Mag: Kroll vs Twist On+ Sandwich Damage?

I heard that using the twist switch will ruin the Lux or the converter board of the Sandwich. I also heard that Lambda solves this somehow. Is this true?

hmmmmm that does seem like a logical concept. When you twist, you are providing more pressure to the light engine so there is a chance that you will crush the converter....

I don't think it's the converter that's the problem. When you twist in (tighten) the head of a MiniMag, the cicumference of the bottom of the reflector presses down on the edges (the black plastic part) of the LED, thus pushing the entire assembly down and breaking the contact between the top of the sandwich (the silver part) and the battery tube, turning the light off.

The trouble is that the LED is only held in place by the four contact pins, so there is a chance that the twisting will place a torque on the LED itself large enough to twist the LED off.

So how did Lambda solve this?

Here is my findings. I know why a person has to use a Knoll switch with a Nexgen with the reflector option.

I have both the Nexgen with a the aftermarket IMS 17mm reflector and the Lambda MiniPro with the modified stock reflector. I can see, and have experienced, the problem with the Nexgen and the IMS reflector. The IMS reflector on the Nexgen stands on three very fragile legs. Twisting the head on the MiniMag like you would normally do to turn the light off bends and breaks the little legs holding the smaller than stock reflector. The IMS reflector then sits on only one or two legs in the MiniMag crooked. The little legs cannot stand the strain of pushing down the Sandwich with enough force to turn off the light. The reflector doesn't have the strength to push the negative contact away from the body of the light. I bent and broke two of the legs on the reflector by doing the natural twist on and off of the MiniMag. Oh, I repaired the reflector legs so they will stand the strain of twisting the head down but it is safer to use the Kroll switch. I ended up gluing splints on the legs. The splints were made from heated and stretched leftover plastic "spruce" from plastic models that I make as another hobby. When you have the reflector in the head of the light just twist the head on until it is tight.

Now Lambda's reflector in the MiniPro doesn't have the reflector problem and doesn't need the Kroll switch. The MiniPro uses a cut down stock reflector. The stock reflector has stronger and more vertical ribs plus part of the original base of the stock reflector to push down on the heat sink. Pushing the heat sink also pushes the Pill away from the light casing and shutting off the light.

Can I say the mystery of the Kroll is solved? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Guys, are your sammies filled with epoxy? If they are those are either DevCon or 4:1 epoxy which could easily handle the compression & shear force when you twist.

I've been using my MM+BB400 at least once a day for the last 2 months and everything still works perfectly.

The issue is shear pressure on the Lux base, not so much on the sammie itself (that's why they should all be filled with epoxy). There was also an old issue with the possibility of breaking the Lux off the board when using a NX-05. The problem was rare and was fixed by affixing and soldering the Lux differently onto the emmiter board. I can't find the link in my favorites right now. I thought I'd mention it although it's been fixed.

So we can safely twist away, except on NexGens?

the crushing effect on sammies only occured on lights with solid twisties. it's not possible to crush a sandwich in a mini-mag. as both kroll and std tailcap uses a spring.

however on a mini-mag the base of lux pushes sandwich back to break contact. lamda's new mini-pro has a built-up area to engage reflector.

on firefly, ARC LS with twistys, CNC 123 etc. this crushing effect certainly is possible. ARC AAA, AA, infinity series etc is the same.

Solid Twistys are the one that uses the twist motion to engage the switch as opposed to disengaging, correct?

I've been wishing someone with micro-manufacturing skills could come up with a head-end switch.

Like this, roughly:
An insulating washer between the Mag body and the sandwich, with a metal back on it and a wire coming through and off to a microswitch that could be mounted in a hole in the side of the Mag head, anywhere.

Something about the size of a computer DIP switch or a little larger -- lots of them around if they'd handle the electricity -- that could be clicked on and off with a thumbnail or fingertip.

Maybe with a setscrew at the same time, to lock the flashlight parts together so the head wouldn't rotate.

Failing that, a comparable tiny little switch in the standard metal screw-in tailcap, where the "extra incandescent bulb" space is located.

Anyone? Don't ask me, carpal tunnel shot my fine motor coordination long ago and it isn't coming back.