Source for loose high current forward clicky switches?

[onetrickpony]

I'm wondering if anyone knows where I can get some of these for modding projects. I know I could just order McClicky's but I like to build my own stuff and I can't seem to find anything on google searches.

A few details of what I'm looking for:

1. At least 3A capable.

2. As small as possible, I took a very nice switch out of a basically useless LED Lenser and put it in the tail of my Solarforce L2r, which works great in that light, but I have no idea what kind of current it could handle. I'm working on a big mag based SST 90 light, and I want to get rid of the factory switch and make a custom heatsink that the switch will mount on inside the light, then just use the factory rubber switch boot over it.

3. I'd rather not have to buy like 50 of them, so a small minimal purchase would be good.

Thanks for any help.

 

[VegasF6]

This isn't going to be a lot of help, but let me do what I can. I have tried to find a decent source for switches myself and had very little luck.
I noticed a lot of switches were manufactured by Omten so I checked out omten electric and browsed through there offerings to find some that might suit me. I then contacted them, and after a reply let them know I wanted a number of switches. I forget exactly, but it was probably in the neighborhood of 200 total, maybe 2 or 3 types. They let me know they would be more than happy to send me out that small amount for free as a sample. All I would have to do is send them some money for shipping. After a few more emails it was determined they didn't really know HOW I would have to pay them, but it was looking like Western Union. For something like $130 American, I could have my switches. That more or less ended that conversation.

There is also a website called smparts that deals in Omten switches. I have signed up, in fact at least twice. Everytime I go back there again it tells me I am not validated. But, while they do have a shopping cart setup, it never displays prices. I guess you have to contact them directly. In the end, I have never completed a transaction with them either. FYI they are out of Hamburg Germany, I have to assume shipping wouldn't be cheap.

Another quality manufacturer of switches is Judco. You can email them directly, or some of their products are carried by Digikey and probably other electronics distributors.

Finally, the VAST majority of switches I have seen used in portable lighting are being grossly over taxed. Honesly I don't know how they hold up.

If you have more luck than me, I would like to hear of your sources.

 

[onetrickpony]

Thanks for the reply, sounds like you went through EXACTLY what I've been trying to avoid. Hopefully we'll both get an answer from some CPF member that actually found a solution.

I just noticed that shiningbeam has some replacement switches for their lights for $1.35. I'm wondering if that might work, but then again, it's already built into a housing and seems to be more of the plug and play variety than a raw part. Not to mention that there is no current rating provided, and they are designed for relatively low current lights.

Well, hurry up and wait, I guess.

 

[VegasF6]

There are of course D.X. and K.D. switches. One KD switch is even a forward clicky, if it is still available. But I am sure they aren't rated for 3 amps. I assumed you knew about these and didn't mention them.

 

[onetrickpony]

There are of course D.X. and K.D. switches. One KD switch is even a forward clicky, if it is still available. But I am sure they aren't rated for 3 amps. I assumed you knew about these and didn't mention them.

Yeah, I'm looking for something that is more or less bulletproof, and the comments on the dx and kd switches about quality seem to suggest that they are hit and miss at best. Not to mention the amp rating, as you mentioned.

We'll just wait some more, I guess.

 

[richpalm]

I'm looking for the same thing... a forward clicky replacement for the one in the Solarforce S4 tailcap. I don't like the mushy switch that's in it.

Rich

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

:devil:Interested in this topic as well. I've modded some Solarforce tailcaps with Shiningbeam switches. I use them with my 1.5A dropins and 2 x LiFePo 18500s and they're great, but I wouldn't trust it @3A. I suppose I do have a few to spare. I guess I could take one for the team and stick it on an XM-L 2.8A driver 18650 host and see if it blows. It wouldn't set me back too much...

 

[onetrickpony]

:devil:Interested in this topic as well. I've modded some Solarforce tailcaps with Shiningbeam switches. I use them with my 1.5A dropins and 2 x LiFePo 18500s and they're great, but I wouldn't trust it @3A. I suppose I do have a few to spare. I guess I could take one for the team and stick it on an XM-L 2.8A driver 18650 host and see if it blows. It wouldn't set me back too much...

That would be great, 1.5a isn't bad for most purposes anyway. Are the switches easy to disassemble down to raw parts, or is it pretty much a "disassemble with a hammer" kind of thing?

One more question for you, how well do the switches fit in the solarforce tail, I have an l2r (2x AA) that I managed to scavenge a switch for, but if I ever wanted to do another I'm out of luck. I'm assuming you used yours in a l2p or something similar, which has a wider tailcap.

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

That would be great, 1.5a isn't bad for most purposes anyway. Are the switches easy to disassemble down to raw parts, or is it pretty much a "disassemble with a hammer" kind of thing?

I think it's easy... Sometimes you have to tap at it a bit. It can take a little patience. Some pop out easier than others. You will need very thin needle nose pliers or snap ring pliers to get the metal retaining disc out.

One more question for you, how well do the switches fit in the solarforce tail, I have an l2r (2x AA) that I managed to scavenge a switch for, but if I ever wanted to do another I'm out of luck. I'm assuming you used yours in a l2p or something similar, which has a wider tailcap.[/QUOTE]

Shiningbeam sells another switch that will fit most AA lights. I have a L2R but I've been too afraid of messing it up as it uses a plastic retaining ring that isn't screwing out for me so I imagine it's been glued. I only bought the L2R as a backup anyway since I have so many L91 primaries to run my dropins off of in a pinch, so modding it hasn't been a major priority. A reverse click works just as well as a forward click in most instances in a light outage situation.

I'm sure it could be done, but not without destroying the retaining ring, which you'd then have to replace with something and then glue it down pretty securely.

If I'm wrong, someone please point me in the right direction...

Shao

 

[onetrickpony]

I think it's easy... Sometimes you have to tap at it a bit. It can take a little patience. Some pop out easier than others. You will need very thin needle nose pliers or snap ring pliers to get the metal retaining disc out.

One more question for you, how well do the switches fit in the solarforce tail, I have an l2r (2x AA) that I managed to scavenge a switch for, but if I ever wanted to do another I'm out of luck. I'm assuming you used yours in a l2p or something similar, which has a wider tailcap.

Shiningbeam sells another switch that will fit most AA lights. I have a L2R but I've been too afraid of messing it up as it uses a plastic retaining ring that isn't screwing out for me so I imagine it's been glued. I only bought the L2R as a backup anyway since I have so many L91 primaries to run my dropins off of in a pinch, so modding it hasn't been a major priority. A reverse click works just as well as a forward click in most instances in a light outage situation.

I'm sure it could be done, but not without destroying the retaining ring, which you'd then have to replace with something and then glue it down pretty securely.

If I'm wrong, someone please point me in the right direction...

Shao[/QUOTE]

I actually took mine out, and you're right about the plastic ring being difficult, but it isn't glued. I think the threads are just a really poor fit, mine was cross threading like crazy no matter how I put it in, so I just sanded off the threads and now it's just a spacer so that the body of the flashlight holds the switch in. I'm hoping I won't drop and lose the ring when I change batteries. I didn't have a choice whether or not to change the switch though, mine broke within minutes of the first time I used the light.

My other thought is to find something like a plumbing fitting that matches the threads and cut it down to the right length, then either bend in some tabs or figure out some other way to grab ahold of it so it could be removable.

I noticed a thread about FETtie switches somewhere on CPF, just seems like they're hard to get. That may be exactly what we're looking for, though.

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

I actually took mine out, and you're right about the plastic ring being difficult, but it isn't glued. I think the threads are just a really poor fit, mine was cross threading like crazy no matter how I put it in, so I just sanded off the threads and now it's just a spacer so that the body of the flashlight holds the switch in. I'm hoping I won't drop and lose the ring when I change batteries. I didn't have a choice whether or not to change the switch though, mine broke within minutes of the first time I used the light.

I've just checked mine and a friend's L2Rs and they both look "melted" into the threading. No amount of prying with needlenose pliers, snap ring pliers, or a screwdriver can seem to get it out without permanently damaging the retaining ring. Maybe some are glued and some aren't???

Anyway - I took one for the team and took one of my Shiningbeam modified Angelfire tailcaps and stuck it on an L2 running a Manafont 3-mode XM-L and experienced no problems whatsoever. I left the light on until it became quite warm. I let it cool off and have been leaving it on and flicking it rapidly to see if I can cause it to burn out. The switch has held.
I did do some minor modifications to the Shiningbeam forward clicky. I wrapped the entire outer rim in a thinly cut strip of copper film so that it fits snugly in the tailcap before removing the washer and screwing down the stock retaining ring. Whether that would do anything or not, I'm not sure - I don't claim to be an electrical engineer. But this particular switch seems
to be able to handle 3A+ constant without failure. Now I think I'll offer cheap soft-press tailstanding forward clickies on the cheap and see if they sell on the MP.

 

[VegasF6]

I have seen switches get hot from running too high a current and fail that way. But, I think what happens more often is every time you turn them on and off they arc across the tiny contacts inside, pitting and burning them, shortening the life. I don't think you could heatsink a plastic switch, maybe I mis understood that one.