FF2 sandwich dead....? now The Resurrection

[simbad]

I really don´t know what happens with my BB650/FF2 sandwich, suddenly droped in regulation with a fresh battery, I´ve tried two more new batteries and it does the same, the two stage switch works fine but when I go to high level it looks brighter but still very dim and greenish.
Basically it still has the two levels but in high it is not brighter than my Arc AAA.
I´ve also tried connecting the battery to the head and negative to the copper thread with a wire and it makes the same "moon mode" beam. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[knifebright]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

i've had a similiar issue with a badboy recently. It sounds like the inductor is blown. if you have a rechargable 123 pop that in there. It should run nice and bright but it sounds like your in direct drive.
jimmy

 

[Chop]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

Did you check to see that the retaining clip is not grounding out on any of the contacts on the underside of the converter?

 

[simbad]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

Yes, I checked that and the ring does not touch anything else than the green board, I don´t have 123 rechargeables with me now but I can borrow one from a friend tomorrow.

 

[LitFuse]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

Blown converter.../ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif the same thing happened to me. It would seem that supplying the light with a snap ring that allows the module to short itself into oblivion is a bad idea. After I bought a replacement sammich, I tossed the stock ring and now use one of the low profile clips from the Shoppe. An o-ring of the proper size will work also. All it takes if for your module to spin a little bit, and bye-bye sammich.

Peter

 

[simbad]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

Well, looks like I´ll go for shopping to the Shoppe, you mean there are thinner rings available Peter?
Finally my FF will go to the garage for a complete refit then.
Thanks to everyone for the help. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[LitFuse]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

Thin retainer ring from the Shoppe

 

[cy]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

I recommend the O-ring to get rid of any possible dead short possibilties when using li-on cell with firefly.

sometimes the optic will prevent sammie from making proper ground as luxeon rests on optic. slightly unscrew bezel to test for improvement.

 

[simbad]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

I´ve just tried that cy, also without the optics and still not bright like before. Which sammie can I get now?, I´ve seen in the shoppe the NexGen 750 but I think it´s too much due to the heat, is it not better the NGen 500?

 

[Chop]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

simbad,

with that turned down optic (or even a reflector of similar size), I wouldn't go over about 500mA. I think anything over that is pretty much wasted. If you're going to do a whole refit of the FF, I'd also order an IMS reflector to shoe horn into the FF. The beam is absolutely beautiful.

If your emitter is still good, all you really need is the bottom half of the sammie. That is, if you like the tint of your luxeon.

I'd go with a NexGen500 sammie, or a MM+ sammie, if brightness is what you're after. I would also consider the MM lite. I'd stay away from the BB in such a small light.

 

[CM]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

[ QUOTE ]
LitFuse said:
.. All it takes if for your module to spin a little bit, and bye-bye sammich.

Peter

[/ QUOTE ]
Peter's right, the sammie *will* want to rotate due to the design of the light. I've used liquid electrical tape on the exposed holes in the sammie and never had a problem since. While you're in there, I echo Chop's advice on replacing the optic with a reflector. It is superior in my opinion. So there...

 

[Sengoku]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

How about coating over the contacts with nail polish to prevent shorting the sandwich?

 

[Chop]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

Nail polish is a good tattle tail, but I wouldn't use it to "prevent" anything from happening. It is brittle and chips away. CM's use of liquid electrical tape sounds like a good idea, or some dabs of AA epoxy.

 

[cy]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

simbad, also check to make sure luxeon leads are not grounding out against copper head.

to check if that is happening, take out the optic

 

[simbad]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

I´ve checked everything again also in my vise with a magnifing glass and there is no any metal part touching the copper, tried just the copper head, battery and a piece of wire and the emitter does not work at full power. I will get a NGen 500, reflector and a low profile retaining ring.
Thanks guys for the help , once I get the parts I will set the light up carefully /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif :

 

[Chaz]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

There is no telling what bit of useful info can be discovered in this forum. After reading this thread, I took a look at the FF head and sure enough the sammie had rotated and one of the leads was about to contact the snap ring. Replaced the snap ring with an O-ring as suggested to avoid any problem as mentioned here.

 

[gorkon]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

I just had the same problem with my FF2/BB650 as outlined by simbad. Behavior is exactly the same, only it reversed itself once, but then reverted back to failure.

I'm no expert here, but I removed the sandwich and noticed that on the edge of the converter board (board with solder blob) exposed copper can be seen. It looks as though DougS did some sanding on the board edge to get it to fit within the copper head, exposing some copper traces. I took some superglue and put a coat on the exposed copper, let it dry fully, then re-assembled. Result is that I'm back to full brightness and so far, it is reliable - so, at least in my case, nothing is blown.

simbad, maybe this is your problem as well, give it a try.

 

[simbad]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

I´ve just tried the sammie on top of the battery and a piece of wire to close the circuit, it works but I can look straight to the emitter and doesn´t even bother my eyes, the battery is checked with my DMM at 3.1V, so there is not a lot I can do.
Thanks for the suggestion anyway Gorkon.

 

[gorkon]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

My "fix" worked for a little while only. Must be some kind of cold solder joint, because it worked for a while and now I can't get full brightness either.

I also tried the wire trick and I too get very dim output, so it is internal to the sandwich. Sorry for sending you astray....

Oh well, I'm off to the shoppe to snap up an NG500...

 

[simbad]

Re: FF2 sandwich dead..?

OK, I´ve checked how it works with a R123 (at 3,8V) and it's very bright and white but I guess it runs in direct drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/poke2.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif