100 tries?!?

[MSilvia]

I have a UK HID100, and I love it... when it works. It's got to be the most finnicky piece of gear (of any sort) that I've used.

I went for a night time shore dive with Rileybri saturday night, and after trying to turn it on a dozen times, I decided I'd get new batteries. Experience has taught me that NiMh rechargables won't work with it, since they each provide 1.2v instead of 1.5, and the extra juice is needed for the ballast to fire up the bulb. Since I wasn't able to light it up, I figured that my alkaline batteries must be a little low, so I shelled out the $20 for 8 new c-cells. (Gotta get the lithium rechargable pack!)

I put them in, flipped the switch, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened.

I opened it up, double checked that I'd put the batteries in properly, closed it up, flipped the switch again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. Then I flipped it again, and nothing happened.

I opened it up, triple checked that I'd put the batteries in properly, checked the wiring to the switch, closed it up, flipped the switch again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it a few more times, and nothing happened. Then I flipped it again, and nothing happened.

I opened the light up yet again, and noticed that the ballast was pretty hot. I gave it a minute to cool off, commented on how I'd probably be doing the dive with two backup lights and no primary, quadruple checked that I'd put the batteries in properly, double checked the wiring to the switch, closed it up, flipped the switch again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. Then I flipped it again, and nothing happened. Flippity flip flip flip, nothing happened.

I figured I'd give it 5 more tries and give up. I flipped the switch again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. I flipped it again, and nothing happened. Then I flipped it again, and it lit. I left it on for the walk to the water, and had no problems with it for the rest of the dive.

This can't be right. If any of you have this light, do you have the same issues? If any of you know anything about HID lights, any idea what the problem is? Is all this flipping bad for the ballast? If any of you are Joe or Larry, is there anything I can reasonably expect UK to do about this if I don't think I ever mailed my warranty card?

Incidentally, I tested the batteries that were in it when I got home, and sure enough they each have a "like new" 1.5v charge.

[chinacat46]

I've had problems with mine turning on but nothing like you described. I've noticed before a trip it works fine but after putting batteries in it won't light. I've opened it and made sure the bulb was porperly seated and then gave it a tap or two on the side. That usually does it and then I'm good to go. I've had mine over 4 years and I know one of these days it just won't come on. When I was in the Bahamas earlier this year one of the divemasters couldn't get his to come on and it sat on the camera table the whole trip.

[MSilvia]

Originally Posted by chinacat46

I've had problems with mine turning on.
I know one of these days it just won't come on.
one of the divemasters couldn't get his to come on.

That's pretty awesome for a $200+ light, huh?

[cyclone3565]

I have never had any issues with mine. One important thing, they recommend Duracell batteries and they mean it. Maybe that is part of the issue.

[MSilvia]

That's what I had in it, unfortunately. I know you NEED 12v in that sucker, so discount alkaline C-cells just don't cut it.

[wsodonnell]

I've had two and never had any problems

[Daved]

Wow--that so sucks. I have had good luck with mine. Great light.

Good luck

[MSilvia]

Glad to hear it. I hope mine's a fluke.
Out of curiosity, are there any special precautions or habits you observe when using it?

[Rileybri]

I dont know Matt maybe ya just need to flick the switch 20 or 30 times with intermitent oppening and fitiling with innerds for it to work???

[MSilvia]

Originally Posted by Rileybri

I dont know Matt maybe ya just need to flick the switch 20 or 30 times with intermitent oppening and fitiling with innerds for it to work???

Yeah... that does the trick every time.