Anyone disassembled Niteye MSA20?

LED Flashlights – General Info
1

Hi,

I just got one of these Niteye MSA20 (2xAA) lights from IS:

http://www.illumn.com/flashlights/niteye/niteye-msa20-xm-l-u2-300-lumens-2-x-aa.html

and it is very nice. It’s not bad on 2xEneloop AAs, but FYI, I also tried it with a 1xAA dummy and a 1x14500 (protected Eagtac) and it is even brighter. Note that it’s only spec’ed for “2-3.2V”, but according to this older review of the MSC10, which I think uses the same driver, etc. (Object/Subject Review: Niteye MSC10 [In Progress] | Candle Power Flashlight Forum), 16340s are ok, so I figured I’d try the 1xAA dummy + 1x14500 combination, which seems to work (including the dimming).

Anyway, this comes with an XM-L U2 emitter, and I’d like to try to swap the emitter for an XM-L2, but I can’t get the pill out of the head or the bezel ring off, so I was wondering if anyone who has an MSC10/MSA10, or MSA20 (any of the “MS” lights) has been able to disassemble the head successfully (and without damaging anything)?

The pill appears to be screwed into the head from the battery end, but there aren’t any holes or anything to use tweezers to unscrew it.

Thanks,
Jim

EDIT: Adding some pics:

Bezel ring:

I have several other Niteye lights, and I’ve always suspected that they have some special tool that fits into the notches in their bezel rings.

Pill/battery-end (scratches on the PCB are from my trying to turn/unscrew the pill using a pair of tweezers - no luck there):

EDIT 2: No responses yet, but I’m thinking that that brass ring is a retaining ring that is holding the driver board in the head, so I’m thinking of trying to drill a small hole/notch on each edge of the ring so that I can try to unscrew the ring using tweezers….

Comments?

I guess the thing that I don’t understand is how the heck they screwed that in in the first place, without such holes?

Two XM-L2 T6 3C - large tint difference?
2

Bump… Anyone?

3

whats the odds its all comes out the bezel end?

4

JB Weld.
Apply silicone to the bezel and lens then press into the JB Weld. When it sets you have a tool that fits those 6 points inside the bezel. Silicone should allow it to release easily.

5

What do you mean when you say “silicone”? Do you mean like silicone grease, like I use for greasing threads?

6

I don’t know. I’d have to try the suggestion for making a tool to remove the bezel ring and find out, I guess.

7

Also, is this the correct JB Weld:

8

Epoxy Putty instead. J-B SteelStik Epoxy Putty Stick Any brand of epoxy putty is likely fine.

Test first. I haven’t tried silicone lubricant as a JB weld release agent myself but others have mentioned it here on BLF.

9

Unbelievable!!

It looks like the pill threads are glued.

It’s kind of hard to see from this pic, but under a magnifying glass, I can see a kind of translucent whitish sealant between the brass ring and the threads on the inside of the head.

I’m really liking this light, so I don’t want to take the chance of destroying it, so I’m starting to think it may not be worth the effort :(…

10

I disassembled my MSA10 without difficulties, the bezel unscrews and all come from the head. Electronics seems to be in the tailcap though.

11

Hi,

Did you have to make a JB Weld tool to get the bezel ring off? Or did your bezel ring come off easily?

12

No, with needle nose pliers it came very easily.

13

Have you tried using a rubber mat?

14

Do you have a silicone jar opener or pot holder? They can sometimes provide the grip to unscrew bezels. Place silcone on table, press bezel into with some weight & turn.

^ rubber mat.

15

I’ve been trying using nitrile gloves.

16

Hah!

The comments about the rubber mat and “pressing” into the silicone did the trick.

As I said, I was using nitrile gloves, but “incorrectly”. I was using them to grip the bezel ring and trying to turn it.

Instead, I put the nitrile glove on a table, and shoved the front end of the MSA20 into the glove, and then turned the MSA20, and voila - ring came off!!

THANKS!!

17

Nice!

You’ll give us pictures when you get a chance, right? :bigsmile:

18

Your wish is my command :slight_smile: :

The star appears to be glued in, and it’s quite deep into the head. Do you all think that I could remove the original XM-L emitter and re-reflow an XM-L2 emitter with the star “in-place” using a heatgun from the front of the head?

19

I haven’t tried, but somehow I feel that won’t turn out well. Are you sure it’s glued? I’ve come across a few lights that use a sort of gummy or tacky thermal paste that needs a little bit more persuasion to remove.

20

No way it is glued in IME. I have broken down an eye-40 to it’s core and assuming the materials are consistent, just use something as a lever and pop it out. Likewise, the same is true for Arctic adhesive (hmm, wonder how I know that))…