Disassemble Wolf Eyes/old Pila tailcap?

[Squishy]

Is there a way to disassemble the clicky tailcap from a Wolf Eyes 9MX or an older style Pila GL3X? Mine now clicks twice and won't stay on - all I have left is momentary function.

I have found that the centre button is press-fit, but that didn't help in disassembly. I see something black and plastic behind it, which I assume is the switch mechanism body. How do I get to that?

If that can't be repaired, is there a way to reverse the polarity of the LED tailcap? I think there is polarity protection built in, so I can't simply flip the LEDs around. There are two components on the board, about 2 mm wide and 4 mm long, black with three white stripes. Is that a sort of diode?

 

[dudemar]

IMO the clicky tailcap can't be taken apart without breaking something, therefore you're just better off buying a new one from Pacific Tactical Solutions.

If PTS doesn't sell them anymore the Pila tailcaps do in fact fit, and if I remember correctly they work. I'm going to check in just a minute.

 

[dudemar]

Just checked, the Pila TC works perfectly.

 

[Squishy]

I do in fact have a Pila, it's the old version that shared manufacturing with Wolf Eyes. Do you know if the present Pila tailcaps work as well?

Right now I have shorted the clicky and turned it into a twisty. Works fine for now, though the momentary is finicky because of the fine thread pitch. Won't be good for any sort of tactical work, so I'll have to eventually replace it.

Do you know of any source of LED tailcaps that AREN'T reverse polarity? I'm just about to buy a Nailbender LED module and that will force me to put the batteries in the "right" way around.

 

[dudemar]

Yes, the newer Pila tailcaps work fine on the old GL3/Raider. It looks pretty cool, actually.

If you want a new Wolf-Eyes clicky tailcap I would just buy it at Pacific Tactical Solutions for $14. You can also get the LED tailcap for $16. AFAIK Pila and Wolf-Eyes are the only manufacturers that use an LED tailcap switch. It would be neat to be able to reverse the polarity on the switch, sounds like an interesting project/fun mod.

 

[Squishy]

Reversing the tailcap seems simple enough, I only see one other component aside from the four LEDs. I have no idea what that component is, though, so I'm hesitant to just go flipping them around.

Do you know if the new Pila tailcaps work with the battery positive end towards the bezel? I think I read that somewhere, but I don't know for sure. Are all Pila tailcaps threaded the same? There's a new-style Pila LED tailcap for sale in B/S/T but it's describe simply as a Pila tailcap, no model number.

 

[dudemar]

I think I found the answer to your question.

I just checked my newer Pila GL3, and sure enough the LED tailcap will only come on if the batteries positive end is pointed towards the bezel. Therefore the newer Pila LED tailcaps are not reverse polarity. Pretty cool, huh?:naughty:

 

[Squishy]

Nailbender thought of a new issue in that I'll be using 4.2 V instead of 8.4 V with his module. Sure enough, my LED tailcap doesn't light up with only one battery (checked by putting a battery in the tube and running an ammeter across battery -ve and tube body). Runs 0.04 A with two batteries though.