BLF/TLF FW3A - now available

[pappajohan]

Anybody got an good and easy mod to reduce the sensitivity of the tail switch?

Have a love/hate relationship with this light, the sensitivity of the switch being the biggest issue.

My solution so far to reduce accidentally burning my pockets is to remove the metal switch using only the rubber part of the assembly.
While this works I find it a bit hard to turn the light on and off due to the rubber part being a bit deeper inside.

And yes, I know I can quadruple klick to put it momentary moonlight, but I don't really feel like that's a viable option.

Finding myself switching lights between the FW3A and the D4 V2 daily....

Anybody got any suggestions?

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[joshk]

Do you have a 3D printer? I could send you a ring to make the button appear recessed.

 

[AVService]

I find it a lot easier and quicker to just loosen the front slightly for a mechanical lockout and I have not had one turn on when unplanned since then.
There are a lot of lights that seem to require this same handling and I am sort of used to it by now.

 

[Mr. Shawn]

pappajohan, I feel the same way about the switch, which is why I glued a washer to the tail, as explained here.

 

[pappajohan]

pappajohan, I feel the same way about the switch, which is why I glued a washer to the tail, as explained here.

Looks like an easy enough solution.


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[gunga]

My solution is from BLF. I removed the plastic nubbin from under the switch boot. This was replaced with an oring. 1/16 thickness, 3/16 ID, I believe it's #8. This increases the stiffness of the switch. Feels much better. I also added some no -oxit grease under the boot to make it a bit quieter. I put some kapton tape on the button to prevent grease from getting to the switch.

 

[pappajohan]

My solution is from BLF. I removed the plastic nubbin from under the switch boot. This was replaced with an oring. 1/16 thickness, 3/16 ID, I believe it's #8. This increases the stiffness of the switch. Feels much better. I also added some no -oxit grease under the boot to make it a bit quieter. I put some kapton tape on the button to prevent grease from getting to the switch.

Trying the o-ring thing out, the ones I had laying around seems just a tad to thick, have some inconsistency turning the light on and off.

If I press more firmly I have no issue though....

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[hjkl]

How reliable are these lights?

Could I drop it from waist height in a puddle and not worry too much about it?

Will it always come on when I activate the switch?

I have been interested in getting one but have reservations due to concerns of reliability.

 

[JimIslander]

My solution is from BLF. I removed the plastic nubbin from under the switch boot. This was replaced with an oring. 1/16 thickness, 3/16 ID, I believe it's #8. This increases the stiffness of the switch. Feels much better. I also added some no -oxit grease under the boot to make it a bit quieter. I put some kapton tape on the button to prevent grease from getting to the switch.

I was just wondering what to use to fix the easy-on issue. Thank you for posting! I have tons of O-rings at my office. May have to go into work this weekend.

 

[5S8Zh5]

I find it a lot easier and quicker to just loosen the front slightly for a mechanical lockout and I have not had one turn on when unplanned since then.
There are a lot of lights that seem to require this same handling and I am sort of used to it by now.

Great tips - thanks.

 

[idleprocess]

Anybody got an good and easy mod to reduce the sensitivity of the tail switch?

Have a love/hate relationship with this light, the sensitivity of the switch being the biggest issue.

My solution so far to reduce accidentally burning my pockets is to remove the metal switch using only the rubber part of the assembly.
While this works I find it a bit hard to turn the light on and off due to the rubber part being a bit deeper inside.

And yes, I know I can quadruple klick to put it momentary moonlight, but I don't really feel like that's a viable option.

Finding myself switching lights between the FW3A and the D4 V2 daily....

Anybody got any suggestions?

I would recommend that anyone considering the FW3A (and its variants) embrace the lockout - be it the electronic lockout or loosening the head. If four clicks or tightening the head isn't going to work for your use cases then perhaps the FW3A isn't for you.

How reliable are these lights?

Could I drop it from waist height in a puddle and not worry too much about it?

Will it always come on when I activate the switch?

I have been interested in getting one but have reservations due to concerns of reliability.

A mud puddle? Probably. Onto concrete? Not so certain. I have two and both have been dropped from waist height onto hard surfaces. The "v1" (no retaining ring for the tail switch) has had no issues while the "v2" (switch retaining ring) has had troubles ever since the first drop for reasons I can't sort out.

 

[JaguarDave-in-Oz]

I have this torch and the very sensitive button was a big problem for me. I even had it switching on in my top shirt pocket.

My solution is from BLF. I removed the plastic nubbin from under the switch boot. This was replaced with an oring. 1/16 thickness, 3/16 ID, I believe it's #8. This increases the stiffness of the switch. Feels much better. ....

I did much the same as this by removing the litttle knob from the rubber cap (the knob was a white nylon-ish one in my retaining ring version) only instead of using an off-the-shelf o ring I made myself a flat ring out of thin high density foam using a big and little wadcutter and installed it in the recess of the rubbber cap. The switch now takes much more pressure to activate but is still perfectly able to be actuated for programming etc.

There is no way a four press sequence lock-out would work for me. I use a torch maybe fifty times per day and night, often while bent into wierd positions looking into machines etc and getting it out one handed and having it work instantly is a necessity.

Yes, I'm pretty sure that when looked at objectively, the torch is "not for me", it has a number of negatives when it comes to fitting in with the way i use a torch but it also has a number of features that I really like so I'm a bit torn.

I do prefer my Jetbeam RRT-01 (2019) because it just works perfectly in every situation and you can instantly select brightness (and it has that wonderful super low bottom end) but it's only an 18350 torch and the runtimes and lack of proper low voltage management are a bit of a problem in my usage.

I love the Fw3a's battery voltage check, I love its programmability and it's nearly as fast to ramp as the RRT-01 but I don't love the fw3a's very slippery body (that weak knurling might as well not be there) and I detest its overly broad beam, great for using indoors (which surely renders the high brightness redundant) but the wide spread of flood light makes it useless for looking any distance out here in the sticks where I live because too much of the foreground is lit making it very hard for the eyes to see further downfield even though the light is powerful enough to illuminate that further ground. For that same reason its not very good for use in looking into gaps in the machinery of things like farm impements, looking under cluttered benches for tools and snakes etc.

I've ordered the fw1a whose beam will be much more useful in the activities I undertake although I'm still not sure its slipperiness will be able to be accomodated.

 

[JimIslander]

My solution is from BLF. I removed the plastic nubbin from under the switch boot. This was replaced with an oring. 1/16 thickness, 3/16 ID, I believe it's #8. This increases the stiffness of the switch. Feels much better. I also added some no -oxit grease under the boot to make it a bit quieter. I put some kapton tape on the button to prevent grease from getting to the switch.

A metric #3 is about this size and works fine. It still is not hard enough for me to feel safe in my pocket working, but for EDC, yes.

NOTE: The hard plastic nubbin can be safely and securely stored under the lens.

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

Yeah, the FW3A is not for EDC. I tried it a couple of times, but accidental activations were way too common. Nice light... for a shelf.

 

[AVService]

Yeah, the FW3A is not for EDC. I tried it a couple of times, but accidental activations were way too common. Nice light... for a shelf.

I carry mine EDC since getting one.
It has its own pocket though in the carpenter pants and it is locked out with a twist too,no big deal at all?

 

[Heywood Floyd]

Ditto for me on the FW3A ... No probs at all locking out with a twist and four taps before if concerned.

A new FW3T / Cu was DoA but some DeOxiT and playing around woke it up and has been rock solid since.

On the down side Nealsgadgets has been on average a two month wait from pay to arrival. One month to ship and another for the slow boat. Also communications have not been what I'd call stellar. Unfortunately this seems to reflect others on this forum.
Will probably go elsewhere next time.

I carry mine EDC since getting one.
It has its own pocket though in the carpenter pants and it is locked out with a twist too,no big deal at all?

 

[WalkIntoTheLight]

I carry mine EDC since getting one.
It has its own pocket though in the carpenter pants and it is locked out with a twist too,no big deal at all?

I know it's not much effort, but I don't want to have to unlock it to use it. I use a Zebralight for EDC instead. I've never had one of them accidentally turn on.

The way I use a light, it's often used for just a few seconds, but usually many, many times when I'm walking. Locking/unlocking isn't something I'm willing to do that often.

 

[Random Dan]

I know it's not much effort, but I don't want to have to unlock it to use it. I use a Zebralight for EDC instead. I've never had one of them accidentally turn on.

The way I use a light, it's often used for just a few seconds, but usually many, many times when I'm walking. Locking/unlocking isn't something I'm willing to do that often.

I agree. It's not much trouble, but why would I bother when I have so many other options that are faster and easier.

 

[AVService]

I know it's not much effort, but I don't want to have to unlock it to use it. I use a Zebralight for EDC instead. I've never had one of them accidentally turn on.

The way I use a light, it's often used for just a few seconds, but usually many, many times when I'm walking. Locking/unlocking isn't something I'm willing to do that often.

Me too.
The ZL is the number 1 go to and the F3 is the backup.

 

[gunga]

The oring mod is interesting. On one FW3A and FW3T it stiffens things up and is decent for edc (no lockout). On another it makes the switch very firm and definitely ok for edc without lockout. Go figure.