DCL040 blinking

[edeaton07]

Just wondered if anyone has had a problem with there DCL040 blinking after long use? I love the flashlight but after a while it heats up and begins blinking. The solution is to turn if off and let it cool down. Has anyone else had this problem?

[kanxrus]

The blinking is to let you know the battery need's charging. The batteries are designed to handle large loads from various power-tools. The flashlight run's the battery down very slow. Lithium batteries have a threshold at which they have a point of no return. Meaning, drain them to low and they cannot be recovered.

Once the light flashes, remove it and recharge the battery.

[gaaah]

Nope it's not always the battery.    With a fresh battery my first copy blinks after about 15 seconds of being on.   My second copy, with the same battery, can stay on for hours.

[JakeDewalt]

I have to agree with @kanxrus on this. Also being an LED Diode it shouldn’t overheat in the first place 

[John Arsenault]

The blinking that I have is very rapid, like a strobe, not the slow blinking that tells you the battery is low! I can't seem to stop this strobe effect, it's doing it every time the light is turned ON.

[Edmar]

My dcl040 started blinking and now it won’t light up bright just very dim. Tried calling Dewalt but they have not called me back will try again Monday 

[Jronman]

if it is anything like my 20v max light from DeWALT it just means the battery is low. That would be what I would try first but if you have tried that then the service center is your best option.

[Cheetah111]

I also have a DCL040 and it has been one of the best flashlights I own.  And yes, when the battery was low, it would flash a slow flash (or blink).

 

But people need to stop giving that as an answer which is obviously NOT the problem in this forum. 

 

Mine started flashing when I was using one of the Dual voltage 60/20v batteries and I thought it was just those.  The standard 20v MAX battery seemed fine... until now.  Now I was using it for about 10 minutes with the 60v and it started flashing...  Nearly full battery.  I swapped it out for a newly charged 20v and it started the same slow blink right away.  It is NOT a low battery indicator unless there is something seriously wrong with the battery sensor that detects the voltage level.  In that case, perhaps there's a way to permanently disable or replace that circuit in the light.  For it to know the voltage is low and decide that a flashing warning is needed means that there must be something in the light (an IC chip or some kind of circuit to make that change in behavior).  If it were a simple circuit like most flashlights, on and off would be the only options.  I have yet to take the light apart but I thought I'd try the internet before I ventured out on my own.  Knowing that there are many users who are having that same issue means that Dewalt MUST have heard of this before and should have an idea on the cause.  I no one has any useful information, I guess I'll have to attempt a repair myself and perhaps be the first to post an adequate solution.

[Jon17948]

Mine is blinking as well. Only does it when it has been on for awhile. Never reaches "strobe" but it does blink more often the longer it is on.  Opened my blinking light up as well as my other good light.  On the top right corner of the board is a little chip covered in white stuff. On my good light my cheapo thermometer reads 180°F at most. My blinking light it reads about 240°F when it starts to blinking.  If i cool the board using my blow gun back down to around 100 it will stop blinking, until it reaches around the 240°F point. Once it heats back up the blinking resumes. So it's deff not the battery. It's the electronics over heating.  Doesn't surprise me since there is no method of heat dissipation.