js's USL reanimation and revivification thread

[Codeman]

Sounds good to me...

 

[Sakugenken]

Jim I got my USL, thank you so much for rescuing this project. Over 4 years but, thanks to you, it is finally here. Cheers!

 

[js]

Jim I got my USL, thank you so much for rescuing this project. Over 4 years but, thanks to you, it is finally here. Cheers!

Over 4 years. My God. What a shameful fact. Sorry I didn't act sooner on this.

Everyone,

OK, after helping put out a couple fires at the accelerator, I got around to finishing Codeman's light, and it will be winging its way to him Monday via USPS priority mail. I'll confirm this on Monday.

 

[js]

So, I went out and played with Codeman's USL last night. I had forgotten how freaking bright a 100W incan is. Zowie. Anyway, I will still ship it out this afternoon and will post confimration of this after I do it.

 

[js]

So, yes, I did ship out codeman's light to him yesterday via USPS priority mail.

Ray, for testing, feel free to charge at up to 1.0 amp, with a topoff rate set to 200mA. For discharge, test down to .9 or 1.0 volt per cell, either way, just so long as you keep that value throughout the testing. What we want to do here is have the light get used somewhat frequently, in whatever manner. Short burns is fine. But just some use every day/night, and recharging. Then after a week or ten days or whatever, you do a charge/discharge test of capacity. We want to see capacity remain the same from the start, to the end. Now, I did a couple tests here, with my Triton, down to 11 volts, and got 2000 and 2016 mAh, so if you want you could skip the initial capacity test and just do one after 7 days or so of testing. Either way. Probably best if you fully charge your light, then fully discharge it to get a capacity, then charge it up again and use use use it.

Let us know when you get it!

 

[Codeman]

Looks like I'll have to before the weekend. I'll definitely do a C/D/C to start with, just to identify any differences we might have between Tritons. Hopefully, they will be minimal.

I had been discharging the old cells down to 0.9V/cell, but I'm going to cut the Eneloops off at 1V/cell. I was also hitting the CBP's with a 1.5A charge. Since I want to maximize the life of this cell pack, the more conservative values seem a bit more appropriate.

I'll also mix run times up, to hopefully simulate normal usage.

Can't wait to have a WallOLight again!

Thanks for letting me be the test case, js.

 

[Codeman]

My USL made it to the Post Office this morning. Unfortunately, they misread one digit in my zipcode, so it's about 70 miles short of being at the right Post Office. I should get it it tomorrow, though.

 

[js]

My USL made it to the Post Office this morning. Unfortunately, they misread one digit in my zipcode, so it's about 70 miles short of being at the right Post Office. I should get it it tomorrow, though.

I specifically made sure that the sending post office had the RIGHT zip code because the stamped return address label you gave me did seem just a bit hard to read. The guy said the number back to me and said that it would be encoded on the bar code on the postage. *&!%$#! I mean, REALLY!

Whatever . . .

 

[Codeman]

It was probably somethig simple like some dust partially covering one number when it was scanned. The middle number was read as an 8 instead 9. No worries...

 

[Codeman]

I had one of those Fridays that really should have waited to be a stereotypical Monday. Nothing went right until I got home safely from work, which at that point was the highlight of my day. The USL was waiting for me, so I'm thinking, finally - the day is going to get better. After putting up the groceries and changing clothes, even though I am hungry, I just had to get a bulb installed, verify it's made the trip safe, and start a charge. After grabbing the bulb that I had been using earlier, no joy. There's no visible break in the bulb, but I have plenty of un-opened spares. So I open a new bulb, check that it looks good, and install it. Still no joy.

I then grabbed my DMM and check the voltage on the pack - 14.99V - so that's good. I then check for continuity on both bulbs. They both showed closed circuits so I'm reasonably certain the bulbs are okay. I then re-installed each bulb, turned the light on, and check for voltage across the bulb. 0V for both bulbs. I then put the USL on the Triton, which confirms 14.99V and happily starts charging.

Unless it's possible for a bulb to pass a continuity test, show no visible break anywhere, and yet still be bad, the only thing left is the circuit between the pack, the can, and the bulb.

Given the day that I've had and the need for supper, I'm just going to let the USL top off and put it to bed for tonight. Tomorrow, I'll loosen the can and see if I can spot anything wrong. Given js's great packaging and very solid work, I'd be surprised to find that anything got jarred loose in transit, but with the luck I've had today, maybe all bets are off. The box was in pristine conditions, so there was zero evidence of any rough handling. Still...

For those who are continuing to suffer the long wait to get their USL, if I can't resolve the problem quickly, I'll get it on it's way back to js ASAP. We need to get the Eneloop tested so that the build can finish.

Having gone a while without a USL, I know how that feels (though not as bad as the wait that some of us have endured, I'm sure). Still, having one that isn't working, well, that feels worse than not having one at all. Like some kind of a really cruel, satanic joke. I hear it saying "Ha, ha, ha. I'll work for js, but not for you!!!!" #!$FAV##$#QWE!@##%^

In short,

USL - :nana:
Codeman - :scowl:

 

[Codeman]

The Triton is showing 16.52V during the top-off.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

I have been looking at my USL and trying to see what would make mine not work, and I can not figure what it could be unless the battery pack to body connection is broken. You obviously have inserted the pins in deep enough. Did you try re-inserting the bulb? Switching pin orientation around, though polarity is not an issue with incans. Just thinking out loud.

Bill

 

[js]

Codeman,

For starters, everyone has received their USL, so no one is waiting on the testing, except for one person whose USL broke, or the battery died or something. So no worries on the time front.

OK, next, stick your DMM probes into the socket, where the lamp leads go, and see if you get voltage there. I'm guessing you won't. So, that means the switch somehow died or broke, or one of the wires to the switch leads came unsoldered. This has happened to people before, at least once, so it's not out of the realm of possibility.

And this is almost certainly what has happened here. Unless you feel up to unsoldering and removing the old wires and soldering them onto a new switch, you should send it back to me. But, if you are up for that job--it wouldn't be too hard--then I can just mail you a new switch.

If you find voltage at the socket, but still no joy, then that is a lot more puzzling, but I would still have some thoughts. But, I'll wait to talk about those until I hear the results of the voltage test on the socket inputs.

As for the can, you can't pull it out or tell anything about it, so just leave it. To disassemble a USL, you need to pry the rocker switch up and remove the two wires to the switch. You could probably use wire cutters--there's probably enough extra length to allow for that to be done and still give you enough lee-way to solder the wires to the new switch leads.

OK. Let me know what you find.

 

[Codeman]

Man, you really did keep wire length to a minimum!

Sorry I'm just now getting back to you, but I was a bit busy with a football game yesterday. Yesterday, I dug out my Fluke test leads and the socket showed 0V. This morning, I popped the switch up. 0V but continuity is good. When I grabbed another light to peak inside, I discovered that the wire between the can and the pack is not connected to the pack. The end is just resting against the inside of the tube. Whoops!

With a little guidance, I should be able to handle the repair. I've got a Hakko station with 1, 1.6, and 5 mm tips, some desoldering braid, and some flux. What I don't have is any good solder. All I have is RS stuff - rosin-core 60/40 and silver bearing solder (96/4 lead free and some 62/36/2) in a couple of sizes.

I've been waiting for a good reason to use the station, which I've had sitting in the box for about 3 years. I've used cheap irons for years, with very mixed results. This will be my first time using a good one. I've learned the basics of soldering since I bought the Hakko, but that's about it. Still, this should be within my abilities. Famous last words...

I do have some questions, if you don't mind:

1) It looks as if I'll need to unsolder the switch and cut loose the silicone that is holding the pack in place in order to remove things. Is that right?
2) What is the best way to unseat the pack from the silicone?
3) What do you recommend for solder? I started to order some Kester this morning, until I saw just how many they offer.
4) What temp do you suggest I use for the switch? I'll use either the 1 or 1.6 mm tip here.
5) What temp for the pack? I'll use the 5mm tip here.
6) Is there any silicone at the switch-end, or is it just at the tail?
7) Will GE Silicone be okay when I re-install the pack? The tube says that it's good for up to 400°F.
8) Is there any reason not to silicone at least 2 cells on the end? I'd like to get rid of the rattle.
9) Other than making a note of the position of the can and the battery pack, is there anything else I should know?

Sorry for all of the questions. I really want to do the repair myself and save you the trouble, but I don't want to screw anything up. Besides, someone else might find the info helpful down the road.

Hmm...looks like I better calibrate the Hakko, too. It's off a bit.

BTW - nice finishing job on the tail/tailcap. The inserts really clean things up!

 

[js]

Ray,

If you want to give it a try, I'm fine with that, but it is tricky on a number of levels. If it had been the switch, that would be one thing, but if it's one of the leads to the pack, that's another thing. Because there are two connections at each pack contact: the connection to the charging pigtail, and the connection to the switch or the lamp socket. So, if you heat up the + contact to resolder the power lead, you have to make sure the charging lead stays put. It's possible that you may be able to do this with the pack in place, but I doubt it. I suspect it will need to be removed.

I wonder how and why that lead came loose, though. I field tested the light and everything. One thing I didn't do was label the box as "fragile", though. It may have take some serious knocks, I suppose.

Anyway . . .

1. Yes.
2. It's only glued at two places at the back, so you can attack the RTV glue blobs with needle nose pliers or a screw driver blade. Just be careful about the pack.
3. I use kester "44" 60/40 rosin core solder. Stay away from silver solder. It's too high temp. You want a low melting temp solder. The solder you have is probably just fine.
4. I solder to the switch and circuit boards at 600 to 650 F.
5. For the pack I bump that up to 750 F
6. Just at tail end.
7. Yup. The only part that gets very very hot is right at the socket.
8. You can silicone as much as you want, but you'll be very unhappy later if or when you have to remove the pack. This is the weak point / most poorly designed feature of the USL. I did it this way initially in the proto-type because it was . . . well . . . a proto-type, and I told Bill he could figure out a better way to do it, but this is how it stayed. I haven't given a lot of thought to a better way, because while it is possible, and desirable, it is non-trivial, and I just wanted to get the USL project done.
9. I don't think so. The most important thing is that there is enough room for the tail cap to screw down all the way, but not TOO MUCH room, as you don't want the pack too far forward for a number of reasons.

I'll need to mail you a new switch and a length of the teflon coated wire.

And keep in mind, if you screw it up and get stuck, you can always pack it all up and mail it back to me. I really don't mind re-doing it myself.

One last thing: BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO SHORT OUT THAT PACK. It will be very pyrotechnic if you do.

 

[js]

You know, Ray, the more I think about this, the more I think you should probably just send it back to me as-is. I'd like to see what that broken joint looks like, and soldering to a battery contact is tricky business--a sort of specialized soldering skill that takes some time and effort, some trial and error, to learn. Not the sort of thing you should do to an eneloop pack your first time out.

Unless you really feel strongly about giving it a try yourself (which I'm fine with), it's probably best to send 'er back to me as is.

Let me know what you think.

 

[Codeman]

The switch is fine, so there's no need to replace it.

You talked me out of trying this myself, though. I'll send it back in a day or so.

I put some Magnalube-G on the threads, so it stinks a bit. Just thought I'd mention it, in case you haven't encountered its smell before.

 

[Westy]

I figured out how to respond to the PM's.

I have responded to all PM's and emails I have received so far.

Bill

*please email me at bwaites(at)genext.net*

I just dropped Bill a note and have fingers crossed for the noted 'refund check on charger/supply not received. I charged mine up last night but have to do some reading here to see how my battery pack is responding. Seemed bright but I wasn't lighting fires and my eyes got tired so I shut down efforts. Very cool to see the eneloop pack testing.....didn't read how that initiative came about? Just a new option or someone looking for a store it and forget it USL battery option so it's always their when needed? With my work and use that would very much appeal to me.

 

[js]

Hey guys,

Sorry I haven't posted to this thread in a while. I had been planning on reworking Codeman's light and doing the other last items on this project, about 12 days ago, but I pulled some muscles and have been more or less out of commission for a bit, but I'm back now and will be up for some workbench time this weekend. I'll report back at that point.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Looking forward to your progress fixing Codeman's USL.

Bill