My Lumintop Tool AAA now only works with Li-Ion 10440

[moderator007]

I haven’t tore down my tool AA to check yet but most of these AA or 14500 lights use the PAM2803 boost ic circuit with a FET.

[WIP] 15mm PAM2803 w/ ATtiny13A rough layout / possibility

Wight, really happy to have you back in. . This picture is closest to a ‘stripped’ version of the FT driver I have at hand. It’s the exact driver I did modify, pic taken while in the process of swapping MCUs. What you can’t see is the connection between pin4 and pin6 under the PAM2803. . [image] . There is the other thread where we discussed the boost driver and @ImA4Wheelr had drawn a schematic of the FT driver. Just borrowing, hope that’s ok. My successful Mod was this: [EDIT: new pic…

With a 14500 it runs in direct drive with the components in series with the led and feedback resistor limiting current. In my experience the PAM2803 is usually what goes bad first but I have also seen the FET go bad too. You might try replacing it if that’s what is used on the driver.
I get mine from Arrow with free shipping. https://www.arrow.com/en/products/pam2803aaf095/diodes-incorporated