MagCharger Dissasembly

[ag4gt]

Mag-Lite® Rechargeable Flashlight System™

I had a problem with my MagCharger and finally got some help from Ginseng, (thanks).

I thought I would post some of the pictures that go along with the instructions for disassembly.

link

Pic 01

Obviously, this is where you start.

Pic 03

Remove the reflector and bulb.

Pic 04

Unscrew the head. Right hand threads, quite fine like the threads in the tail cap. There was corrosion in the threads and it took considerable force to unscrew the head. I had to clamp the battery tube in a vice using soft wood to cushion the tube. The discoloration on the threads is a copper based anti-seize. I can unscrew the head by hand now.

Pic 06

End of battery tube, charging rings and center contact (positive) spring. The spring is just pushed into the center hole. I found corrosion on the spring and bottom of the hole.

Pic 07

Spring removed.

Pic 08

Positive charging ring removed. The ring just slips off. Note the hole under the charging ring. This is the contact for the positive ring. It looks like a wire with an insolating spacer but it is actually the end of a diode.

Pic 09

Positive charge ring diode removed. It just pulls out of the hole. Note the spring on the end of the diode. I found corrosion in the diode hole so if your MagCharger is not charging the batteries, this may be one place to look. Again anti-seize on the diode spring.

Pic 05

The head assembly. Remove the switch cover.

Pic 16

Contact end of the switch assembly.

Pic 11

Depress the switch and slide the switch assembly out of the head assembly.

Pic 14

All of the parts together. I did not disassemble the switch assembly. In testing, I did not find anything wrong with the switch so I did not tamper with it. The switch assembly is riveted and crimped together. I am sure you could get it apart but getting it back together may be another mater.

Hope this helps.

 

[StEaLtH_]

Thats really a great write-up!!
Thanks for doing this /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Ginseng]

Hi Steven,

Thanks so much for your post. I have completely disassembled the switch assembly so I will post a few pictures. With the exception of the pin socket slug, it can be easily and reversibly be broken down and built back up. I'll be back tonight to post a few pics. Also, I noted that the plastic parts in my newer MC are made of black plastic instead of white.

Oh, one other area to look for corrosion and contact issues is the rear of the charger ring section. This is the section containing the diode. You can actually unscrew that from the body tube to tget to the positive contact spring for the battery stick. Once you get this baby apart, it's no wonder why the MC is so heavy...it's solid metal!

Wilkey

 

[Ginseng]

Parts to the MagCharger Switch Core

A: The black plastic pin receiver slug and the heavy metal sleeve around it

B: The spring that makes contact with the rear of the pin receiver slug (A) and the front of the switch core contact (G). This is the positive side of the circuit. The silver cap is the part that caps the spring and actually contacts the slug.

C: The switch section shell. This fits into the body tube just behind the head.

D: The rear half of the switch core body. The rear of this contacts the charger core.

E: The plunger and switch spring that goes inside the two halves of the switch core (D and G).

F: The roller cam followers that screw into the side of the metal sleeve (A) and follow the reflector assembly to provide focus.

G: The front half of the switch core body.

H: The contact leaves inside the switch core. These make contact with the contact ring (K). note: the one in front completes the negative side of the circuit. The one in the rear completes the positive.

I: The "ball point pen" clickie mechanism at the heart of the switch core.

J: Oops, an extra letter.

K: The contact ring and spring that closes the circuit against the contact leaves (H).

Note 1: The mechanism seems quite a bit more robust than the one inside the C and D Mags.

Note 2: The core is removed by depressing the switch and pushing it out the back of the shell.

Note 3: Parts E, H, I, J, K fit inside the two halves of the core, D and G.

Wilkey

 

[bwaites]

Re: Parts to the MagCharger Switch Core

ag4gt,
Keep this up and you will be in deeeeep hotwire trouble soon!! This was a great job by anyone and by a newbie, you show incredible promise!!:)

As always, very nicely done, Wilkey!!

Any other parts I can send you to disassemble?

Now all we need is a step-by-step tutorial on how to put it all back together!!!

Bill

PS. Mods, can we get this thread back to normal width?

 

[udaman]

Re: Parts to the MagCharger Switch Core

bwaites,

Why do we have to waites for mod's or Admns to fix the width; it is very simple, and I have posted instructions about 1/2 dozen times in numerous threads (once for fivemega, remember?).

Very simple correction, think I'll just provide a link to instructions I gave GarageBoy


Ginny, pull out your micrometer and start measuring things /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif , I respectfully disagree with your analysis on the M*gChr. Sure there is more metal, but that does not necessarily mean more current flow, think about what is involved with current flow as I have been doing over the past few weeks trying to figure out some tweaks that could improve that situation. That's really the problem with all M*g switch assemblies, IMHO; and each of them has different, if not great amounts, of weaknesses in this area (bwaites, Ginny, js; you all recall my mention of 'weak links way back when I first posted and js had his 1st knee-jerk misreading of my post, which he apologized for later upon reflection?) The switch assemblies are designed for less than 1amp current draws, and at those low levels the engineering design is adequate. But do not let the fact that there is more metal in the M*gChr lead you to believe that it provides superior current flow to the bulb.

Unfortunately GarageBoy did NOT edit his post to reduce the width /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif. I can only do so much. see my post#789931

Lithium= 2x + runtime?

And here I thought bwaites read all of my posts to determine their 'value', in this most important of life's endeavors. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[ag4gt]

Re: Parts to the MagCharger Switch Core

As they say in the instruction manuals: “To reassemble, follow the above steps in reverse order”.

 

[udaman]

Re: Parts to the MagCharger Switch Core

Just as I suspected, M*g has changed the design of the switch (Ginseng refers to it as 'switch core', M*g just refers to it as the 'switch') slightly--- well best as I can tell from Ginseng's pics. I'll post pictures of the one I have, and link to this thread for Ginseng's explosion pics. of the other type of switch setup on another thread(I have closer, higher magnification pictures of the switch I have, which better illustrate points about weakness, areas of oxidation).

I see oxidation & corrosion spots, potential current limiting spots in a multitude of places you don't get with the more simplistic standard M*g switch assemblies, not good, not good. TigerLight is far less complicated, much better in this regard; but you can't 'defocus' a TigerLight alas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif, you're stuck with a single limiting beam pattern on the TL.

Apparently there is an 'old' style rubber switch cover (or if you will rubber switch core cover, as Ginseng refers to it), and a newer style. M*g loves to make things confusing for us, no real significant improvement in functionality, just something else we have to worry about in describing the various incarnations.

Item F, the roller pins for cammed operation. Did Ginseng forceably separate the larger of the two rollers, off of the threaded 2mm allen head pin? My roller pins have fixed/attached/non-removable, at least they don't come apart easily; I have extras I can destroy to find out) rollers?

As I mentioned before, looking at item D, you can't see the two small diameter mating/mounting plastic studs on this piece. It would be fairly easy to break these if you are not gentle in separating the two plastic halves of the switch.

Routine cleaning of all the contact points is unfortunately a necessity if you want any of the M*glites to perform at their best, and neglect can render them inoperable, as was noted here and the prior thread. But at least you don't need to buy expensive replacement parts if you know how to fix/mitigate these effects on the problem areas /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. Question is if there are easy tweaks or mod's that will enhance current flow for maximum lumens output with higher wattage bulbs?

Anyway ag4gt, we initially overlooked you newbie status and forgot to welcome you to CPF's, sorry about that. Hope you stick around for a while. Good job on the illustrations, and thanks for referring and titling your thread as to the M*gChr disassembly, as with the M*gChr switch assembly, the standard M*g's are different animals altogether.

 

[NotBrightNuf]

the pictures don't work for me and what is the positive ring?