Hope One light - any known issues?

[w00hoo_kent]

Before I contact Hope, I thought I'd ask here. I bought a Hope One through Wiggle a few weeks ago, initially it didn't seem to work, so I figured it was poor batteries and waited until the charger arrived for my Eneloops.

I've now tried it with fully charged Eneloops (so I know it isn't the batteries) and it is really hit and miss with getting it to come on. It seems as if the battery holder isn't making a good connection with the spring mounts inside the torch. I'm aligning things as per the instructions but it seems that if the connection isn't millimeter perfect (if not finer than that) then it won't power up. Are they normally this finicky or is there likely to be something wrong? I could take a multimeter to the battery 'cage' in case there's an issue there I guess. I've even had it with the torch lighting OK while the holder is held in, then staying lit until the final twist of the cap and dying.

Aside from the issue of it being such a hit and miss thing to get power to work, I'm a little worried that it might just die when being bounced around on the bike. Not something I want to happen, nor something I want to be riding in anticipation of happening.

So, Hope One owners, do you need to act like you're cracking a safe to get the battery holder in the right place, or does it sound like I've got a faulty one?

 

[Cubist]

Ring Hope. Their customer service is second to none (needs to be in many cases) and they will replace it absolutely fuss free.

 

[uclown2002]

Ring Hope. Their customer service is second to none (needs to be in many cases) and they will replace it absolutely fuss free.

+1 I've had a couple repaired FOC outside the warranty period.

Yours in faulty!

 

[ianrauk]

As what other members have said. Hope' s customer service are second to none. Something that is getting very rare these days.

I have used Hope One's for many years without any problems. The one problem I did have they sorted without question. And the light was years out of warranty.

 

[Paul Walters]

Hmm.... I found Hope's customer service a little shoddy to be honest. I had a problem with a Vision 4 LED light a couple of years ago.... I had bought a replacement battery pack, and it was a different fitting to the original, so I couldn't charge it. The shop referred me to Hope, and the guy there argued blind with me on the phone that it would fit, even though I had the thing in my hand during our conversation. They did eventually agree to exchange it, but I had to incur the cost of the return postage and the exasperation of not being believed..... good luck. I wouldn't personally buy another Hope product because of that conversation.

 

[uclown2002]

There is always one though............

 

[summerdays]

Mine has never bounced off the bike, and the only problem I have is that there is low battery indicator (it doesn't fade just stops) , and once it is low to get to flashing you have to go through all other modes including max. Otherwise it's been a good light. Also it doesn't like batteries with low numbers like 2100, and prefers the higher numbered ones. (Someone can translate that into technical speak for me).

 

[uclown2002]

Mine has never bounced off the bike, and the only problem I have is that there is low battery indicator (it doesn't fade just stops) , and once it is low to get to flashing you have to go through all other modes including max. Otherwise it's been a good light. Also it doesn't like batteries with low numbers like 2100, and prefers the higher numbered ones. (Someone can translate that into technical speak for me).

Not having a low battery indicator is annoying, although I either use another V1 light or carry a spare hope battery compartment case with charged batteries inserted. Just takes a few seconds to swap out.

 

[ianrauk]

The new Hope Vision One's do not just switch of when the battery is low, it goes to the flashing mode .

 

[fossyant]

Contact wiggle if the unit is new. They will replace. I have two of the older units for the last 4 years. One had a faulty switch that wiggle replaced, and hope customer services said any more problems it would be sorted.

Never had any issues since.

 

[Smurfy]

Before I contact Hope, I thought I'd ask here. I bought a Hope One through Wiggle a few weeks ago, initially it didn't seem to work, so I figured it was poor batteries and waited until the charger arrived for my Eneloops.

I've now tried it with fully charged Eneloops (so I know it isn't the batteries) and it is really hit and miss with getting it to come on. It seems as if the battery holder isn't making a good connection with the spring mounts inside the torch. I'm aligning things as per the instructions but it seems that if the connection isn't millimeter perfect (if not finer than that) then it won't power up. Are they normally this finicky or is there likely to be something wrong? I could take a multimeter to the battery 'cage' in case there's an issue there I guess. I've even had it with the torch lighting OK while the holder is held in, then staying lit until the final twist of the cap and dying.

Aside from the issue of it being such a hit and miss thing to get power to work, I'm a little worried that it might just die when being bounced around on the bike. Not something I want to happen, nor something I want to be riding in anticipation of happening.

So, Hope One owners, do you need to act like you're cracking a safe to get the battery holder in the right place, or does it sound like I've got a faulty one?

I have similar problems. Here's a little experiment to try.
1. Stick a piece of insulation tape over the contacts on the battery box (this isn't as daft as it sounds!)
2. Load the battery box and tighten the back cover
3. Unload the battery box
4. Inspect the tape. Notice anything odd? Like the imprints from the spring contacts on the tape are right on the edge of where the battery box contacts are?

It's a shame, because apart from that it's a good light, and it's one of the few lights that can be revitalised with a set of disposable AA batteries while out on the road.

I haven't decided what to do yet. Return it, or modify the battery box to make the contacts line up better with the spring contacts in the light?

 

[Tynan]

as said, straight back to Wiggle for a new one

 

[Davidc]

I've never had any problems, just get it replaced.

Mine's an older one so does do the switching off trick, Yours should be the new one which is more benign when the battery runs down.

I've been very pleased with mine. Certainly has never come off the bike when riding, or even flickered when the battery is good. Needed a new rubber seal for the battery compartment. My fault it broke but when I phoned a new one just turned up 1st class next day, and that's what their customer service is like, not just for the lights either.

BTW If you need a second battery pack you can buy one of the similar 4 cell holders from Maplin. No need to take the push contacts off that , It'll just work as it is.

 

[andrew_s]

The new Hope Vision One's do not just switch of when the battery is low, it goes to the flashing mode .

Better not buy one if you're epileptic!

 

[Smurfy]

BTW If you need a second battery pack you can buy one of the similar 4 cell holders from Maplin. No need to take the push contacts off that , It'll just work as it is.

I bought two of those today. On the MkII Vision One they work slightly better than the factory supplied battery box, but the back screw cover is slightly tighter, presumably because the PP3 style clip protrudes more than the original factory battery box contacts.