So my trusty U21, that honestly have not seen much use have failed on me.
Last time i used it, it of course worked just fine, but today it would not turn on, as it turn out that little metal dome on the switch have come loose.
I assume it is normally soldered to the switch PCB, so to fix it i assume i will have to get a new switch PCB
Also by no means a expert in SMD soldering, but what i see on the switch PCB don’t impress me.
I am wondering if i can attach the metal dome to the bottom of the rubber part of the switch, but i doubt sticking metal to silicone or what ever make the switch are something you can make last.
Any other suggestions, for replacement parts / whatever, i like to keep the U21 as it have otherwise been a fine little light.
Thank B’harni (pbuh!), not another kung-flu thread…
Still got the dome, or no?
If yeah, you can drop it back into place and use sticky goo to keep it in place. As long as it contacts either/both of the outer thingies with the middle thingy, it should work. (Try it by bridging them with a paperclip or something.)
If not, any piece of metal that’d bridge the thingies when pressed would work, too, only it won’t have the “click” (ie, tactile feedback) of the original.
Yeah i figured maybe just the switch itself could be changed for a working one, it do after all look like a “standard” of some sort.
The replacement of it i can do, though i will probably have to buy a new tip for my soldering iron, it is pretty old and worn out from soldering at too high temperatures for such a fine tip.
Yes i have the little metal dome alright, it was just rattling around in there, but yeah maybe i can lock it in place with my shoe goo i use elsewhere.
I also need to go flashlight shopping, since i am such a nice guy i donated my car light ( Convoy BD06 ) to my niece, so they have a proper light in their house that can charge over USB, if the power should fail in their house, though i doubt it as i made it .
So i need a replacement for that flashlight ( same battery / physical size ) so it will mate good with the “dock” i have installed in my car.
Maybe i stumble over a new switch doing that, and ill also hit up my sources in China to see if they have something lying around, or can find me one at one of their weird electronics malls.
At least most of the guys are back to making stuff again, and thank god CUZ daddy need some new free stuff to test / play with.
this is exactly how my U11 failed about 3 years ago
the metal thingy that makes contact, is attached to the rubber dome, i think
yours probably fell off
this is a terrible design
if it is like mine, the switch is surface mounted, hard to replace
and the driver is glued in, impossible
what i tried was making little metal pieces to glue inside the dome, to make contact
but the dome is silicone rubber, and it flexes - impossible to glue to
any switch you find will have to EXACTLY fit and have the same pinout and function
sure it is a standard but how do you find it?
there is no part number that you can see
“the metal thingy that makes contact, is attached to the rubber dome”
I have just taken a closer look, and i am afraid you are right about the little metal dome that create the contact being glued to the silicone / rubber part of the switch.
That’s just ridiculous but on the top of it where it had been glued in place i did found a clear coat of something with a yellow tint to it ( the yellow probably coming from the switch rubber ), And it barely stuck to the metal dome, peeled right off so probably CA glue.
I did not expect such a amateur approach from a brand like this, something cheaper maybe.
I will have to advise against this brand in the future, cuz this is not just a honest failure, it is a stupid - wrong amateur design decision to save 0.0005 of what ever currency Manker is under.
Dang Lexel, that's a great choice! I've got, I think, maybe 2 different heights, but nothing like those big ones. Will be ordering some.
That's right - had to replace the switches on a couple U21's - poor design. Switches are a critical part of the UI/UX of a flashlight - it's no place to save pennies or not spend the time to be sure of the quality.
doesn;t that manker switch also have to light up somehow?
i think it has about 8 terminals on it
you would have to reverse engineer all that to make a new one fit
plus unglue the driver
unsolder the old switch
solder the new one on, with components on the other side of the board too, to worry about
and hope it fits with the original dome, so it will still be water proof
anyway, i complained loud and long any place people recommended manker
i see that same switch on about 12 of their lights
including some $100 ones, with 4 leds and 4 18650s, soda can style
I think one have to do the repair thru the hole in the light, and it also look as if it can be done.
I just need to go buy a finer tip for my weller soldering station, and then order some switches from some place, just need to find someone that will sell a smaller amount CUZ i don’t feel like buying 50 when i just need 1 even if they don’t cost that much.
There is a lot i need to buy, i am also in the middle of building a new home for my computer, something that when done by me cost about as much as a fairly decent computer in itself.
Most people can make do with 1 maybe 2 radiators for their cooling needs, i am building with 4, and so on
Some can make do with any brand, i am working with ” the best of the best of the best,SIR”
If only flashaholicisem was my only isem, but i have quite a few.
In any case this should not be needed, if the driver had some kind of counter in it, i am ready to bet it haven’t even counted 300 on / off cycles on the U21, so it is a pretty new light.
Imagine if Manker made computer mouses, your mouse would die within the first map you play, or your first internet porn session of the night.
yes it fails too soon
yes it is way too much trouble to fix!
i didn;t even like the light that much , the U11
when the FW3A came along, i never looked back
smaller, anduril UI, better light color, lighter weight
all i gave up was internal charging, a good tradeoff for me!
the FW3A switch is not only robust, it also feels good, and it looks easily replaceable
sure it is on a little ckt board, but it comes in and goes back instantly
