The switch killer aka "Single TR-J18 thrower" with MT-G2

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
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The light.

The stock driver. Not that Ill be using that..

I used a "22 awg driver" (aka direct drive) to power an MT-G2. :p Combined with Soshine 26650 (protected cell) , and a fairly thick high current spring on the driver side. I did not copper braid anything for the testing or upgrade anything on the tail.

Saw 5,5A to the emitter at startup, but declining very quickly down to 4,5A.. Then, nothing.. Switch felt funny..

Result:

The switch is "C8 style". I then replaced it with a C8 style switch from FT.

Yay.. Emitter current was 5,7A at startup and increased (huh?) to about 5,93A where it seemed to stabilize in my fairly short test. Heat transfer to the body seemed good. Put the light together, beam seemed to be nice based on first impression indoors.. After less than 1 minute of indoor testing...

...another switch(/spring) bites the dust..

Guess ill need to make room for a larger and better switch, or does anyone know of a C8 switch made for high current?

Update 20.09.2013

Made room for the switch with a dremel. Omten switch, not 100% sure which one. I bought a bunch of switches from FT several months ago. I believe this is the same as being sold in 5-pack from intl-outdoor.

Light seems to work fine now.... :)

Ill test with some "high output" batteries tomorrow..

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Ah, I've been waiting for this! Good work, watching how this pans out.

-Garry

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Maybe go with a twisty cap to handle the current better?

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You have been waiting for me two kill two switches?? And that is good work? Yeah I do my best.. :p hehe.., just kidding.. :)

:beer:

Thanks for the suggestion, but how would that work? Tailcap threads are not anodized. I also plan on putting a driver in the light, so easy mode switching is not something I would give up.

A better or larger switch (with larger/better components) should not have an issue with 6A+++ Its not like this light will do 10A+

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Copper or gold plating!!!

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D’oh! Never mind that suggestion.

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This looks like my direct drive MT-G2 mod,but with 26650 cells. I killed the switch in that one (although I did it by shorting the batteries via the reflector). I temporally made it a tailtwisty because the threads were anodised (but it looks like the tail threads in your light are not anodised). But recently I installed the spare switch that came with the Shadow and that one keeps working, at 6A (I use IMR cells in it), although not for more than two minutes at a time thusfar (the burn-my-hands-limit ). That Shadow switch is tiny, smaller than yours, so the size apparently is not the important factor, but the quality. Perhaps try one (or more ) of those Omten switches, no idea if they are really better, but at least they have a brand name on them.

Apart from the famous Mc-clicky there is just no variety of high amp switches around unfortunately .

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I was going to suggest the omten clickies from intloutdoor

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Those 'C8' switches are crap, the common Omten rectangular ones should do fine.

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Try one of these, probably won't blow ;-)

But seriously, I still want to make a light with this style of switch, it should handle more current than those switches with current carrying springs in them, and since the tail cap looks recessed in your light, you might be able to fit it in somehow? :

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I haven’t recieved my light yet. I have lots of switches though. I guess my very first job will be to replace the original.

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Touch wood I have not had a problem with the switch itself from here up to around 5 amps.

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…or you could use a clear switch boot & have light coming out both ends :smiley:

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No... LED in the front, incandescent in the back. :p

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Ahhhh…… The mullet of flashlights. I like it.

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40-4520-00 Judco Manufacturing Inc. | Switches | DigiKey I fit the taller one into a C8 sytle tailcap with the pushbutton (with rubber boot) protruding beyond the end of the tailcap so now it’s a tactical forward clicky. Yes, it’s a little off center but I’m SURE Old Lumens did the same thing some time ago.

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eebowler, how do you get the short button version? I ordered that exact item about a year ago and the buttons on mine are very long. The picture looks like what I want, but I what I got has a much taller buttons.

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Thanks for suggestions.

Like others, I have good experience with various Omten switches, so I made room for one of those. Pictures in OP.

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That's still a lower rated switch, the fully rectangular ones are the good'uns.

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Lower rated? Same rating as the larger rectangular one, assuming we are talking about the same. Have you killed anyone of the ones with rounded edge (with less than 10A)?

I found the shape of the one with rounded edge to be better suited in terms of fitment. I have the rectangular switch too.

I have even used a much smaller Omten switch at 5A without issues when testing it with MT-G2 earlier.