Electronic switches are always “on” and they don’t carry the main current load so in that respect they work nothing like the typical mechanical switch you describe.
But that also the way the inner tube and threads are designed do not allow lock out. Some e-switch lights like D4 can still lock out but they are made differently.
I edited what I said cause it wasn’t correct but I did mean momentary, hence their name
Woah, I missed this part of your comment. Electronic switches (e-switches) are not normally closed. Pretty much all the e-switches you see in flashlights are tactile designs and are normally open, including the one in the FW3A.
They are super simple.
There are at least 2 contacts covered by a metal dome. There is always one contact in the middle and at least one on the edge which touches the dome. You push down on the dome and the spring steel buckles or collapses touching the middle contact and closing the circuit. When you stop pressing, the metal dome will pop back up and the circuit opens. This allows for a momentary contact.
The reason the switch stops working when you loosen the head or tail of the FW3A is because the inner tube carries that switch signal. The contact of the inner tube is quite precise and the ends have to be tightened just right.
The way the driver gets the switch signal is that it’s MCU, or brain, has a pin that loads a super tiny amount of current on it. If you touch this pin to ground the MCU knows the switch is being pressed. This switch signal goes from the MCU pin along traces on the driver to that inner driver ring, through the inner tube and to the rear e-switch. When you push the rear switch it makes contact to a circuit board trace which touches the rear spring.
Does anyone have a picture of the FW3A driver? I can’t seem to find one.
Once again, thanks for the lesson.
Thanks.
I see it’s pin 2 that takes a long, convoluted path to the rear switch.
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So if the threads were anodized , lockout would be normal with the FW3A. I wonder why they are not.
The threads can not be anodized on the FW3A because the head and tail cap don’t necessarily screw down all the way. It’s more important that the inner tube makes contact on both ends. The outer tube is secondary. Leaving it’s threads bare improves the likely hood of the light working properly. Even then, it’s still tricky to get all the parts touching properly.
On a light like the Emisar D4, the e-switch is in the head so there is no inner tube. This means the head and tail cap can be fully tightened against the battery tube. This light design can have anodized threads if it wants.
A lot of contortions to make a rear electronic switch light.
And a not so good one, indeed, with flaws.
All of mine work flawless. It makers me wonder how many of the ’problems’ are actually nothing more than Operator Error??
I would guess a lot of them.
i would have liked a side switch better, because the light could be a little smaller
(actually i am sort of curious why it isn’t a side switch - TK…? any insight? )
but mine works ok
wle
I have no complaints. I love my Zebralight with the side switch and I love this one with the tail switch. The FW3A is more pocketable and I have had zero issues. I know the issues are out there - anything manufactured will have some defects slip thru QC - especially in the beginning. I really do like the design of this one. Can’t wait to get a purple one!
Rear e-switch is more rare and unique. A side switch probably would not have sold as well due to all the competitors. Lumintop may not have invested in a side switch design since they already make so many like that.
BTW, a side switch design would not make it any smaller. Look at the Emisar D4. It’s side switch, but same exact size.
tail switch has to add 3-5 mm, regardless of what may be going on in other lights [d4]
it has the little circuit board, the ‘nubbin’, the height of the button itself, thickness of switch body
[also has spring and rubber membrane, but a non-rear-switch light would have those too, or the equivalent(gasket and spring) ]
wle
FW3A uses extra space for the switch in the tail.
Emisar D4 uses extra space for the switch in the head.
End result is same length.
Both lights were designed to be as short as possible.
Question -- when in stepped ramp mode does the shortcut to "moon" supposed to still work? It appears that when I try it, it goes to the bottom of the ramp (level 20?). Do I have to reconfigure the bottom of the ramp to a lesser number to keep moon?
Yes, reconfigure the bottom to “moonlight”.
Really? The stock setting is already at the very bottom of the ramp, does this setting change when in stepped ramping mode?
Also, how do you change it? Do you just start off in stepped ramping mode and do the 1, 21 and 7 clicks?
I thought you basically lost the really low moon mode when in stepped ramping.
The not anodized threads were already explained.
But this flashlight has hardware lockout, of cause.
If the inner tube has no contact to the driver, it is locked, you can not switch it on the light. You can combine it with software lockout as aditional security.
And your can switch the light on a low mode and than lockout it, if you want.