Tried modding a Fw3a with a CWF dragon but many issues.

Hello! So I’m pretty new to flashlights and it’s been really fun and exciting to learn. I thought I’d swap a CWF dragon into my Fw3a. Little did I know that the driver side for a Fw3a is about 20mm, while the dragon is 17… No problem! I drilled out a spacer out of a copper washer and pressure fit the dragon driver into it. After many hours with a file, it fit! Then I wired up the LEDs and… When I tried to screw the pieces together, there’s a slight gap and no power. I took the little black tube out and it screws shut! And… It’s always on. The switch does nothing. Does anyone know why this might be the case? Also, what purpose does that black tube serve on the fw3a? Last, should I have used a non-conductive material to make the spacer?

Thanks!!!

dofboke, I am not sure if I am correct, but the CWF dragon seems to be a a driver that works with clicky (reverse or forward) switches but not with e-switches (like the one in the FW3A).

The FW3A driver (that has Anduril instaled) works with an e-switch and that inner black tube is what conduces the signal from the e-switch to the driver. The tube will sit on the edge of the driver conducing the signal from the tail (- pole) to the driver (+ pole).

So, if the CWF driver doesn’t work with that kind of switch to power up the flashlight, it won’t probably work!

Also, the FW3A switch doesn’t cut the current unless working with a driver with an appropriate/suitable firmware.

Meaning: if you pick the FW3A switch and just use it in another flashlight (example, a Convoy S2+) and try to turn it ON/OFF, you will notice that the flashlight will always be ON. [Edit: JUST NOTICED THAT YOU DID IT WITH THE FW3A :person_facepalming: ]

You need to take care of the interaction between the switch and the driver, and…unless you make some more mods, I am not sure if the CWF dragon will work on this light.

If I’m wrong, I’ll delete my post :+1:

1 Thank

Thank you so much for the info!!! That makes so much sense now. I ordered a bunch of small mechanical switches to mod the e-switch a la CRX. I’ll update once I manage to make the switch a mechanical! Thanks so much!!!

Interesting project! How are you planning to deliver current after button is pressed? Trough internal or external battery tube? How are you going to isolate them?

I had some spare parts from left over mods, so I converted a FW3 to a Flat White1 triple… 22mm GuppyDrv Mtn driver and a LVP lighted tail cap from Led4Power…

This is a great question that I did not even know was necessary. Shows my lack of knowledge, haha! I thought all I needed to do was wire up the driver and the positive/negative from the battery would complete the circuit, as that’s how it seemed to work on my convoy s2 that I built! Is the difference here because of the electronic switch? If I change the switch to a mechanical switches, would I not need the tube?

Thanks!

Looks good! Is there a benefit to the driver you used vs the stock Fw3a driver? I wanted the secondaries from the dragon so that sent me down this rabbit hole… :stuck_out_tongue:

It always turns on and shuts off. :smiley:

. The FW3 driver can become finicky… after changing batteries…not turning ON…. or turns ON when you tighten it back up…. or turns ON just sitting there… I removed all the tail cap retaining rings on all 9 of my FW3’s so I can loosen up the tail cap and break the signal tube contact to keep them from turning on…

. I have also used other e-switch drivers in the FW3, NovaTac and NITECORE EX.11v2

NITECORE EX.11 v2 Piston Drive Mtn MoppyDrv

Modded NovaTac Triples and Single LED

I have used the FW3 drv. LD-2 drv. MoppyDrv. D4v2 Drv. in these NovaTacs….

. I have used the Dragon Drv on a cuple Surefire 6P Triples…

And I have also used Lexel’s Triple Aux boards on Surefire 6p mods too…

Looking at my spare Dragon driver… there is a PAD labeled (Swt) maybe get ahold of Charles Wiggins and see if it is possible to wire for an e-switch? I know the old LD-2’s that Neven (Led4Power) sold could be wired both ways? It don’t hurt to ask…

What driver did you used on that 6P?

Dragon… with Lexels Aux board… BUT it would only light the aux board using the High secondary mode…. too many LEDs to power it using the Dragon Low secondary mode…

This doesn’t answer your questions, but I figured I’d let you know you can add aux functionality to the Standard FW3A driver.