After reading about ImA4Wheelr’s Rook 18500 Lithium Ion mod, i picked up my Rook to think of some mods to do with it.
The first mod was to convert it with a tail-cap Lock-out to eliminate that parasitic drain plaguing the Rook. I tried the tape cut-away method on the driver contact area, but the tape worn away very quickly after a number of twists from the head.
This tail cap mod works perfectly, and will work for indefinitely.
- First i removed the head, batteries, then the tail Cap, by using hot water and two strap-wrenches to break loose the loctite on the tail cap) Cleaned up the threads, then removed the three screws holding the negative-contact plate to the body tube.
- Next replace the three screws back into the body without the plate and tightened them in.
- Glue a round piece of high-density insulating foam rubber ( approximately 1/8” thick ) on the back of the contact plate to cover the solder spots for the springs.
- Place the contact plate back in the body, so it rests on “top” of the three screws, ( the contact plate will not twist with the cap as it has 3 little “divots” that align up with the 3 indents in the inside surface of the tube along the battery tubes, and always stay aligned when the cap is twisted to lock it out.)
- add some silicone grease to the threads, and the inside surface of the back of the cap to maker it easier to turn against the foam.
replace the tail cap on the tube with the contact plate back in place, ( resting on “top” of the 3 screws.)
put the light back together, and Voila !
A 1/4 turn or more of the tail cap releases the contact plate from contacting the screws on the plate’s board traces when the battery springs pushes it back keeping the foam against the tail cap’s inner surface) breaking the circuit, making the tail cap into a “Twistie Switch” to lock out the Rook eliminating the parasitic drain.
- Image shows the screws back in the body, and the foam on the contact plate.)
My next mod to this light is possibly boring out the Body to D-Cell size, ( machining it to that dimensions will expose through the lands on the outside) then machining a body sleeve/tube/extender and inner battery sleeves and AA holders, so any cell from a D, C, 32650, 26650, 18650, 3AA, 3-14500, 4-AAA, 4-10440’s can be used, ( similar to a Lumintop SD10 multi-cell capacity.)
But first i have other projects on the plate, including the SRK super Thrower first.