Sola Dive light - TroubleshootingUpdated 6 months ago
Please review the steps below if you are having trouble getting your Dive light working.
This article applies to the following lights
Sola PRO 3800 | Sola 3800 | Sola 2500 S/F | Sola 2000 S/F | Sole Photo 1200 | Sola 2500 F |
Sola PRO 2000 | Sola 1200 S/F | Sola Nightsea | Sola WFRS |
1) Test the charger(s). The indicator on the charger should be green before you plug it into the light. It will turn red once it's plugged into the light and the light is charging. At this time if the light is charging correctly the 3 indicator lights on the light itself will begin to blink sequentially (1...2...3...1...2...3... etc.) either red, amber, or green.
2) Thoroughly clean the prongs on the chargers and the charge ports on the lights. Experiencing corrosion is normal, even on gold contacts. You can gently clean the corrosion off with a q-tip, some fine steel wool, or with a wooden pick. A few drops of 50% vinegar/50% water can help to break up the substance.
(Quick note: As you may already know it is best practice to thoroughly rinse your Sola(s) after your dives. Water will likely be sitting inside the small space of the charge contacts, so drying them out with a towel or blowing them out with your tank valve before you charge them will help prevent galvanic corrosion caused by running electricity through water in the contacts.)
3) The battery may be hibernating. This can happen if the battery is left without a charge for a few days after a dive, or after months to years of being stored. Plug your charger into a wall outlet. Then tap the charger's contacts rapidly against the light's charge contacts for about five seconds, then plug the charger all the way in. It can take at least 5 seconds for the light to start charging so please leave it plugged in and wait patiently. This process doesn't always work the first time around so give it a couple of tries.
4) If this does not work right away, unplug the light and grab it so that the charge ports are facing down. With light force, bump the bottom on a hard surface a couple of times. Sometimes the internals can misalign slightly, and need to be reseated. Try the tapping trick once more.
Warranty: If your light is still under warranty. Please contact Customer service ([email protected]) before proceeding to the next steps.
5) Try a hard reset.
Please be aware that this process requires breaking the factory seal on your light, which will void the warranty. We recommend confirming that your light is no longer under warranty before proceeding with this final step.
First, give your hands a wash to make sure you don't have any excess oils that can harm the internals of the light. No tools are required for this process either. Begin by holding the light so the LED faces upward. This gives you more control and prevents the parts from accidentally sliding out.
Disassemble the light:
1) Unthread the bezel, turn it to the left to loosen, and set it aside.
2) Disconnect the LED board from the circuit board by pulling it gently straight out from the light (don't twist); note that there are 5 prongs that plug into the top row of holes in the main circuit board connector. You can rest the LED board face down so the prongs don't get bent.
3) Remove the plastic retainer plate beneath the LED board. Leave the o-ring in place that sits just above the threading on the body.
4) Disconnect the battery from the switchboard by grasping the wires with your fingers and lightly pulling until it unplugs. Wait a couple of seconds and then reconnect.
Reassemble the light:
1) Replace the plastic retainer plate and plug in the LED board.
2) Make sure the o-ring is clean and free of any small particles. If it feels dry, use some silicon grease to condition it.
3) Then thread the bezel back on. When the bezel bottoms out on the threads you'll feel the bezel seize and it will be difficult to turn it any further. This will require moderate strength.
4) With light force, strike the bottom of the light on a hard, lightly padded surface a couple of times. This will shift and reset any parts that may have moved internally during this process.
5) DO NOT ATTEMPT TO TURN THE LIGHT ON. The light must be placed on the charger first, and if it charges normally, go ahead and turn it on to test its functionality.
We appreciate your cooperation. Let us know how this goes!