Modding a Judco Switch

[Old-Lumens]

I like to use Judco Pushbutton switches when I can. The reason is because they make switches that take up to 10 amps and they are affordable. One other reason is because the contacts are copper instead of plated tin.

Here is the switch opened up. You can see the copper contacts and horn.

Here are the components.

The only problem sometimes, is the offset position of the push button. I would rather it was centered in the body, or if the body was square somehow.....

Solution: Use a hacksaw to cut off the extension of the housing just past where the pins are, that hold the housing together. This leaves us with a more centered pushbutton.

Here, I am putting it back together. I have put the housing in the vise, so it is flush. That way, when I put in the contacts, they stay in place while I get the horn in.

Now I have a 13mm x 13mm square Judco switch and with a little rounding of the corners, it will fit in a half inch copper coupling, for an upcoming project. I will use AA or epoxy, to seal the end where I cut off. That way it strengthens the contacts where they extend out.

I did this post at work, so I can't even see the photos myself. I hope it comes out ok, or I will have to fix it at home tonight.

[scaru]

Yep, the pictures are all there. :) Nice work on the mod, those switches look really nice.

[DB_Custom (Dale)]

Nice work there, Thanks Justin for the info and pictoral on how to make it work. Now if I can only remember this after I sleep tonight….

[Rufusbduck]

I think I see where this is going but I won’t spill the beans.

[moderator007]

Thanks OL for the info with great pics. I do use the judco switch occasionally. I had no idea that they would come apart without destroying them. I like the idea of making it shorter too. I have one that’s faulty, I may just try fixing it.

[Old-Lumens]

@Rufusbduck

I think I see where this is going but I won’t spill the beans.

Nope, it’s not going there, LOL.

Three x 2AA Mini-Mags together, (possibly), with a copper pipe center that holds the switch and may hold the driver wiring for Master/slave. It's just an idea now, but I do have the lights sitting on the bench.

[texaspyro]

@Old-Lumens

I did this post at work, so I can’t even see the photos myself. I hope it comes out ok

Uhhh Justin, you posted a bunch of pics of you nekid in the shower… they did come out OK.

[DB_Custom (Dale)]

ROFLMAO

Going it blind are ya Justin?

[Old-Lumens]

@texaspyro

@Old-Lumens

I did this post at work, so I can’t even see the photos myself. I hope it comes out ok

Uhhh Justin, you posted a bunch of pics of you nekid in the shower… they did come out OK.

I know that’s not true or there would have been a Lot more laughing.

[Rufusbduck]

I need a new belt. I bit through my old one trying to keep the noise down. Lol.

Nice pics of the mod too. They show how much of that housing is surplus and what you need to keep to have the pins reengage.

[NightCrawl]

Can you fit one of these into an L2P or similar without too much hassle? They look good..

[DB_Custom (Dale)]

Sure, JB Weld Stick does a fine job of fixing things! No messy mixing and minimum wait times.

[MRsDNF]

Is it possible to assemble the light with a terminal coming out either side?

[Rufusbduck]

@MRsDNF

Is it possible to assemble the light with a terminal coming out either side?

Some Judco switches have notches in unused locations that would allow reversing one of the tabs if that’s what you mean. I wonder if it’s possible to drill a hole in the bottom of the case to make it into a tail cap switch by adding a spring

[Old-Lumens]

I would say no to both questions. The copper contacts are notched and the pins do not match from one end to the other. Also, since the spring for the clicky extends into the bottom half, it would not work if the bottom were open.

[Adam706]

My gf has been begging me to go with her to the nail place for a manicure and pedicure. maybe i should. lulz

[MRsDNF]

@Old-Lumens

I would say no to both questions. The copper contacts are notched and the pins do not match from one end to the other. Also, since the spring for the clicky extends into the bottom half, it would not work if the bottom were open.

I'm not sure why this cant be done unless I'm missing something. In the first picture if the top terminal strip/contact is rotated 180 degrees so that it could be used as a normal switch in a tailcap. The side of the plastic, can it be cut out to accommodate the strip coming out the opposite side?

[Old-Lumens]

@MRsDNF

@Old-Lumens

I would say no to both questions. The copper contacts are notched and the pins do not match from one end to the other. Also, since the spring for the clicky extends into the bottom half, it would not work if the bottom were open.

I'm not sure why this cant be done unless I'm missing something. In the first picture if the top terminal strip/contact is rotated 180 degrees so that it could be used as a normal switch in a tailcap. The side of the plastic, can it be cut out to accommodate the strip coming out the opposite side?

Notice the pins in the left side of the picture. They are close together where the contacts are. Notice the pins on the right side of the picture. The pins are farther apart. The left side shows the contacts are cut out to fit within the pins. The other ends do not. If one contact faced the other way, it would not be aligned, because the pins are farther apart and the contact would not be held in place well. It would not be kept from shifting sideways and it would not make correct contact with the center horn.

EDIT: You could make new copper contacts and that should work properly.

[Rufusbduck]

Would you like one to try it out on?

[Old-Lumens]

MRsDNF, would you like me to make you a modified Judco switch that will work like a Chinese Tail Clicky, complete with the reversed contact and a spring base?

I just figured out how to do it.