Too Much For AW's Soft Start Switch?

[TKO]

I am at a loss and need a little help.

I put together a 5D with five A123 26650's housed in a 1" schedule 40 PVC and shortened the tailcap spring after de-anodizing the tailcap interior. The batteries were aligned so that the positive (non-post) ends faced the tailcap. I put a Osram 64633 150 watt bulb on top and screwed things together. The light came on by itself . . . no switch input, when the spring compressed. The switch will not turn the light off or change output. It is like the switch is bypassed.

AW says that his switch is good "up to 150W", so I thought I was good to go. Is the 12+ amps too much?

The light is insanely bright, but I would like to be able to turn it on and off without having to turn the tailcap.

Any ideas guys?

 

[AW]

Your problem is caused by running the wrong polarity to the switch.

 

[TKO]

AW - thanks for the reply!

I thought that A123's were to be run with a positive ground, but I will reverse polarity and report back.

 

[TKO]

The switch works fine now.

Now to get the thing to focus:thinking:

 

[Cheesy]

Disclaimer: I am not an A123 expert, I just looked stuff up.

The A123 cells have a positive casing, if you use them in the conventional manner with the negative towards the tailcap, the body of the torch is at negative potential. Any breach of the insulation covering the casing (at positive potential) is a potential dead short.

In you case, using a PVC sleeve, there can be no short from case to body so you are safe.


Kev.

 

[TKO]

Disclaimer: I am not an A123 expert, I just looked stuff up.

The A123 cells have a positive casing, if you use them in the conventional manner with the negative towards the tailcap, the body of the torch is at negative potential. Any breach of the insulation covering the casing (at positive potential) is a potential dead short.

In you case, using a PVC sleeve, there can be no short from case to body so you are safe.


Kev.

Kev,

Thanks for your reply. To get the switch to work, I had to put the negative post down towards the tailcap, but as you noted the positive casing is insulated by the PVC.

My concern now with the negative post down is having my modified spring move and somehow touch both the negative post and the positive casing:sick2:
So, I am going to employ some form of Northern Lights tail cap modification: http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=143345