OrcaTorch D550 problem

[Zef]

Waited until I was back from Cozumel to do some testing before I posted. I had an issue with my D550. Before I left, I fully charged both (original batteries, each used approximately once before). This trip, on the first battery, I used the flashlight a few times for a few seconds at a time on day dives (to illuminate swim throughs, etc.). Later, I went to use the night on a night dive, nothing, it would not turn on. I thought that maybe the battery was dead (sometimes the light gets turned on from shifting around in my reg bag). Anyway, later, on the boat, I put in the other fully charged battery and the light still did not work. I thought my light was trash. Later, I searched scuba board and found this thread.

Anyway, when I got home, I put in a 3rd 18650 battery and the light worked fine. I charged the original batteries, one worked fine, on the other the charger indicates the battery is fully charged but simply does not work in the light.

Here's my guess, I fully discharged the first (working) battery somehow probably, the light turned on bumping around in my bag. The second (reserve) battery is somehow bad. This lead me to believe the light was bad.

Thankfully it is not.

Here is my question. Why would the charger indicate that this essentially brand new (used once or twice) battery (came with the flashlight) is fully charged and yet the battery seams to be no good. Pardon my ignorance, but I know little about these batteries...

My recommendation is to open the tail assembly. The copper contact on the circuit board/switch is a ring that maintains contact with the un-anodized end of the middle tube of the torch. The threads of the tail have some kind of glue/thread compound to keep the tail from being removed or inadvertently loosened. The copper ring is on the spring side of the board, so the force of the spring pushing against the battery is actually pushing the copper ring away from the end of the tube it must make contact with in order for there to be continuity between the tail and the head of the torch. If the torch was assembled without the tail being adequately tightened down then it is conceivable that the circuit board's copper ring is losing contact with the un-anodized end of the tube. I have noticed that the 18650 battery that came with my D550 is just slightly longer than the 18650 batteries that came with other torches I have.

Here are some pictures for visual reference:

I cleaned up the flux/corrosion on the circuit board with isopropyl alcohol, let it dry, cleaned the copper ring and the un-anodized end of the tube for good measure and reassembled....the torch now works.

-Z

 

[Aaron Harmon]

Thanks