After setting up my Class 1 LDI DBALi2 I bought about 2 months ago and putting the rifle away, each time I have gone to use it,I find the unit non-functional and in the end after a battery change, works like a charm.  I am on my 3rd battery.  The first battery was a Duracell CR123 and the 2nd and 3rd batteries were Surefire CR123.  All of the batteries were brand new.  The rifle is stored in a hard case with the switch in the off position in the trunk of my car and spends much of it's time in the garage.  I have never found the switch switched to a laser setting when removing it from case-always off.  The batteries in my Surefire M910 and Eotech are the same type and they are still going strong after a year +.  Any body else having this problem too?

I have the same problem

same here too

This is sucking pretty bad.  I hope it is only limited to a handful of units and not more widespread.  I like the sight and would like a repair or WORKING replacement.

As far as having to take the batteries in and out practically everyday-no, because that's what I would have to do.   If it was stored in a gun safe and taken out 1-2 month to shoot, I'd take the batteries out too but it has to be kept battle ready.  

EDIT- just left a message for LDI customer service to return my call for an RMA # :(

CR123A batteries can't leak. But a parasitic drain is not healthy for them so physically unscrewing a cap to disable for storage and transport is sensible. I've had SF123As in SureFires I've not used in several years and the batteries are fine. If you store them used though the performance can be iffy...

Not too sure about CR123's not leaking.  While I have never seen one do it, I have seen lithium AA bats leak, and they can't be too much different.  Like most have allready said, I just go ahead and take them out when I ain't using them in my kit.  But hey, if you have a PEQ what ever that you paid 2 grand plus for, that you may or may not be supposed to have in the first place, by all means, take the chance.........

Another reason not to buy LDI products!

The "LiAA" (Energizer L91) batteries use a different Lithium chemistry to CR123A type batteries.

Lithium AA batteries are Lithium-Iron disulphide (Li/FeS2)
CR123A batteries are Lithium-Manganese dioxide (Li/MnO2)

LiAA batteries contain a paste which is significantly more leak-resistant to 'alkaline' AA batteries.

CR123A batteries do not contain anything liquid or paste etc - they have nothing that can leak.

The difference is night and day, thats like comparing an incandesant bulb to an LED lamp.

Ahh you beat me to it!

Tag for interest because I do want to get one of these units.

FIFY!



 

Good to know on the CR123 diff.  Learn something new every day...... Now I am even more happy that all my stuff runs on 123's....... The PVS14 conversion was really worth it BTW

No return phone call from LDI as of yet.  Keeping the battery cover completely unscrewed for now until I "need" it-a partial unscrew doesn't seem to do the trick.  Battery will be easily lost if I grab the rifle and forget to carefully screw the cover which is not the easiest of tasks really, especially if you add low light and/or gloves and because it's in cramped quarters with my front sight.  One more thing to think about besides activating my Eotech and the main switch for the Surefire light and they are a very easy task comparably.  If unscrew the cap or have dead batteries in a few weeks is what we should expect from these sights, then this sight isn't going to be for me.  Disappointing to say the least because the thing looks like it is rugged and works great when the power works.

EDIT-just received a phone call from LDI.  Rep told me it was probably a bad chip and issued me an RMA #.  Estimated 2 week turn around time.

to the guys with battery drain issues:

-you all have the Class 1 DBAL?
-is it black or tan (might be a problem limited to one batch)
-does it say a batch # or date of manufacture?

I'm about to drop the coin on one and need to decide TODAY...

thanks!!!  

If you are planning to order from TNVC, the class 1 i/r DBAL's are back ordered.



 

Class 1
Black
January 2011

Class 1
tan/green
february 2011

It seems to only happen when I forget the selector switch on, but the laser nonactive

My DBAL-A2 drained 'em as well.  I leave teh cap loose in storage.

Mark have you heard anything yet?

I have one of the ones marked March 2011. I noticed the flickering laser and thought WTF, then saw I left it on VIS and thought there was some battery drain from leaving it in a position other than OFF.

Then switched batteries, put it in OFF and put it in the safe. A few days later and again flickering laser. Dead battery.

Does anyone know if the same applies to the Laser Devices OTAL-A and ITAL-A that take CR123 batteries?  Thanks!

Posted: 7/25/2011 12:05:06 PM EDT [Last Edit: 7/25/2011 2:22:36 PM EDT by Mark2118]
No return phone call from LDI as of yet. Keeping the battery cover completely unscrewed for now until I "need" it-a partial unscrew doesn't seem to do the trick. Battery will be easily lost if I grab the rifle and forget to carefully screw the cover which is not the easiest of tasks really, especially if you add low light and/or gloves and because it's in cramped quarters with my front sight. One more thing to think about besides activating my Eotech and the main switch for the Surefire light and they are a very easy task comparably. If unscrew the cap or have dead batteries in a few weeks is what we should expect from these sights, then this sight isn't going to be for me. Disappointing to say the least because the thing looks like it is rugged and works great when the power works.

EDIT-just received a phone call from LDI. Rep told me it was probably a bad chip and issued me an RMA #. Estimated 2 week turn around time.


Yes, see above.  It's on it's way back to LDI...

Well that's great news. I'm looking forward to ordering mine here soon!

Just spoke with the rep on the phone. If you send it in now, the unit will just sit there until the end of August.

Engineers are still trying to determine a fix for the problem which should be by the end of the month. She advised to call at the end of August for a RMA#. At that time, a fix should be ready.

I got told the same thing

Same problem. Always wondered why it seemed to eat batteries. Saw the thread and checked mine out by putting a new battery in. Left it overnight and the next afternoon got the blinking "lo batt" LED. Called last Monday, got an RMA and shipped it back yesterday.

Mar 2011 build.

Maybe they should just ship us all DBAL-A2's as compensation for our troubles if it's going to take months to get a fix! I need a second one.

Is there a serial number range or any information to isolate the bad batch for those of us who bought them?

Mines eating batteries too. E-mail sent to LDI.

ETA:  Mine might have had a bum battery from the start.  Mine has now lasted  a while using Surefire battery.  

Any new updates from LDI? I spoke with them a few weeks ago and they still had no solution for the problem.

That would be the number and extension I called. The lady said that I could send it in, but the DBAL-I2 would just sit there until they figured out a solution and to call back in a couple of weeks. I will call again tomorrow.
 

Mine has been sitting at LDI since mid-August. Haven't heard squat from them since.

They blew right through the "we'll have it fixed by the end of August" line, since it's now almost mid-September.

Mine was an early build (March 2011), so I hope that they at least made sure that I got the higher powered version of the green laser that is now shipping.

What I haven't heard is whether or not they are shipping any green laser units right now, since those were supposedly the ones with the problem. If they are shipping new product to their vendors but haven't either repaired or swapped out the ones returned by customers for repair, I'm going to be really pissed.

So far not impressed with LDI's handling of this.

Shipped mine back to LDI end of July.  Have not heard anything back from them since.  It was not limited to the green version, mine was the RED laser version.

I am getting ready to finally buy one of these in November. Are the ones you have in stock good to go or will they need to be sent in? Thanks.

Nice. I can't wait. I have some serious hog and coyote killin to do in Texas this year.

UPDATE: Good News / Bad News.

FedEx posted a note on my door Monday of a signature required shipment. So I sign the tag and post it on my door. Come home Tuesday and all the dipstick driver did was check "2nd Attempt" at delivery. I call FckUpEx and ask what the deal is and they tell me that there has to be an adult present to personally sign for the package. Why the driver didn't check the box to let me know that is, well, anybody guess.

So, Good news - I get the package diverted to the local FedEx office and pick it up Wednesday afternoon. Inside the actual cardboard box I shipped it to them is the LDI box (w/ my RMA number plastered on it), my DBAL-A1 with a fresh battery, new tape switch and manual. A document indicated replacement of a circuit board to solve battery drain problem. Checked the serial number and it's the same unit I shipped them.

Now the Bad News; I install a brand new Surefire CR123 and fire it up. The green laser lights for about 15 seconds and the little indicator light on the back starts flashing on and off. After about three tries each with the tape switch and fire button on the unit, I can't get it to stay on using 2 quick presses on either switch. The green laser goes into a pulsing or blinking mode and it appears to be a low battery condition.

O.K., now, I switch to the fresh battery LDI included in the box. Same damn thing. I get a steady green laser for about 15-20 seconds, then it shuts off and all I can get is what appears to be a blinking low power green laser dot.

I switch over to the IR laser and when I activate it, the low battery light on the unit starts blinking and the IR laser won't stay on.

So, I called LDI and asked for someone other than customer service folks who's a tech that actually works on these things. I get referred to a guy (who I won't name) who is supposedly the whiz on these things, but he's unreachable. I leave my contact information - name, RMA number, serial number of the unit and telephone number and am now in the waiting mode. Haven't heard from anyone there yet. When they say they'll call is it reasonable to expect a callback within 2 hours? Still waiting.

I'm seriously starting to wonder whether this unit actually got opened up and whether anything was replaced. The unit looks perfect and all of the sealed screws are fully epoxied and it looks as tight as the day it first left the factory. Don't these guys do any extensive testing before they ship their product back to the customer?

So far, I'm out $900 to TVNC and twenty bucks shipping to send it back to LDI, and have a nice fu@king FDE brick that's been back to the manufacturer for a month and still doesn't work right. I'm starting to wonder how much and how long it's going to take for this company to get their act together and get this right. I'll tell you, there's no way I'd trust my life to this device at this point. If you've got one of these, or sent one back , you'd better check it really close.

rut-roh

Ok, I am just gonna buy one of the OTALs. Do they have the same issue? I hope not.

Vic,

Are you still selling these? or are you at a holding pattern until revision comes out?

And will you remember to screw it back on for "Repel Boarders!"?



On 29 August, I received a unit previously returned after EAG's COC 2 for battery drain issues and intermittent operation.

On that day I measured the power level on the OEM battery (100%) with a ZTS Battery Tester and installed it in the unit. The switch was/is in the OFF position.

The power level yesterday measured 60%. In OFF. After 18 days.

This is certainly better than 0% after LESS THAN five days on the original diode(s); nevertheless, after all the hype,

That isn't exactly the news anyone wants to hear.