Why you should buy a Light & Motion light

My wife bought me a Sola 600 Photo for Xmas in December 2010. It worked great for 3 years, but recently had some issues. When the charge lights wouldn't come on, I went online and read the very helpful L & M instructions for getting the light out of travel mode. When that didn't work, I called and a very nice CSR walked me through opening the light and unplugging and replugging the battery to reset the light. That worked and everything was cool for another few months. Eventually the charge signal started flashing red sequentially at high speed and the light wouldn't go on. I called up, exhausted all the remedies and then was told that since it was well out of warranty, I could send it in and they'd fix it for about $85.
I got the light back, charged it and tested it. It worked great. Last week I took it diving and oops, it flooded. I called up L & M and Jon said, "no problem, send it in and we'll take care of it of course." I returned the light to L & M with a request to please hurry, as I'm competing in the Monterey Shoot-Out this weekend and then Monday we're leaving for 10 days of diving in Alaska. One day later, I got a call from Jon, who said "We don't make the repair part for your old 600 anymore, so we're giving you a new one. I stopped in there and he handed me a nice brand new Sola 800. No Charge.
In my 61 years on this planet, I have never had better customer service. Ever.

Some companies just "get it". You're now a loyal customer for life. You have told a pretty targeted audience about your experience, and this will undoubtedly result in more sales for them. But that probably wasn't their motivation for replacing the light. Good people, making great products tend to do the right thing...

Nice one, Larry!

Without wanting to do down, L&M, I've just taken delivery of a new Sola 800 Photo for a trip to the Red Sea next week. The charger doesn't work. No indicator lights, no power, nothing. All the tap-tapping did nothing.

The supplier, through Amazon.fr, turned out to be in the US and has sent two replacements (I'm in Paris) which I really appreciated although it has cost me $35 in additional express shipping costs. But even then we can't be sure if it'll arrive in time.

At the same time I contacted L&M via their website, explained the issue and asked if they could help. They responded by email overnight saying I must be "stoked" at my new light - and sending me the contact details of two stockists in France. But sadly France closes for August and the general response is "we have none in stock until the distributer reopens in September" (said in French of course) . Happily I did track one down - another €29, thank you - and hopefully that'll reach me before I fly to Egypt.

Ironically, the morning after contacting L&M I got an online customer survey from them asking for my thoughts on their service.... I said, fingers crossed, it will all be fine but to suggest that I was "stoked" at my new purchase, which didn't work, was perhaps over-egging things a little (please note the fine British sense of irony here).

So some you win, some not quite so much. It does look a great product though..... Come my trip I might have a total of 4 chargers - or, alternatively, just one that doesn't work.

Fingers crossed eh?

My wife bought me a Sola 600 Photo for Xmas in December 2010. It worked great for 3 years, but recently had some issues. When the charge lights wouldn't come on, I went online and read the very helpful L & M instructions for getting the light out of travel mode. When that didn't work, I called and a very nice CSR walked me through opening the light and unplugging and replugging the battery to reset the light. That worked and everything was cool for another few months. Eventually the charge signal started flashing red sequentially at high speed and the light wouldn't go on. I called up, exhausted all the remedies and then was told that since it was well out of warranty, I could send it in and they'd fix it for about $85.

I got the light back, charged it and tested it. It worked great. Last week I took it diving and oops, it flooded. I called up L & M and Jon said, "no problem, send it in and we'll take care of it of course." I returned the light to L & M with a request to please hurry, as I'm competing in the Monterey Shoot-Out this weekend and then Monday we're leaving for 10 days of diving in Alaska. One day later, I got a call from Jon, who said "We don't make the repair part for your old 600 anymore, so we're giving you a new one. I stopped in there and he handed me a nice brand new Sola 800. No Charge.

In my 61 years on this planet, I have never had better customer service. Ever.

You recommend here a torch that obviously causes lots of problems, just because the company has a good customer service? I would rather prefer a reliable torch. I am currently using the F.I.T. 2400 LED WSR as well as the UV version, and in my 30 years of diving I never had a better torch. Ever. :-)

Stronger light output, longer burn time, much broader flood than the Sola, 100% anodized aluminium, user exchangable battery (6 Ah Lithum 32650; spare battery = 15 Euro). WSR version has both flood AND spot, therfore you can use it as normal diving torch as well.

Regards;

Jens

I have just got a FIT 1200 and it's great. I had a sola 1200 but it flooded and was total toast. I also have a sola 500 which seems to be ok. I love the FIT though it is a great looking and feels very robust

I haven't touched the fit light (yet) mostly because having had multiple versions of their earlier lights which all failed (at the best possible moment), I am not that big a sucker for punishment. Have Sola, LaLuz, and Itorch, mostly these are fine. Where do you find the 32650 batteries for 15 Euro? thanks

Bill

I have had fisheye fix lights, both the HG20DX and the LED48DX. They both worked well, no issues. I changed and went with Sola 1200's because they were smaller and easier to travel with, again no issues with the three I have. I believe with lights and flashes one needs to always have a backup since electrical things and salt water have their issues.

... Where do you find the 32650 batteries for 15 Euro? thanks

Bill

Come on, google is your friend. Sorry. Only € 13,90

https://www.akkuteile.de/lithium-ionen-akkus/32650/trustfire/trustfire-32650-6000mah-3-7v-geschuetzte-li-ion-akku/a-100707/

Google (at least in the US) sends me to ebay, and on ebay in the states, that battery is $19.00 and $7 for shipping.

Bill