I bought an Astro Pneumatic 52SL work light and after a month it doesn’t work
In an earlier post, I touted the Astro Pneumatic 52SL folding light as one of the best automotive lighting tools. That opinion was based on a month or so of use and abuse of the 52SL folding model by Astro Tools.
Sadly, I have to report to you guys today that the Astro Pneumatic drop light I purchased on Amazon has failed miserably and dramatically. Now it’s time to see if Astro Pneumatic tools lives up to their warranty.
The LED lights on both sides of the Astro Pneumatic 52SL are dim to the point that they don’t work anymore.
After just a couple weeks of use, I noticed that the 52SL LED’s would dim randomly when the battery started to get low. I figured this was just due to the battery getting low. I’ve dealt with dimming lights with low batteries on other lights also. Specifically, my Coast XPH30R headlight would start to dim randomly when the battery was low. Update on the Coast XPH30R: After another year of hard use, I can say that for forty bucks two years ago, this headlight is the real deal.
I’ve had that Coast headlight for well over a year. Aside from dimming lights when the battery needs to be charged and a tendency to get dirty, I’ve had zero problems with the Coast XPH30R. The ends are magnetic to give the light some extra functionality and that’s why it gets dirty.
It’s also the brightest hands free light that I own. It’s not quite as handy as my neck lights due to the limited mobility, but the Coast neck light is still one of my favorite automotive lights.
So, Why are the lights dim on my Astro 52SL?
Reviews on the Astro 52SL have been very positive. This is especially due to the wireless charging option of the Astro 52SL. This YouTube video will show you the charging pad setup with the ability to charge two Astro 52SL lights at the same time. So, why are my Astro Pneumatic wireless charging lights already not working? Is there a way to fix the Astro 52SL lights or am I stuck with a paperweight?
Starting with Amazon reviews of Astro 52SL wireless lights, I went on a mission to find the answer. Why after just one month are my Astro 52SL 1000 Lumen lights dim and not working the way they did at first? Is the battery not charging on my light? Will Astro Pneumatic warranty the 52SL?
With a 4.6 out of 5 rating on Amazon, the Astro 52SL seems to be getting strong reviews from auto repair techs and DIY mechanics.
One suspicion I had when my Astro Pneumatic light started to get dim randomly was that the battery was dying. Did I get a junk battery in my Astro 52SL or is this a common issue? I had this thought because despite Astro’s claims of 3.25 hours of use, I quickly found that metric overstated. I was lucky to get an hour before the battery warning light would come on. This review from a verified purchaser on Amazon made me realize I was not alone.
Light promises “3.25+hrs of use from the main light on high” but starts the low battery warning after ~10 minutes and then completely shuts off under 1h. Contacted the Astro but never got replay from them. Returning this one and might get another one in the future.
Amazon review of the Astro 52SL by Peter
Shame since the wireless charging is really nice feature – to be able to simply stick the light on the side of the toolbox and make it charge is so convenient it’s worth paying the ~$50 while you can get about same performance from ~$15-20 flashlight.
I never found use for the double sided light – I would prefer to not have it and have lighter flashlight and have separate button for small top light. But that’s just my preference.
Is a failed battery the reason my Astro Pneumatic 52SL lights don’t work?
With the immediate battery problems I had with the Astro flashlight, it was an easy conclusion to think the battery could be causing the dim lights. After a full charge, all four green lights illuminate like the battery is in fact fully charged. But is the battery actually putting out the needed energy to power this 1,000 lumen double sided light? If not, will the battery in my Astro 52SL be warrantied?
Can I warranty my Astro 52SL?
According to Astro Tools, the 52SL wireless charging light carries a one year limited warranty. This is the industry standard for lighting product warranties. Snap On and other dealers offer the same protection. The problem is, Astro Tools are not known for their customer service and warranty can be a hassle according to Amazon reviews.
All of this leads me to wonder if it’s worth trying to warranty my Astro 52SL or take a gamble and buy another unit on Amazon. When they worked, I was a big fan of the Astro light. Also, seeing as how I bought six pairs of Snap On neck lights at $75 a pair, trying one more Astro 52SL at $50 wouldn’t be out of character.
I plan to attempt to warranty my Astro 52SL regardless. Why wouldn’t I? Whether Astro Pneumatic will honor its promise to warranty the 52SL for one year remains to be seen. Of course, after I go through the warranty process I will update you guys. Hopefully I will get a new Astro 52SL or at least get mine repaired.
I just wish someone could tell me why after a month the Astro 52SL lights are so dim I can’t use them.
I guess the upside here is that I did get this light very cheap on Amazon. It was around $50, compared to some Snap On lights that I’ve paid hundreds for and had issues with just as quick.
If anyone has any feedback on this for me, please feel free to leave a comment below!