carl
Flashlight Enthusiast
Just got an incandescent Maglite 3 C-cell with a clicky switch for $15 shipped (Walmart.com). Great price!
Here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/3-C-Cell...0Q-MgVV1lDjP-Kd3weUaAicPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I just took the switch out using a Wiha-brand T8 torx wrench for $1.30 shipped (Amazon - no $25 minimum purchase required).
It looks like a standard Allen-key wrench L-shape but with a Torx tip.
Here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000T9XWGQ/?tag=cpf0b6-20
I filed down the shaft of the wrench to a very very slim profile to fit the tiny hole to reach the set screw in the Maglite switch to remove the switch from the battery tube.
Even though the picture of the wrench shows the wrench shaft to be no larger in diameter than the tip, the wrench I actually received has a body which is about 1/2mm larger in diameter than the tip so it will not fit the Maglite switch until you grind or file the body of the wrench down to size (this is a well-documented disassembly problem with newer incandescent Maglite clicky switches - Maglite made the access hole to the set screw very narrow to discourage removal of the switch itself).
The switch has been almost taken apart except for the black plastic center body. The bulb 'post' is a translucent olive light brown color and is a separate piece from the black body (it rattles a bit when shaken) and I want to take it out but can't remove it.
The switch mechanism in the center does not appear to be separate from the rest of the body - just all black plastic. There are no screw holes holding the two halves of the switch body together.
The push button itself is also black plastic (not white). There is no separate blue plastic switch body.
It appears as though there were originally two black plastic halves which were fused together after the switch mechanism was installed and now it is impossible to separate those two halves.
Am I missing something?
If this switch cannot be completely disassembled including the inner switch parts, is there an older C-cell switch which can be completely broken down and installed in this Maglite? What model number? The ID of the battery tube is 26.2mm.
Here: https://www.walmart.com/ip/3-C-Cell...0Q-MgVV1lDjP-Kd3weUaAicPEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
I just took the switch out using a Wiha-brand T8 torx wrench for $1.30 shipped (Amazon - no $25 minimum purchase required).
It looks like a standard Allen-key wrench L-shape but with a Torx tip.
Here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000T9XWGQ/?tag=cpf0b6-20
I filed down the shaft of the wrench to a very very slim profile to fit the tiny hole to reach the set screw in the Maglite switch to remove the switch from the battery tube.
Even though the picture of the wrench shows the wrench shaft to be no larger in diameter than the tip, the wrench I actually received has a body which is about 1/2mm larger in diameter than the tip so it will not fit the Maglite switch until you grind or file the body of the wrench down to size (this is a well-documented disassembly problem with newer incandescent Maglite clicky switches - Maglite made the access hole to the set screw very narrow to discourage removal of the switch itself).
The switch has been almost taken apart except for the black plastic center body. The bulb 'post' is a translucent olive light brown color and is a separate piece from the black body (it rattles a bit when shaken) and I want to take it out but can't remove it.
The switch mechanism in the center does not appear to be separate from the rest of the body - just all black plastic. There are no screw holes holding the two halves of the switch body together.
The push button itself is also black plastic (not white). There is no separate blue plastic switch body.
It appears as though there were originally two black plastic halves which were fused together after the switch mechanism was installed and now it is impossible to separate those two halves.
Am I missing something?
If this switch cannot be completely disassembled including the inner switch parts, is there an older C-cell switch which can be completely broken down and installed in this Maglite? What model number? The ID of the battery tube is 26.2mm.
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