Help! Solarforce clicky question

Quick question for you solarforce guys. I have the L2T and I installed a Ultrafire 3 mode XML from manafont. Its an awesome setup with great output. I think I'm having a problem with the clicky.

With the light off, I can lightly press the tail cap and change modes, no problem there. If I turn the light on, I can no longer lightly press the tail cap to change modes. I have to turn the light off and then on again. Thats when it ends up changing the mode I want altogether because of the break in voltage. So I'm stuck clicking the light on and off several times while trying to find the mode I want.

My ultrafire doesnt do this. I can change modes while the light it on. Shouldnt the solarforce work the same way??? Is there a fix for this? Seems kind of odd for the light to work this way. Maybe the clicky is bad??

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks guys.

Nothing wrong, that's how it works. The tactical clicky momentary on will change modes using momentary on, but doesn't break the circuit once it's clicked on. Best to choose the mode you want before you click it on. I have a Surefire E2 with LF 3 mode head that works the same way.

Your Solarforce has a forward clickie tailcap. You can press lightly from the off position and the light will remain lit as long as you hold down the button. You can click from the off position and the light will go on and stay on. This is normal for a forward clickie.

Your ultrafire has a reverse clickie tailcap. You have to click it on before you see any light. This is normal for a reverse clickie.

With a forward clickie in the on position, you can then tap lightly to change modes. With a reverse clickie in the on position, you have to turn it off again before you can change modes.

I prefer a forward clickie for single mode lights, and a reverse clicky for multi mode lights. The reverse clickie prevents accidental switching between modes once you've chosen the mode you want.

Ok, so I have a forward clicky in the solarforce. While off, lightly pressing, I can change modes. Now if I want to keep that mode, I press it in further to click it on. Thats when it jump modes. Example, I'm lightly pressing in, I'm in low mode, I press in further to click it on, now I'm in high mode. Driving my crazy.

I cannot change modes while the light is on.

All I would like to do is chose my mode and turn it on. But I think whats happening is that when I have the mode I want and press in to turn it on, its breaking the voltage which makes it jump a mode.


Anyway to correct this? Or is my clicky bad? Would a McClicky work the way I need?

Thanks again guys!!

I read the reply again and it seems that my tactical clicky might be bad. Reason being that its breaking the contact while turning on.

I think if you hold it in for a couple o' seconds on the mode you want, while in momentary, it will memorize that mode, & when you turn it on, be in the mode you want. Of course, it will also chsange modes by turning it off & back on quickly, too.

Good point Broker. I tried just what you said. It works like you say most of the time. Only fact that I dont like is that the "memorize" takes about 12-15 seconds. Even with holding momentary that long, its still hit or miss whether low will stay low. Its definitely working better though.

Any benefits to putting in a McClicky???

joe73:

I have 3 UF (Manafont) 3-mode XM-Ls and 2 work perfectly with Solarforce forward clickys. The other one exhibits the symptoms you mentioned so I put it a light with a reverse clicky and it works fine. Unfortunately, in my experience the standard Solarforce reverse clicky will not fit in the L2T tailcap. The tailcap has a narrowed section near the button area that is smaller than the reverse clicky's diameter.

It may be a drop-in problem, not a switch problem. The electronics in the drop-in control modes, the switch only makes or breaks current. If it's taking 15 seconds to remember the mode, it's electronic, not mechanical. Do you have another light to test the drop-in?

I dont have another host to try the module in, the ultrafire has a larger diameter head. I'm starting to think its electronic as well. I have found that on occasion while trying to get into the low mode and I click it on, the led stays dimly lit with almost no output.

Thanks for the replies guys.