Mmm smells like Fried Driver.

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Received a new flashlight (TK35 clone) a while back and upon initial start up it seemed to be stuck in low mode. Opened it up and could smell a fried electrical smell. Anyway, seems to be fine apart from the initial smell and only being able to access low mode. I was wondering if yall could help me in either fixing the driver, or making this low mode into a high (4-5A) mode.

This board has a contact plate on the opposite side that makes contact with the board located on the underside of the pill in the head.

Two cells in the carrier underneath this board. I would assume in parallel, but I am definitely not sure. The two switch functionality has 1 forward clicky for momentary on and on/off control. The smaller switch is supposed to switch modes and supposed to be hold to activate strobe.

Any help would be much appreciated! Thanks guys.

2

I’m going to suggest the choke got smoked. You might be able to confirm with an ohm meter.

3

Magic Blue Smoke Refilling Kit - SparkFun Electronics

4

I have never heard of a “choke” on a driver. Could you point it out and I’ll promptly test it.

5

here is the choke on your daily driver :stuck_out_tongue:

6

I think the “choke” that he was referring to is the inductor… the big round thing in the 1st pic.

7

Sorry, yes… choke=inductor - old habit from audio days.

8

Looks like U1 in the second photo is a bit melted, maybe the soldering iron touched it when the joint was made next to it during manufacture?

9

I’d really like a chance to work on one of these. If you’d consider selling it I’d give you what you paid, just don’t feel like waiting on one from china…

Edit: post 1700!

10

post 1701 is more significant :smiley:

11

Is this soldered correctly?? Looks like it may not even be attached to the lower set of pads, it's shifted way off to one side.

12

good eyes! :wink:

13

A pick-n-place error? Imaging how many ten’s of thousands of these boards are out there like this :weary:

14

Better yet, this is likely a part substitution. It looks like the layout wanted the other (more square) version of the Atmel Tiny13A.

15

It's very unlikely to be an Atmel part, nearly everything but the Nanjgs use PIC or PIC-like clones.

16

I suspect the PICs also have the two different form-factors 8S2 vs 8S1.

17

The .209” version not the .154” variant

There is some play in the tStop for the pads, it’s soldered correctly…just very very sloppy (component shifted over)

18

Might want to double check the battery carrier, ive seen 2s tk35 clones before, was thinking about making a mtg2 mod of one.