CRX FW3A Mods & Teardown

Cool, might be a great seller, will probably need a redesigned rubber boot too :+1:

Thanks mate, yeah it was about the only way I could do it without machines and retain most of the original machined button look.
This is why I was so dismayed when that wabbit appeared on the final prototype! :smiley:

Right on, he has Glo Caps …… but Trits are waaaaaaay Cooler! Been eyeing the 1.5x3x9mm retangular trits……

Funny, I’ve been looking at a 4mm x 1.3mm x 7mm rectangular green vial that I can get over here.
It would completely cover the tail switch hole but I also like it as is with the variable brightness due to the GITD backing the trit as I have it now. Decisions decisions… :slight_smile:

From the diagram I can see you in 8x7135 mode, get 3 times sustainable output, 900 lm, compared to the original FW3A 300lm. How do you explain this enormous improvement? How is it possible?

Bypassed springs, thicker LED wires, cleaned & tweaked contacts, Noctigon MCPCB, better thermal paste, the light set to 65°C thermal limit, hand cooled & moving around, not standing alone untouched.
I have working mans hands so can take some abuse :wink:
Bearing in mind my sphere is not calibrated the output is close to what others have given for that level.
3x XP-L HI should give around that OTF lumens at 3A.
You may be referring to the stock light set up to 45°C thermal limit?
The thermal limit setting and cooling are factors that will determine the sustained output.
A single XP-L HI v2 running at 1A /65°C should give around 400lm.

How high sustained output lm do you think it will be possible to attain with a Convoy M3, doing similar mods?

No idea. I’m not familiar at all with that light. A quick look, it’s pretty big so has a potential to hold brighter for longer.
It’s also not so much the mods but rather what temperature you’re comfortable holding, ambient temp, LEDs, driver etc.
All lights will become heat saturated at some point, obviously the more mass, cooler surroundings etc the longer that will take at a given wattage.

Do you think it would be possible to epoxy a magnet into the stock button or is it only really doable the way you did? I really would love to make mine magnetic once it arrives. If you think it would be possible, could you check the diameter of the inside so I could source a magnet?

Yeah I thought about that method.

The internal button cap cavity measurement is around 11.6mm x 1.25mm with the central post removed on my version but I don’t think that size magnet would work too well through the 0.6mm steel, maybe an 11mm x 2mm N52 would do there but using the original rubber boot would be a problem, you would need to play around with some thin silicone sheet to maintain some waterproofing and maybe make a new small nubbin to get the switch working nicely…

The tail cap button is an awkward size, measuring 14.6mm x 0.35mm at the widest point (retaining lip)

The button part is then 13.88mm x 1.4mm.

So if you had maybe a 14mm x 0.5mm or 1mm magnet JB welded onto a 13mm x 1.5mm magnet that could work with some modification.
Best to file off the nickel coating and clean thoroughly the sides that you’re gluing too.

Something like this:

One good thing about the FW3A is the switch is so easy to access you can play around with different ideas no problem.

Thanks for the info! That’s a pretty good idea to make the button out of magnets. I definitely want to maintain waterproofing. I love EDC lights that have a tail magnet though. I will play around once mine comes in, which might take a little while.

Awesome mods CRX, would definitely love a trit tail cap button.

Your light looks great.

Hi, nice serious mod man!
Where you buy the switch?

Would this switch work the same ?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32961272650.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.264514b7ssrn56&algo_pvid=54481c73-4de2-4dc3-9a42-ff20a627f066&algo_expid=54481c73-4de2-4dc3-9a42-ff20a627f066-2&btsid=0ab6f82c15839125831318500ef461&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602*,searchweb201603*

would this type of switch work and fit?

@forsh
These are way too big (tall) to use in the same manner.

@Light Veteran
The switch looks like this one:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32797988588.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000013.11.74044d83JaCDHp&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.146401.0&scm_id=1007.13339.146401.0&scm-url=1007.13339.146401.0&pvid=373aff5f-3472-4d37-a0fc-a4af4e0e33bf

Yeah, these types.

It takes a bit of modification to the PCB too.

Thank you

Closest I can get to a “parts or assembly diagram” are the photographs in this thread. Been to Lumintop, Nealsgadgets, BLF of course, Youtube, Google….Thanks for you posts.