New 'SolarForce L2P Forward Tailstand Clicky' AND 'MF Ultrafire 3Mode Drop in' are INCOMPATIBLE !!!

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Hello guys,

I just received my new L2P with what I EXPECTED to be a TRUE REVERSE clicky switch, BUT it turned out to be "New Forward Tailstand Clicky". I put Manafont Ultrafire T6 Drop in and the light does not switch properly. It jumps through modes and sometimes light goes from off->high->off in a millisecond all while i'm depressing the button, VERY ANNOYING!

This is my first SolarForce and I did a month of research before I ordered, and I made sure it said REVERSE CLICKY. The only reason I ordered that model is because i read somewhere on this forum that a guy loves his reverse clicky and how well it integrades with UF 3mode dropin. (So i though i would get a proven compatible combo).

http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=FB&s=7&id=17&sname=Solarforce%20L2P%20HAIII%20Black&xpage=1&sh=1

Here is the switch that L2P feature now:

http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?id=271&s=18&t=FA

He calls it both "Reverse" and "Forward" in the discription, can it be any more misleading.

Who is to blame? the Driver or the Switch?

It appears to me that as I start to press the switch momentarily I can select the mode I like (this is equivalent to any true forward clicky operation) but then when I selected the mode, I press the switch passed the click and as I retract my thumb the light goes through the mode change one more time. Another words, the switch switches twice: once when I press it, and second time: after the click and while de-pressing. Sometimes it confuses the driver and it skips through modes very rapidly going to the complete OFF mode when i release a button. The Flashlight is useless at this point.

I have a feeling this driver was designed for a true reverse clicky switch which turns the light once after the click. Or the switch is designed differently somehow.

I mean there are plenty of people who are using this light with this drop in and no one stumbled on this issue?

What should I do?

2

Yikes. I would have asked them first since the description says "reverse" and product name is "forward". Have you contacted them about it?

Also, test that it is the switch by removing the switch and putting something between the battery and end of the flashlight tube and cycling through the modes...maybe the drop-in isn't making good contact with the body?

3

My UF drop-in shows the same habit when using a foward switch, using reverse everything works fine.

Contact ITC to send you the reverse clickie switch (inner part) so you can swap them.

4

that sounds really like a bad switch maybe - use a piece of metal instead of the tailcap and see what the FL does. i recently got a bad switch and they replaced it.

also if you requested a reverse they should supply it. just email them - so far they have been stellar in my book fixing their f-ups.

originally i was going to say learn to love the forward clicky ! i prefer them myself and once you have a feel for it changing modes its faster at the start. i have a forward clicky with the MF dropin works great. when i had the bad switch it was flaky and only would show that while installed

just email them and let us know what they say

5

08CivicSi, i just tested the drop-in with the battery only and with everything assembled but without tailcap and the drop-in seems to work correctly (memory mode works too).

joerch, Thanks for a note of reassurance (i thought someone must have seen this). I'll contact them for the reverse inside-switch but will have to wait another 3 weeks.

df2dot, I do not mind the correct forward clickie operation at all, but this one switches modes as I release the finger and cycles through modes or turns the light off.

Can i ask you about how your forward clicky behaves? As I understand the action is momentary before the click BUT the circuit should be continuously closed while the switched is pressed and finger is released. Mine seems to break the circuit again on release.

Is this correct operation of such forward clicky, or am I being too picky?

And since we are on the subject: How does a TRUE REVERSE clicky should operate as far as mode changing goes?

6

Its the way of the forward switch - [ it happens ]

It comes from a momentary loss of contact when the switch is clicked on [ and varies as to how sensitive the drop in is ]

So if you have a few drop ins - you may find one that is un affected ..

Now this will also depend on the switch , some may have no loss of contact and some may have more [ luck of the draw ]

I think the love of the Forward clicky came from single mode lights , and as long your drop in isn't overly sensitive .

7

I have an older L2P and the battery tube is a little long on that one. The result is the battery isn't in constant contact with the contact springs, which the drop-in sees as switches to change modes. I know some people have stretched the springs on their lights in order to always make contact. I thought the newer L2P's had a shorter body tube and this might get worked out.

If you shake the light does it change modes? That probably indicates bad contacts.

8

brted, I did shake the light vigorously and it WAS changing modes. So i took everything i could apart (switch assembly, reflector) stretched out both springs on the driver and the switch, wrapped the battery in one sheet of paper so it was not shaking any more. I turned it on shook and hit it like crazy and it no longer changes modes by itself.

The operation became more predictable in it's behavior. Before it was changing modes sporadicly now I can see that it is clearly changing to the next mode on finger release.

It's funny because sometimes I can press the button and release VERY SLOWLY and the driver stays in the same mode.

I guess driver's sensitivity and switch release time come into play here.

old4570, Thank you for your very informative post and many reviews you did, they helped me during my research.

You were the one who turned me onto the reverse clicky and the XTAR CC/CV charger.

So does it make sense to ask Solarforce-Sales.com for another forward switch to try or just get the reverse clicky.

I want to make sure I understand the reverse clicky operation: I press, click, light turns on after I de-press the button. Once the light is on I can press the switch momentarily to change modes at any time, right?

9

Yes

10

Interesting.

I have that exact light with the same switch and it is indeed, a reverse clicky. With a 3-mode UF XM-L from Manafont I purchased last month, it works as perfect as my previous L2P/UF T6s. This same combination works great with a forward clicky too.

I may have missed it but what battery are you using? As mentioned, it might be a length issue.

Foy

11

Correct. For multi modes reverse is the way to go.

12

I have 2 L2T's forward clickies that are affecting sensitive drop ins , and one that seems not to ...

[ I was swapping tailcaps around between my lights ] So odds are you might get another that does the same , and they dont do it every time , the angle of the press seems to have some effect [ sideways pressure ] which may cause momentary loss of contact when clicking on .

I have ?? 6 forward clickies , all up , and in all honesty could live without them . [ and only 2 are without this issue ]

If you dont have a strong personal preference for one over the other , then I would say reverse clicky .

13

Guys thank you for such quick replies (in minutes) and all the suggestions!!!

I will contact Solarforce and ask them for Reverse Clicky replacement and will let you know if the situation improved.

Edit: I'm using Sanyo R1122 3.7 volt 2600MAH Lithium Ion Batteries.

14

I just received my Ultrafire 3-mode drop-in from Manafont today and I am having the same issue with my Solarforce L2P with forward clicky. I tried swapping tailcaps with my L2T (also a forward clicky) but it didn't work either. I'll be sending an email to Solarforce to see if I can get a reverse clicky switch.

15

I'm glad I'm not alone. Let's see what they say to both of us. When I ordered I was pretty sure I was ordering Reverse Clicky, now the description says " Forward CLikcy VERSION".

16

Good call Brted ..I was gonna say the same thing ..

If when it's on you can change modes by smacking the light or bouncing it ...it's because you have too short of a battery in it and need a longer battery or need to stretch the springs a little .

17

18

Oh a group buy would be great!

19

I just tried smacking my L2P a few times and it is rock solid. The problem appears to be in the clicky itself - it must "bounce" a bit when it clicks, and the Ultrafire 3-mode is apparently very touchy about that. I have a Solarforce 5-mode in my L2T and it works just fine. So it looks like there's a little blame to go around - the 3-mode is touchy and the forward clicky switch bounces.

I did send an email to Solarforce asking if they could send me a replacement reverse clicky switch or two. They are easy enough to replace in the tailcap, but I couldn't find any 3A switches online with similar dimensions (the Solarforce switch has a fairly tall button)

20

I just wonder, why so sudden switch to forward clickies from Solarforce?