WTB Bright illuminated tailswitches

led4power · 2018-04-16T11:41:14.000Z

I will soon offer ILC-1 kit without brass ring at significantly lower price than assembled ILC-1, top and bottom pcbs have 16.5mm diameter , so such "ringless" ILC-1 should fit in more lights (brass ring is not really necessary, but without it switch and top pcb should be glued to prevent twisting).

pinkpanda3310 · 2018-04-16T11:42:27.000Z

Aah, that makes sense why the brass ring is there

g_sintornillos · 2018-04-16T12:33:28.000Z

pinkpanda3310:

Pulsar:

pinkpanda3310:

led4power:

….I’m don’t know if it fits S41.

I just tried it in my manker E14 (same as S41) and it does not fit.

Why doesn’t it work, do you know?

I guess it could be made to fit as it is close. Diameter is the problem, I think it would fit nicely otherwise. However, myself, I’m not willing to file down the switch nor open up the threads in the tail.

I can’t see the images
That’s how I see them

pinkpanda3310 · 2018-04-16T12:52:52.000Z

Try again…

Did it work?

If not - it’s just a pic of some measuring calipers in the tail cap and on the switch. ID of tail cap = 18.05mm OD of switch = 18.19mm

MastyrOfPuppitz · 2018-04-16T22:41:17.000Z

Lexel:

Positive wire gets to the tube contact
negative gets to the spring
replace washer with board and just connect to to both switch connections

How’s do you get to the spring when the board the switch is mounted on, is between it?

led4power · 2018-04-17T06:46:41.000Z

pinkpanda3310:

Try again… Did it work? If not - it’s just a pic of some measuring calipers in the tail cap and on the switch. ID of tail cap = 18.05mm OD of switch = 18.19mm

I see you didn't remove kapton tape from brass ring?

Lexel · 2018-04-17T09:18:19.000Z

MastyrOfPuppitz:

Lexel:

Positive wire gets to the tube contact
negative gets to the spring
replace washer with board and just connect to to both switch connections

How’s do you get to the spring when the board the switch is mounted on, is between it?

both contacts are on the switch

pinkpanda3310 · 2018-04-17T12:55:20.000Z

led4power:

I see you didn’t remove kapton tape from brass ring?

Doh! Good eyes led4. Without the tape it measures 18.08mm. I guess I could force it but since I don’t want the switch in that light I’m still not going to …

Depending on the machining it might well fit in other E14’s / S41’s :question:

led4power · 2018-04-17T13:09:24.000Z

I don't have any of those lights, are tailcap parts compatible with Convoy(especially threads)?

pinkpanda3310 · 2018-04-17T14:19:17.000Z

I couldn’t tell you, I don’t have any convoy lights (yeh, I know, a blf’er without a convoy :zipper_mouth_face: )

MastyrOfPuppitz · 2018-04-17T15:18:41.000Z

Lexel:

MastyrOfPuppitz:

Lexel:

Positive wire gets to the tube contact
negative gets to the spring
replace washer with board and just connect to to both switch connections

How’s do you get to the spring when the board the switch is mounted on, is between it?

both contacts are on the switch

Can you post pics at different angles of one soldered to switch contacts?

gchart · 2018-04-17T16:25:06.000Z

Even with a “turn-key” illuminated switch, your driver may not be up to the task. Many require a bleeder resistor in order to function properly. So I don’t think it’ll be as easy as just buying some switches, unfortunately.

I’ve done my fair share of illuminated switches - I love them. I’ve put ’em in Convoy S2 / S2+ / M1 / C8, Astrolux S41S & SS, Brinyte B158, etc. I use the PD68 Rev5.3 ring boards, similar in appearance to what Lexel is displaying. Bright, efficient, and 6 LEDs with up to 2 (sometimes 3) different colors.

I don’t really want to open up shop and have a flood of requests, but I’d be willing to help a BLF’er or two fulfill their dreams of a custom illuminated switch. Due to the bleeder resisters, it’d probably be best to send the entire light back & forth. Shipping wouldn’t be cheap, but at least you’d know it would work upon receipt without any fiddling around.

Samples… left to right: Astrolux S41S with blue & green, hand-polished Convoy S2+ with cool white, Astrolux SS with blue & white, Convoy S2 with blue, Convoy M1 with green

MastyrOfPuppitz · 2018-04-17T16:46:43.000Z

I have 4 of Lexel’s LED rings just gathering dust.

pscal · 2018-05-09T02:32:26.000Z

Got my rainbow lighted switch modules in yesterday. They are excellent! MastyrOfPuppitz do you still need photos of them installed?

MastyrOfPuppitz · 2018-05-09T11:31:54.000Z

I can’t solder. Said it from the beginning. It’s why I started the topic in the first place. I was seeking turnkey. The turnkey I bought before making this thread were not bright. Now I have parts sitting in a box. I’ve given up on flashlight modding and turned to modding multitools and collecting knives. Would I like to see pics….yes. Will it change anything, no. I can’t solder. Period.

Lexel · 2018-05-09T12:18:22.000Z

MastyrOfPuppitz:

I can’t solder. Said it from the beginning. It’s why I started the topic in the first place. I was seeking turnkey. The turnkey I bought before making this thread were not bright. Now I have parts sitting in a box. I’ve given up on flashlight modding and turned to modding multitools and collecting knives. Would I like to see pics….yes. Will it change anything, no. I can’t solder. Period.

for the lighted switch boards just 2 copper strands through the LED board holes
solder them

the polarity has to be followed

on the tube side

on the spring

then solder those 2 copper strands to the switch

pretty easy to do, maybe you train on something else, but soldering is not hard on this part of the flashlight

MastyrOfPuppitz · 2018-05-09T14:31:12.000Z

I have had multiple people show me how to solder. Every time I try it doesn’t work. Every single one has been astonished that me doing the same exact thing they do doesn’t solder. It’s quite odd. These people consist of: master plumbers, master electricians, biomedical engineers, electronic engineers, and industrial engineers. There aren’t many things I’ve tried and failed repeatedly, but this is one.

Lexel · 2018-05-09T14:46:04.000Z

there is not much to do

hold solder tip(clean and with a bit solder sticking to it) on the part you want to solder
optional add some flux to the parts, sometimes the one in the wire is not enough
add solder in form of a wire with flux core
see when the solder is molten and has both parts covered
remove solder tip
done

the most important thing is to have a good solder tip on the right temperature,
if its crappy or totally burned and oxidized and too hot it wont solder good
and the solder wire should not be too thick or thin

pscal · 2018-05-09T14:41:25.000Z

I can help solder the parts for you if you mail them to me. I’m just 1 state over. Send me a pm.

MastyrOfPuppitz · 2018-05-09T21:27:08.000Z

Lexel, I know how. Why I do exactly what is shown to me with the same equipment that was used and it doesn’t work is a mystery (which is basically the same thing I posted in my previous post).