Tiablo A9 mod - removed driver and modded the switch

[Greg G]

I decided to see how my Tibalo A9 would perform with an 18650 in direct drive.

I removed the driver.

Made a custom aluminum heatsink that filled the driver area.

Took out the WC Q5 and installed a WG R2.

With a fresh AW 18650 protected cell....on *high* it reads 3.81 Vf, and 1.4 amps.

On low it pulls .17 amps

The light does not get very hot, and the led runs fine for extended periods.

It clipped the legs off the switch and by installing wires swapped where they soldered onto the switch board. Now high comes on first, and low second, which is how I like it.

I've had a driver in another A9 go out after a drop and have been afraid of this one going out when I need it. It is a nightstand light so it MUST work.

Removing the driver makes the light much more reliable, and it is brighter as well.

Greg


Edit. I had bought a handful a various resistors thinking this mod would need one. It turns out the switch had enough resistance to get the job done. With a bare wire connecting the body and the base of the battery I got 3.95 volts at the emitter. I won't even say what the amperage was. i ran it just long enough to get a reading. The switch brought it down to 3.81 volts & 1.4 amps.

 

[naked2]

My A9 quit working suddenly, no drop. I may have (not positive, pun intended!) inserted a cell backwards. I'm not sure if the A9 has reverse polarity protection; do you (or anyone) know if it does?

Also, if it doesn't, and that's what killed my light, would it have been the driver that fried, or the emitter, or both? Because if it's just the driver, I could benefit from your mod without getting a new emitter.

Thanks, Tony

 

[Greg G]

I don't know if it has reverse polarity protection or not.

The key to this mod is beefing up the heatsinking for the led. As it comes from Tiablo it is not very good imo. Also, when I removed the original Q5 star the epoxy layer was very thick, not good for heat transfer.

 

[naked2]

So lets assume it has no reverse polarity protection, and that I did insert a cell backwards. Any idea of what is likely fried; or how to test for such?

BTW, high first is the only way to go, IMO. I absolutely HATED to click twice for high, and since I've never really tried my hand at modding, I opted for purchase of the tactical forward switch, but installed its guts in the stock tail-standable cap. Your idea of adding wires is brilliant; I might have to try this as well.

 

[Greg G]

I have no idea.

On the tailcap switch.....there are three legs coming off the switch that are soldered onto the board. Simply swap the outer two, then it becomes a High/Low/Off switch.