 
initial battery break-in.

Let us know how your N30 responds to multiple charge cycles.


George


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## Illum (Oct 10, 2008)

well, I've ran the HID every night for a duration of approximately 10-15 minutes until the LED battery indicator dropped at least one green LED before charging it.

I've done this for approximately 5 days now, tail standing it in the bathroom shelf and ceiling bounce it while I brush, comb, shave, throne duty, and shower in late nights and early mornings...the runtime doesn't seem to increase more than the 20 minutes its willing to give me, not sure what I'm doing wrong:shakehead
 
am I supposed to run it till it shuts itself off or until the indicator light changes before I charge it?

EDIT: see below


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## Patriot (Oct 10, 2008)

Illum_the_nation said:


> well, I've ran the HID every night for a duration of approximately 10-15 minutes until the LED battery indicator dropped at least one green LED before charging it.
> 
> I've done this for approximately 5 days now, tail standing it in the bathroom shelf and ceiling bounce it while I brush, comb, shave, throne duty, and shower in late nights and early mornings...the runtime doesn't seem to increase more than the 20 minutes its willing to give me, not sure what I'm doing wrong:shakehead
> 
> am I supposed to run it till it shuts itself off or until the indicator light changes before I charge it?





Hmm...something isn't right Illum, My usual habit has been to charge the light until the light indicates that it's charged. I wait about 30 minutes and plug the thing right back in again. This seems to ensure a fully topped off battery. 

Your situation sounds extreme if you're only getting 20 minutes though. Sometimes just doesn't seem right. You might try top off charging the light 3 or 4 times just to see if the run-time increases any. When it indicates that it's charged, just keep restarting the charge cycle and see if it makes any difference. I'd be surprised if it changed the performance by a factor of 3 but ya never know..

At least the extra batteries are resonably priced.


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## Illum (Oct 10, 2008)

I decided to light it up approximately 3:13PM and timed it using a stopwatch...then I had to do something and walked off

When I returned the light is....STILL ON! with 24 minutes on the stopwatch and still going. by the time the clock striked 4 it was still on oo: 
instead of turning off when the battery meter hit the 2nd green light it went to the orange light before *Blip* <darkness>

44 minutes on the stopwatch:thumbsup:
I was jumping around the house like a madman until a weird thought came in to my mind
but.. oo:
but...it wasn't like this when I went to bed after showering this morning at 1AM:shrug:
the N30 completed its charge this morning and I left it alone for approximately seven hours now, eleven hours shorter than the approximate storage time between discharges on any given day...and it gives me this performance at this hour:thinking:

does storage time have anything to do with a battery break-in?


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## Patriot (Oct 10, 2008)

Illum_the_nation said:


> I decided to light it up approximately 3:13PM and timed it using a stopwatch...then I had to do something and walked off
> 
> When I returned the light is....STILL ON! with 24 minutes on the stopwatch and still going. by the time the clock striked 4 it was still on oo:
> instead of turning off when the battery meter hit the 2nd green light it went to the orange light before *Blip* <darkness>
> ...





ahh...sweet! That's an improvement. Now...next time perform a second charge cycle and see if it will increase the run time to an hour+


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## Illum (Oct 10, 2008)

Patriot36 said:


> ahh...sweet! That's an improvement. Now...next time perform a second charge cycle and see if it will increase the run time to an hour+



will do!:thumbsup:


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## gchand (Oct 10, 2008)

In my experience, the four "frosted" LEDS used with the "button" switch are not a good 
charging indicator. There is a fifth, dual-colored red/green LED below the far right 
"frosted" LED that changes color from red to green when the charging cycle is complete. 
From what I have gathered there is a charging timer that limits maximum charging time, 
and it may shut off prior to full charge if the battery starts in a low state of charge. The 
need for multiple charging cycles seems to result from this premature charging termination. 

What I do with my N30 is to charge it overnight (8-10 hours), then disconnect the charger 
for a couple of minutes, then plug it back in. The second charging termination usually takes 3-4 hours.

I have set up a charging sequence every couple of months where I fully discharge my N30 
then recharge it as described above in order to keep the battery conditioned, hence the 
long charging times each time around. If your N30 is not fully discharged, a single charge 
cycle may suffice. Newly purchased N30's have probably been sitting on the shelf for 
awhile being subjected to the the normal NiMH self discharge process, so are likely 
pretty well discharged when purchased. These N30's will probably require the multiple 
charge cycle routine at least the first time around.


George


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## Illum (Oct 10, 2008)

hmm...might be a safety precaution especially if the batteries are too deeply discharged, that a timed cutoff could prevent damaging temperatures from accumulating:shrug:


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