Various Flashlights FORWARD Clickie Mods

[kosPap]

Various Flashlights FORWARD Clickie Mods NOW for MC-E&P7 TOO

update 4August: I have tested this driver with a MC-E module at full power (maybe DD to) and it seems that this forward switch can take it...see more at post #16

greetings. When I first saw these KAIDomain Forward Clickies I jumped!

And soon I had formulated a plan to using them to modding 2 lights. An Ultrafire C2 and an Ultrafire WF-502.

What I would use in the C2 would be an older generation tape switch board. The board has the spring soldered on one side and on the other the tape switch wires.

These switches seemed like a good fit and they did! Height is just perfect if you are to remove the rubber bootie post and with the switch contacts spread they just make it to the edge of the board

So I centered, superglued the switch and the soldered the contacts. PRESTO!

Word of notice...

Before starting cut a round piece of palstic sheet the size of the board. Then draw and remove a square from its center the size of the switch. Now you have a centering template, and a contact isolator. This is important for thsi mod!

Next you got to fill the space...I used a plumping washer that was the proper height for the space between the switch body and the rubber bootie. (it was sandwitched between them and fits around the switch cylindrical stem where the button rides in). And do not forget your insulator disc you made at the start!

I would suggest to fill the space around the rectangular switch body. A good material is the palstic semitransparent washer that comes in the bottom of the blank CD "tower" cases. it needs 4 notches cut in the inner circle and its circumferance reduced. But it was getting late so I improvised otherwise...

Anyway the switch has a good feel, and is sensitive enough with good travel before engaging.

I will be back in a few days with the WF-502 switch mod.

Till then, enjoy, Kostas

 

[kosPap]

Re: Ultrafire C2 FORWARD clickie mod

Converting Superfire 501B Switches

well this time things are very difficult and too easy! That depends on the version of the tail switch the various versions of the basic flashlight have. See photo below…

Some have a switch encapsulated and melted-in a cylindrical case like the ones one the left of the photo. Others have a switch soldered on the familiar board and are kept in place with a put-on cylindrical case as seen on the right.

Here is a photo with the switch modules disassembled…

So in case of the board one, things are very easy. Remove the old switch, solder the new one, put the case back on…FINITO
But do remember to clip 2 notches off the case where it contacts the forward clickie switch contacts.

Here is what your new switch module should look like

Converting Ultrafire 502B Switches

In this case things are a bit more complicated. Switch replacement is rather straightforward and only some minor fitting is needed.
Here is what the original switch looks like:

Switch contacts to the board are located one in the middle of one side of the switch, and he other almost at the corner of the opposite side (see the blue indicating arrows). But the replacement switch has its contacts on two opposite corners.

What you got to do is clip the contacts as little as possible, remove the old switch body, epoxy the new one after you clip its contacts flat and use some wire to bridge old and new contacts together (see the green indicating arrow)

Then you must use a spacer around the forward switch post to secure movement and around the spring base to fill the gap since the new switch module sits higher in the flashlight body. Almost like this:

Within the weekend I will be making some proper sized spacers and I will updating the thread with how-to and details.

Till then, Enjoy, Kostas

 

[kosPap]

So here is an update on how to make spacers for this witch mod....

One starts with coke bottle caps that are tense enough and of the right thickness. You will have to punch or drill a 8mm hole. Then you make a measurement of the space inside the tailcap to take up.

For the Ultrafire WF-501 and C-2 flashlights it is about 21mm and for the WF-502 17mm. The harder part is to turn them with the hole and the circumference aligned.

For this purpose I use a screw, washers and a nut to chuck all the spacers together in a cordless drill. I used medium speed and was patient in removing material with a paper cutter blade. (The amount of material removed is determined by the speed and angle of the blade).

Then once at the proper diameter you got to place each one on the drill again and chamfer the edges with some sandpaper.

Voila!

 

[csshih]

thanks for the tutorial!

 

[divine]

How are these switches working for you?

 

[Lunal_Tic]

Excellent idea. :thumbsup: Any idea how much power you can run through them before they smoke? I've got an incan I'd like to swap a forward clickie into.

-LT

 

[LukeA]

How many come in a pack? Is it just one?

 

[kosPap]

A collective answer...

They came in a 5-pack.

I have not tested them in a xenon flashlight yet...
They ran fine in my C2 and I will be contacting a friend that is out for military exercise with a similar setup on durability.

Nio let me see if how can I rig one up for a P61 module....will keep you updated....Kostas

 

[kosPap]

hey I tested them yesterday.

I hooked a G&P 90 bulb (draws 1,25 amp) on 7xAA batts (9 Volts & 8.3 volts ubder load)

I kept the setup running for 40 mins and clicked the switch from time to time. It vever got ward, smelly or changed in function.

So far so good...enjoy, Kostas

 

[stevenhyde]

any updates from your friend? any updates from you on durability?

thank you.

I will be contacting a friend that is out for military exercise with a similar setup on durability.

....will keep you updated....Kostas

 

[kosPap]

no news is good news..else I would have heard...

BUT this switch is used in the fenix tactical switch modules, fellow members modify their solarforces with them, and member carbine15 has made his own mods with these switches...

I hae never heard any complain....go with it...

Also as far as i can tell the FAKE solarforce tailstanding switches uses a similar board....

I will be maiing one a moded one as soon as I buy it...

 

[FLT MEDIC]

I have used this switch in my forward clicky mods for my other SolarForce L2m with stock tailcap switch, Piritlight SG-L8, Ultrafire WF-008 and Ultrafire WF-502B flashlights, including a "fake" SolarForce L2m tailstanding switch forward clicky mod I did for a friend.

Many thanks kosPap for sharing your mods in this thread.

 

[kosPap]

glad to be of help....always

 

[Winx]

That KD forward clicky is probably used in Jetbeam switches also. It is very similar in feel and look.

Anyway, it's a very good alternative to use in fake Solarforce switches, one with one lanyard ring hole and second with two lanyard ring holes.

 

[kosPap]

whta do you know...I ordered one yesterday for that reason alone (and the board that uses, identical of the ones I have scavenged from old style-tape switches)...

 

[kosPap]

guys I just tried the forward click with a MC-E module...Seems all is OK!

The module runs at 3.3A draw and above...And I performed a kind of testing...
I kept the light on for 3mins, then clicked on/off 30 times within 30 sec, then 3 mins on again, then 30sec of continuous forward activation (no click), another 3mins on, and a minute of various random fast activations.

So far all is good!

 

[kosPap]

well I got the nerve to mod the An aurora C6/V6 switch with a forward clickie...

It was not that easy the board is marginal and requires chamfering the switch edges, and really forlding flush the switch contacts (actually I taped them there)

here is a closeup

ALSO..the Ultrafire A20 switch is the same as the Aurora...in fact i am EDCing it right now...

the trip continues....

 

[^Gurthang]

This thread should be a "Sticky", great info & very good pics.

 

[dudu84]

guys I just tried the forward click with a MC-E module...Seems all is OK!

The module runs at 3.3A draw and above...And I performed a kind of testing...
I kept the light on for 3mins, then clicked on/off 30 times within 30 sec, then 3 mins on again, then 30sec of continuous forward activation (no click), another 3mins on, and a minute of various random fast activations.

So far all is good!

Great thread! Thanks for sharing! :thumbsup:

Do you think the switch will probably smoke if a 3.3A current continuously run through it for, say, 15 mins?

It seems no one has mentioned but these KD's forward switch modules are also used in the Quarks' and some EagleTac's series (I know P100C2 and P100A2 have them)

 

[Winx]

It seems no one has mentioned but these KD's forward switch modules are also used in the Quarks' and some EagleTac's series (I know P100C2 and P100A2 have them)

Also Dereelight.