# LED Lenser P5 - Flickering problem



## ProjectGaz (Jun 10, 2012)

Hello everyone - First time poster!

I recently bought a LED Lenser P5 to use for work and was really impressed with the light it threw out and the speed focus system. However, after a couple of days of minimal use at home, it developed a flicker when the head was touched. I returned it to the store and they replaced it for me, however, the new one has the same problem, only much, much worse. It flickers when the head's not being touched (On flood beam) and will only stop if I slightly manipulate the head with one finger, needless to say, the beam looks dreadful and I'll be returning this one for a full refund. 

2 questions really, firstly I have searched and searched and can't find anyone posting online with this same problem, yet I've had it in 2 of these torches, am I just really unlucky?! and secondly, can anyone recommend a good torch that's a similar size to the P5, but not made by LED Lenser! 

One draw back, I'm in the UK and I know we get a bit shafted on price for some of the better products.


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## deadrx7conv (Jun 11, 2012)

Return it. For a good laugh, look up ebay#30571689684 

I'm happy with my Solarforce flashlight. It has plenty of output(variable if you pick up a multimode drop in). It doesn't focus and I don't miss that feature. 
​


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## yliu (Jun 12, 2012)

I've never had this kind of problems with my Led Lenser lights. 

If you get a new one, the Fenix LD10, LD12, JetBam PA10 and Quark AAs get lot of praise. They are great work lights, I can personally tell you that the LD10 works very well and is well built.


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## budynabuick (Jun 12, 2012)

ProjectGaz said:


> Hello everyone - First time poster!
> 
> I recently bought a LED Lenser P5 to use for work and was really impressed with the light it threw out and the speed focus system. However, after a couple of days of minimal use at home, it developed a flicker



Welcome aboard, Projectgaz. Take some alcohol and clean,clean,clean the threads as well as any contacts you can get at. If that does not work Try turning the tail cap out a little.

Keith


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## ProjectGaz (Jun 13, 2012)

Thanks for the replies - I've rotated the head a couple of times (It freely rotates through 360 degrees) and this has stopped the flicker. Not entirely sure how as it's not threaded but it seems to have worked, if anyone's dismantled one of these and might know how this has rectified the problem, I'd be interested to know!?

I'll stick with it for now and see how it goes as I really like the light it throws out and the focus system is perfect for my work, only downside for me is the lack of waterproofing. One thing I have gleamed from scanning the net is that LED Lenser seem to be really good at honoring their guarantee, so if I have further problems I'll send it back to them and I'm sure I'll be looked after.

Glad I've had a good outcome, as I said, I'm in the UK and we don't seem to be able to get hold of all the brands all that easily, certainly not on the high street, and we pay a bit of a premium for them online.


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## yliu (Jun 14, 2012)

The head should not have anything to do with the flashlight's electronics...


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## gglockner (Jun 14, 2012)

I have had zero issues with my P5. It's my first descent LED and still have it handy by the night stand.


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## ProjectGaz (Jun 20, 2012)

Thanks for all the replies folks.

I emailed Ledco (UK Distributor of LED Lenser) to vent my frustration, they sent me a new P5 & paid return envelope to send my faulty one back. The new one seems fine so I'm more than happy with this. I'm just going to assume that there was maybe a 'bad batch' manufactured and the shop I went to was unfortunate enough to have a few from this batch!

Used it for the first time at work on Monday night (Previously I'd only played with it around the house) and I am so impressed with the light. My colleague has a Mini Maglite LED and the P5 just put it to shame! I'm a paramedic and found the broad beam was ideal for assisting a patient out of their house on dark steps as it gave a large field of bright white light which covered all of the steps and the spot beam was perfect for illuminating a long dark passageway. The pouch is such high quality so the torch could just sit conveniently on my belt until needed. As I've said, my only concern is that the torch is only splashproof as the UK's a pretty rainy place, and that's usually when people crash their cars down dark ditches!

Impressed with the service from Ledco too, really helpful, did everything they could to stop me returning this torch for a refund, and they've suceeded!


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## willper (Sep 13, 2014)

I bought two LED LENSER P5's also, and both will flicker off. A gentle tap brings them back on. I bought the first one, and was so impressed that I bought 
another thinking it would make a great gift for my brother. Then I began experiencing the flicker off problem. I put up with it for quite a while then put it in the drawer and tried the other one. It's doing the same thing(though not as frequently). I see on the LED LENSER web site that they will repair or replace a light under a 5 year warranty. I'm going to send them in with my fingers crossed as I don't have my receipts. I paid around $49.00 each for them, but they're not much good to me the way they are.
I'll post again later and let you know the outcome.


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## mcnair55 (Sep 14, 2014)

ProjectGaz said:


> Hello everyone - First time poster!
> 
> I recently bought a LED Lenser P5 to use for work and was really impressed with the light it threw out and the speed focus system. However, after a couple of days of minimal use at home, it developed a flicker when the head was touched. I returned it to the store and they replaced it for me, however, the new one has the same problem, only much, much worse. It flickers when the head's not being touched (On flood beam) and will only stop if I slightly manipulate the head with one finger, needless to say, the beam looks dreadful and I'll be returning this one for a full refund.
> 
> ...



Return to the store and get a full refund,goods are not fit for purpose,visit Maplins and have a look at the Led Lenser 7.2 you will not get any problems with that or you could order an Olight off them to be delivered to store for your collection.My advice would be buy one(easy navigate web sites) from Flashalholics or Heinne.com,order today you will have it on Tuesday.


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## breinrules (Sep 14, 2014)

I have experienced that with my p5, upgraded with a small fee to an m5, broken ( after i dropped it ), upgraded again to an m3r with a small fee. I guess 
the 105 lumen p5 model(i assume you have this) just sucks compared to the 65 lumen model maybe due to thermal limits?


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## willper (Nov 3, 2014)

Got my P5's back from LED Lenser's Portland office. they don't say what they did to them, just that they're returning the repaired or replaced item.
I can tell by the scratches on the body that they're the ones I sent them. The flickering problem seems to be gone. Hopefully it will stay gone. LOVE these lights !!


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## granpadave (Apr 24, 2016)

Interesting that more of you guys have had this problem. 

We used quite a few of these torches at work and have had problems with several of them. We are down to only a handful now after several having gone walkabouts or just got lost.

I thought that maybe it was just from our work environment (hot ships engine room) where they are often carried around in a breast pocket of a pair of overalls and I thought that since they were not really all that well sealed the sweat might have been finding its way into the torch.

Some of these have lasted over a year before this occurred but on some of these it was happening straight out of the box.

We can mostly get them back up and running after a good clean of all the battery and switch terminals etc. but some just seem to be beyong hope!

Unfortunately for us though, being on a ship sailing around the world the chances of getting them back to where we got them from for replacements is practically nil. A real shame though as they are great torches and they have saved us a fortune in disposable batteries!

Maybe I'll have a hunt around and see what is recommended on here with better sealing arrangements.


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