Orcatorch lights

[mcohen1021]

My wife and I both have orca torch D550s. We bought them in 2020, and one of them is completely finished… failed during my final night dive 2 months ago…. 1 of the flashlight's works perfectly.

I was able to diagnose what the problem was… turns out that the button switch on the end of the flashlight failed and will not turn it on anymore

A quick look at the orca torch website, these are just cheap Chinese garbage.

If anybody has a recommendation for a good quality durable flashlight preferably made in the USA & found on Amazon if possible because that's where I got my credit, it would be highly appreciated

 

[Zef]

My wife and I both have orca torch D550s. We bought them in 2020, and one of them is completely finished… failed during my final night dive 2 months ago…. 1 of the flashlight's works perfectly.

I was able to diagnose what the problem was… turns out that the button switch on the end of the flashlight failed and will not turn it on anymore

A quick look at the orca torch website, these are just cheap Chinese garbage.

If anybody has a recommendation for a good quality durable flashlight preferably made in the USA & found on Amazon if possible because that's where I got my credit, it would be highly appreciated

Is the problem the magnet push button? or is it the tiny switch, that is activated by the magnet, on the solid state circuit board?

-Z

 

[mcohen1021]

Is the problem the magnet push button? or is it the tiny switch, that is activated by the magnet, on the solid state circuit board?

-Z

Man, IDK. Plain and simple, it's the on / off button on the end of the flashlight.

 

[Zef]

Man, IDK. Plain and simple, it's the on / off button on the end of the flashlight.

I sent you DM with some expanded info and pictures. The switch at the end of the torch is just a magnet encased in plastic that sits in a small chamber milled into the tail assembly, it is sealed off from the rest of the torch. The only parts are the plastic encased magnet, a spring, and the threaded collar holding the other 2 parts in place....there is literally nothing about the button that can fail unless the plastic coating is compromised and the magnet rusts and loses its magnetic properties.

-Z

 

[Zef]

Just received a note from the OP, and true to my prediction the tail switch was not the problem and he was able to get his torch working again.

For those with these or similar torches please note the following:

The continuity between the battery and the bulb is via the aluminum body of the torch.

The battery spring is connected to a circuit board which is impregnated with a ring of copper along its circumference. This copper ring makes contact with a bare aluminum ridge on the end of the body tube. The rest of the tube is anodized/painted until the top edge of the body tube which again is bare metal. These edges need to be clean and free of oxidation to work properly, as does the metal contact on the underside of the head of the torch.

This is not so much a product quality issue but a fact of life that bare aluminum will oxidize and it does not take much to affect electrical continuity.

The solution is to take some fine steel wool or sand paper (recommend 150 grit or higher) to buff the body tube edges.

The tail assembly is threaded on just like the torch head but OrcaTorch adds glue or some kind of thread compound to the tail assembly threads. The glue can be softened by gently heating with hair dryer or heat gun set on low. It helps to mount the torch in a bench vice and use vice grip or channel lock pliers to grip the tail assembly to unscrew it from the central body tube. Be sure to wrap the tail assembly with some electrical tape or a cloth rag to avoid marring with the pliers.

Hope this post helps folks keep their torches burning bright.

-Z