ARGH! This is the 2nd charging plug to break apart...Sola 1200 / TUSA 1000

[sshrum]

I own 1 Sola 1200 and two Tusa 1000 lights. I love them. Support is top-notch. I'd buy more if I needed them.

That being said, they all use the same power adapter (same part number from what I can see). The first one to break on me was the one that came with my Sola. I sent it back in and got it replaced. Thank you L&M.

Today, when I went to carefully remove the plug from the surge bar after charging my light, this happened.



This isn't a heavily used charger either. I've used these chargers < 4 times (including the Sola on that I got back from L&M). I didn't rock the plug as I've already seen what has happened in the past so this threw me for a loop. This isn't even the same set of outlets I used the first time my Sola charger broke so no blaming the outlet.

There is a crack in about the same location as the first one I had although this one didn't completely break off. Anyone else seeing issues with the power plugs breaking like this?

 

[drbill]

Interesting. I keep my Sola 1200 chargers plugged in, but will investigate them when I finally unplug them to travel later this month.

 

[lightandmotion]

Hello Sshrum,
If you contact Light and Motion || Support Ticket System with your full contact information, our support team will be happy to replace it for you. This is not a common issue; I would chalk it up to bad luck.

 

[sshrum]

Kewl deal. Submitted the ticket.

 

[RJP]

This is not a common issue; I would chalk it up to bad luck.

More uncommon bad luck here... compounded by the fact that I'm heading to Truk in 7 days.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Mine has been cracked for 2 years but works fine. They don't make the Chargers it's a generic one from overseas with their special end put on.

 

[RJP]

Mine has been cracked for 2 years but works fine. They don't make the Chargers it's a generic one from overseas with their special end put on.

This one has had a hairline crack right through the bottom blade of the plug - just like the one in the OP's photo - which finally gave out this morning. Seems that the blades are merely set in the plastic. Poorly designed in that the blades are narrower at the charger end; if the were wider on the inside of the charger they wouldn't pull right through. Further, the plastic holding the blades is in no way reinforced. Looks like the blades were held in by a drop of Krazy-Glue.

Frankly, it's probably a shock/fire hazard. If the blade came off IN the wall socket you could have a real problem. Or, if when plugging the adapter into the wall socket the blade went IN to the adapter it could short out. I realize L&M don't manufacture the adapters, but they supplied them. Interestingly, I couldn't help but notice that they have switched to a different, and clearly more robust, version. Notice how there's a fairly substantial block of plastic where the blades are in the photo below. The plastic back of the previous style is about 1/16th of inch thick.

 

[RJP]

Update: Looks like the idea that a blade going into the charger body could cause a problem isn't far fetched. The one I have that cracked did so when I was plugging it in, with the blade ending up inside the body of the charger. It either shorted or dislodged something. While I was ably to easily super-glue the back of the charger back together the charger no longer works at all. LED doesn't even come on.

 

[fbk]

Mine cracked in exactly the same way, most likely during transport.. I epoxied it up. I've also had two stop working, one of which I heard pop. I bought 2 spares which I take on trips. I have to say, as much as I love the lights, the chargers really are a weak point especially for what the lights cost.

 

[RJP]

Big thanks to L&M and Diveseekers! They were able to hook me up and save my ability to have lights for my Truk trip!