Getting aquainted with your FW3A

You have just received your FW3A, here are a few basic & simple things to do and check.

1. Open the box, it should contain:

• 1 x FW3A flashlight
• 1 x instruction manual
• 1 x small bag of spare O-rings
• 1 x instruction card telling & showing you to load battery from the head end

2. Remove everything from box & visually inspect your light for any external damage

3. Unscrew the head from your FW3A, check driver retaining ring for tightness, visually verify driver is properly seated, & then set head aside

• If driver retaining ring is loose, tighten it. (see post #5 below for details)

• If driver is not seated properly, fix it. (see post #5 below for details)

4. Check the tailcap for tightness & tighten if necessary. DO NOT REMOVE TAILCAP (necessary tailcap removal will be addressed later)

5. When you are satisfied tailcap is tight insert a charged battery with the positive (+) terminal facing out, toward the driver.

6. After making sure of proper charged battery installation replace the head & tighten

7. Your light should now be operational

Please note:
If you ordered a battery with your light there may well be a clear almost invisible sticker covering the negative pole of the battery.
This must be removed to charge the battery & operate your light.

After removing the “sticker” check the battery voltage.
It should be around 3.4 V… (3.3 V – 3.6 V is how I usually receive them)

Charge the battery.
When charged, insert the battery in your light as described above.

Your light should now be operational

If your light is not operational after taking these steps, please see Post #5 below.
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Care of your FW3A

Besides cleaning it if it gets dirty there is not much to do except, as with any light; clean & lube the threads and O-rings from time to time.

Wipe the threads clean with a rag and then lightly lube the threads and O-rings.

I use & recommend Super Lube Synthetic Grease for this because it is compatiable with any formulation O-ring.

If you use something else no problem.

So you want to remove the clip from your FW3A

Ok, you now have your FW3A & you want to remove your clip. To do this you must remove the tailcap. Do it this way & you should experience a harmonious outcome…

1. Remove the head

2. Remove the battery

3. Point the head end of the battery tube at the ceiling

4. Unscrew the tailcap & set it down flat so it stays together

5. Remove the clip

6. Point the head end of the battery tube at the ceiling again

7. Reinstall the tailcap & tighten

8. Reinsert battery in proper orientation, positive (+) toward driver

9. Install head & tighten

10. You should now have an operational clipless FW3A

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Thermal Configuration & Protection

Thermal configuration

Look at a thermometer to check the current room temperature. Let us assume it says 21 Celsius Turn the light off and wait for its temperature to settle to room temperature.

Go to TempCheck (from OFF: “Click Click Click”. Ascend with double-clicks three times)
When you are in TempCheck, then click 4 times to enter thermal config mode, and calibrate the sensor.

Thermal config mode has two settings:

1. Current temperature Calibration.

• Click once per degree C to calibrate the sensor. For our example, the ambient temperature is 21 C = click 21 times.

2. Temperature limit.

• This sets the maximum temperature the light can reach before it will start doing thermal regulation to keep itself from overheating. Click once per degree C above 30. For example, to set the limit to 50 C, click 20 times.

The default is 45 C (15 clicks).

Hint: If you don’t click, the lamp will leave the value unchanged.
The lowest value the user can set is 31 C, by clicking once.
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°C…… °F
100.. 212.. Boiling Water
_60.. 140
_55.. 131
_50.. 122.. Touch limit
_45.. 111.. [Default]
_40.. 104
_37,4. 99.. Body temp.
_25…. 77
_20…. 68
__0…. 32.. Frozen Water

MaxTemp. – 30°C = Clicks
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+How to Calibrate the Temperature & Limit on Your FW3A flashlight with the Anduril firmware. / M4D M4X

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Protection Features

Some features which aren’t visible on the diagram:
Andúril includes low voltage protection (LVP) and thermal regulation.

• LVP makes the light step down to a lower level when the battery is low, and if the light is already at the lowest level, it shuts itself off.
  This activates at 2.8V. LVP adjustments happen suddenly, in large steps.

• Thermal regulation attempts to keeps the light from overheating and otherwise adjusts output to stay as close as possible to the user-configured temperature limit.
  Thermal adjustments happen gradually, in steps so small they are difficult for humans to perceive.
  It ramps smoothly across 512 internal steps (from 1×7135 to full power) to adjust output while it searches for the highest level it can maintain without overheating.

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Momentary Mode

To do this, set the light to your desired output, then turn it off. Click five times to enter ‘momentary’ mode.
NOTE: You’ll need to disconnect power briefly to exit ‘momentary’ mode. Any button presses will just make the light flash. You can’t ramp or enter any other modes while in ‘momentary.’ (by goshdogit)

Tailcap assembly

Ok, for whatever reason your tailcap is in pieces & you need to reassemble it. No problem, don’t panic… it is not rocket science.

The main thing is… don’t loose your ‘nubbin’. (This will be discussed below, complete with a picture of the ‘nubbin’; as well as what to do if you do lose your ‘nubbin’.)

To reassemble tailcap:

1. Place tailcap body, threads up; on a stable flat surface

2. Install metal switch button, flat side down; in tailcap body

3. Install rubber washer, flat side down; in tailcap body

4. Make sure ‘nubbin’ is in flat washer & pointed up toward the sky

• See picture of rubber washer & ‘nubbin’ below

5. Install switch with spring pointed up toward the sky

6. Point battery tube head end at ceiling

7. Install tailcap on battery tube & tighten

Nubbin & flat rubber washer/switch cover

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Nubbin in proper position (Orange homemade ‘nubbin’ where factory ‘nubbin’ belongs.)

…….

More Switch Component Pictures

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But…. I lost my ‘nubbin’!!

No big deal… stuff happens.

You will however have to improvise & fabricate yourself a ‘nubbin’. The FW3A will not work without a ‘nubbin’.
See the FW3A Troubleshooting Thread to find a solution to a “lost nubbin”.
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Pro Tip:
If you lose your ‘nubbin’ or just want to secure your factory ‘nubbin’ better (not necessary) just reglue it.
There are many varying opinions as to which glue is best… in reality it makes little difference as long as it holds. I personally am gonna use a tiny dab of 3M 5200 on mine because I want them to be there forever (and not have to worry about loosing my ‘nubbin’ when I take my tailcaps apart as I know I will) & I also happen to have some 5200 on hand.
BUT AGAIN….. what I am doing to mine is not necessary.

If you do glue or reglue… do make sure the parts to be glued are completely clean.

My FW3A won’t work or was working but quit.

If your FW3A quit working or does not work, check these two things first.

1. Is the battery sufficiently charged

• If not, charge it

2. Is everything tight

• Driver retaining ring – check for tightness & tighten if necessary (see details below)
• Loosen the head
• Tighten the tailcap very tight
• Then tighten the head very tight

If this fails to make your FW3A operational go HERE
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Driver Retaining Ring

A loose driver retaining ring can cause an issue. That issue is described below along with the simple solution.

http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1497067#comment-1497067
http://budgetlightforum.com/comment/1497246#comment-1497246

Firelight2 wrote:
Discovered an issue today:

Several times now after inserting the battery at the head and then screwing closed the light I’ve noted that the head sometimes stops screwing down a couple mm before it should. This appears to be caused by the inner switch contact tube being slightly off-center and hitting the edges of the narrow driver retaining ring. When this happens the inner tube does not make contact with the driver and the light does not work.

If this occurs, the light can still be screwed down by unscrewing and then rescrewing the head in several times until things line up right. But that doesn’t solve the problem and is frustrating to do. This issue occurred with both my FW3As.

Analysis and Solution:

The problem appears to be caused by the driver retaining ring not being screwed tight to the driver at the factory. If you encounter this issue, use tweezers to turn the driver retaining ring so that it is flush against the driver. Once the retaining ring is snug, this problem goes away completely.

Driver Retaining Ring: Loose / Installed

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Tom E wrote:

Below you can see the sometime loose driver retaining ring – it’s quite thin and frail. If you need to tighten it up, be careful with it. The ring is just outside the PCB ring. You can see two notches to be able to use a tool, needlenose or something:

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steel_1024 wrote:
In addition to tightening the retaining ring.
Also align the 2 notches shown in the figure below.

NOTE: This driver retaining ring is very thin, but it is there. If you do not have the proper tweezers, a nail, toothpick, pointed fingernail file, etc. may be used to tighten a loose retaining ring.

Threads, Posts, & Videos of Interest

Threads & Posts:

• FW3A, a TLF/BLF EDC flashlight – interest list closed

• FW3A Troubleshooting / FAQ

• FW3A User Interface

• TLF/BLF/Lumintop FW3A review

• FW3A User Manual

• FW3A steps down in ‘Muggle Mode’.. SOLUTION

• Momentary Mode
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Mod Threads:

• CRX FW3A Mods

• FW3A mod thread. Post yours!

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Videos:
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Neal – FW3A Assembly

M4D M4X – FW3A Switch Assembly

M4D M4X – FW3A Video Review

Anduril Configuration starting with Thermal Configuration / by ZozzV6

Miscellaneous Information (still under construction)

1. Batteries

• The FW3A takes 1 × 18650 Li Ion Battery. Flat top batteries will fit as will most button top batteries. Your particular button top could be an exception.

• Protected batteries will not fit

• Either High Drain or High Capacity battery may be used. Performance will be about the same. Run time will be extended with High Capacity.

• Sanyo/Panasonic GA – LG MJ1 – Samsung 35E – Samsung 30Q, to name a few

2. Optics

FW3A Optics

• Glass AR coated lens 23.0 mm x 1.5 mm

• The optic is a Carclo 10511, which is a lightly frosted optic with a relatively narrow spot. It gets almost as much throw as the 10507 optic, but with greatly reduced tint shift and artifacts.
  The 105xx Series Carclo Optic may be easily replaced or interchanged in the FW3A if needed or desired.

Beam angle comparisons between four Carclo optics:

— Frosted Carclo Optics

• The 10511 is called a narrow spot. 22° (Default FW3A Optic)
• The 10508 is called a medium spot. 27°
• The 10509 is called a wide spot. 40°

— Clear Non-Frosted Carclo Optic

• The 10507 is called a narrow spot. 18°

Buy Carclo Optics:

• Carclo Optics at LEDSupply

3. MCPCB

• The FW3A uses a standard 20mm Triple MCPCB compatible with the Carclo 20mm triple-TIR optics.
  Noctigon & similar 20mm Triple MCPCB’s should fit in the FW3A just about perfectly should you wish to modify your FW3A.

These can be purchased from many places easily. GOOGLE is your friend.

4. Accessories

• Turbo Glow Gaskets
  Neal is trying to source some of THESE at a *Decent Price*.

Thanks for the ideas Goose. Ideas welcome…

Yeah I’m working on it & should have it up later today after I get finished with a doctors appointment.

Last night TK asked (hope for) a volunteer to do this… I could not refuse the ‘Light Goddess’ and the rest will be history.

@ Lux-Perpetua…. Yeah… I went “reservation” crazy. I figured better to many than not enough. I’ll just delete the unneeded ones later.

…. You won’t be dissappointed.

SIGShooter wrote:

Would it be more useful to put the issues and fixes into a spreadsheet rather than another BLF thread?

Just thinking out-loud….and thanks for taking this one

raccoon city wrote:

Thanks you for creating this thread, teacher.

I’m sure it will help a lot of BLF members.

chops728 wrote:

GO TIGERS

I hear you actually…. I wish it could ‘somehow’ be us two at the end, 1 & 2.
I would honestly be good with either being 1.
As long as they both “showed up” & played that is. I couldn’t take a repeat of last year on our part at the end… . . …
RTR & GT

Buzzy243 wrote:

This might be a topic for a more advanced guide, and it’s not strictly unique to the FW3A:

How about including some notes on calibrating the thermal sensor in Andúril? Might help some folks squeeze out a few extra seconds on turbo.

Also, I don’t see a link to the manual at all. Maybe include that near the top, at the very least.

I looked for the FW3A User Manual too, so as to add a link to it; but I can’t find it if there is one. If you or anyone knows of one, direct me to it and I’ll certainly add a link to it.