minimag switch removal

[pdreyfuss]

Help! I have an incandescent minimag and the switch "do not remove" has failed, not turning on anymore. Can someone advise me how to get it apart and what I might run into after that? Thanks.

 

[bykfixer]

I had one that seemed to stop working so I removed the head and gentley tapped to flashlight to my hand and it turned on.

Turns out the plunger feature of the switch was sticking.

I shot a wee bit of WD40 into the switch and worked it up and down a dozen or so times and left it set a few minutes, then worked it a few more times and shazam, the switch works again.

To remove the switch you use a 10 mm or 11 (whichever fits best) socket over the switch and a few good wacks to the socket will push the switch out of the tail end of the light.

 

[Chicken Drumstick]

Don't just hit it. Part of the switch doesn't go through the body.

Remove tailcap, batteries, head and bulb. Point it head down and the switch will rattle, you need to pull this bit off, get a finger nail or a thin blade under and pry off. The rest will push through the battery tube and out.

There should be metal tabs where the bulb pins go, if broken or missing they won't make contact. The switch is pretty simple and self explanatory once you get it apart.

The spring in the cap and batteries push the switch up for on (head loose). With the head tight it closes the switch unit and breaks the connection.