Help With WL Arctic spyder 3

Hello, i just purchased a WL Arctic spyder 3 1.4 Watt from eBay. When i received it doesn't appear to work. The green lights on the smart switch come on and act as expected while putting in the "passcode" to activate. The problem is the laser never goes into the low power strobe function as expected. I have charged the batteries and it still does not work. I am hesitant to send it back since it is several weeks shipping. From my research so far it appears to be either a driver or diode issue. For reference the first time i pressed to tailcap button the laser momentarily flashed with out a passcode entered but never came on after this. seems bazaar. my questions are)

1) is this a drive or diode issue
2) is this DIY fixable
3) where can i buy the parts
4)what kind of cast and shipping times?

THANKS !!
brian

Hello besurfhi,

Several weeks? What country are you and the seller in?
Sounds like a driver/electronics issue as the laser is never to flash until the code is entered.
Do you have another item that uses the 18650 battery that you test it in to make sure the battery(and charger) are working properly.
Unless you know what you are doing and are patient, the Arctic is mainly press fit together and a lot of glue is used during assembly. It is not a simple just unthread the parts off of the host design.
Some parts can be bought but most are unique to that design/build.
IMHO, try to get it to work a bit more and if you can't, contact the seller to return it and get a refund.
If you are in the USA, I can get a new condition Arctic to you in 2 to 3 business days.
Good Luck!!

Which way did you put tha battery in---negative end first with + toward tailcap or positive end in first with - toward tailcap?

positive toward tail cap.

Yeah it took 2 weeks to arrive, 2 weeks back to get back and up to 6 days to refund, rinse & repeat for the replacement .... i deploy in a month. Time is precious to me.

It came with 2 batteries. I took voltage measurements and tried them out in my flashlight they are working. I have decide to return it since these WL aren't repair friendly and i don't even know where to start with getting repair parts to fix it. Also I am afraid of a product that is glued together. This confuses me ?! Thanks for the fast responses.

besurfhi said:

It came with 2 batteries. I took voltage measurements and tried them out in my flashlight they are working. I have decide to return it since these WL aren't repair friendly and i don't even know where to start with getting repair parts to fix it. Also I am afraid of a product that is glued together. This confuses me ?! Thanks for the fast responses.

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If you can get a refund---give JetLasers a try---far better higher quality professional level lasers --great looking PL-E Pro outshines WL in many ways.
Best customer service in the business---am sure they could get one to you in a week or less.

See: most powerful blue laser handheld, 5w 6w blue laser 445nm portable, 445nm 3.5w 4w blue laser pointers jetlasers

Ironically I ordered from them last night, thanks for reinforcing my decision.!

besurfhi said:

Ironically I ordered from them last night, thanks for reinforcing my decision.!

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Good decision--you can't go wrong with JetLasers--they are the best of the best and they only want happy customers who feel they got somethng of value that they enjoy for your hard earned money spent---not just about money as is so common with Chinese companies.
They love what they do and are proud of the products they create---were founded by laser enthusiasts actually.

They stand behind their products 100% .

If you have any problems or have any questions email Gray at jetlasers@gmail.com

I have to admit, holding the WL Arctic 3 i was impressed by how it felt in the hand. Like a true piece of gear. I was really upset to hear it was constructed with glue and it not working to boot. A lot of potential for that brand. I am stoked about the JET. I was able to change from the black version to the silver after i had paid without issue and they said they would switch from the key tail switch to simple pushbutton via the message board on their website. Bonus points for that. Any input on the pushbutton vs key??

The key lock stops unauthorized usage. Therefore be careful where you leave it as a child or adult who is not aware of laser safety could be blinded in less than a second if they happen to come across the laser.
Treat it as a firearm.
Again, what country are you in? You do not have it in your profile.
"i deploy in a month" = be safe and sound!!

besurfhi said:

I have to admit, holding the WL Arctic 3 i was impressed by how it felt in the hand. Like a true piece of gear. I was really upset to hear it was constructed with glue and it not working to boot. A lot of potential for that brand. I am stoked about the JET. I was able to change from the black version to the silver after i had paid without issue and they said they would switch from the key tail switch to simple pushbutton via the message board on their website. Bonus points for that. Any input on the pushbutton vs key??

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The key switch is an extra safety feature but can be annoying to keep track of the keys--I finally attached the keyring to the hole in nice screw in lens cap's post---sure not to lose or misplace them then-also the key is not held captive so turning it off quickly doesn't happen as fast as a push button switch. I like my pushbutton on/off versions beter because of easy and fast on/off.

Pay attention to Laser Chick's excellent sound advice--be safe and do not let it get into the hands kids. Not sure which output power you bought but they all are very powerful and pose instant danger of occular damage to unprotected eyes---good idea to get goggles either form Jet or here: Safety

I am in Hawaii. The one i purchased is a 2W. Also, is there a button code similar to WL AS3 smart switch?

besurfhi said:

I am in Hawaii. The one i purchased is a 2W. Also, is there a button code similar to WL AS3 smart switch?

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You can order it either way with a code switch or just momentary mechanical switch which is fine if is just for your own use and no children who might turn it on too easily---features Continious Wave for Mechanical Switch, Continious Wave plus Pulse Mode for Code Switch.

You have to specify---not sure which is default if none specified.

The 445nm comes with an extension tube so it is able to use 2 batteries instead of one.

I would go with 2X 26650 batteries for longest runtime but you can use 2X 18650. It can run also on 2X 16340 without the tube extension or on the 8V5A wall adaptor included with the laser.

Do not have it shipped with batteries in same box or it runs big tisk of being stopped and seized. Have batteries shipped seperately.

2W of 445nm is a very bright, powerful, and dangerous laser--please get safety goggles---accidents happen so fast with lasers that their is no possibility of making a correction to stop it from happening so safety goggles are a must--especially so if you plan to use indoors or for burning experiments.

See laser hazard chart here: http://www.lasersafetyfacts.com/resources/Laser-hazard-distance-chart.pdf

Is great laser at a great price--you will love it, I am sure.

The PL-E Pro is here. I will say it comes default with the simple CW switch. Gray is an artist when it comes to customer service. Never had responses so quickly. There was a slight delay on shipping probably due to shipping but once he shipped it it went from China to Hawaii in 3 days. A whole lot better than 2 weeks from mainland USA for the wicked lasers. I am super impressed with the build of this bad boy. Much better than the WL but not as compact. Having had both in my hand recently i would opt for the PL-E Pro any day of the week. Love it +1 for JL:beer:

besurfhi said:

The PL-E Pro is here. I will say it comes default with the simple CW switch. Gray is an artist when it comes to customer service. Never had responses so quickly. There was a slight delay on shipping probably due to shipping but once he shipped it it went from China to Hawaii in 3 days. A whole lot better than 2 weeks from mainland USA for the wicked lasers. I am super impressed with the build of this bad boy. Much better than the WL but not as compact. Having had both in my hand recently i would opt for the PL-E Pro any day of the week. Love it +1 for JL:beer:

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Good news --Great laser---Good luck with it.

Yes I agree about Gray --nobody is better at customer service.

Don't forget about getting a pair good laser goggles.