L4 two stage tailcap

Where can i get the kits that make the stock SF Clicky tailcap a two stage?

How hard is the mod?

http://www.lighthound.com/sales/aleph.htm
Outstanding service as well.

Unless $ are a real issue, you might want to consider keepingthe SF clickie intact and as is and pick up a seperate 2 stage switch. The Z57 can be modified but that shell is not the ideal host for the two stage switch module, IMHO.

http://theledguy.chainreactionweb.com/product_info.php?products_id=641
Here is the kit for your existing switch, I recomend a whole new switch.

There is no kit to do the simple mod. If you are handy with a soldering iron, have a RadShack nearby and have 15 minutes to spare you can do a two brightness mod very easily.

Take a look at this thread and see how easy a two brightness switch is to make.

Two brightness L4 tail cap mod.

Cool mod TrueBlue! If I have pictured it correctly, you have access to low by seating the tail cap down on the battery tube. Once in low, you have momentary or constant on high via the clickie? With the light off, do you have momentary access to either low or high? Can you blast directly to high?

I have a SF switch, and just want to buy the kit to convert it to 2-stage. Where can I get the kit? I only could find complete switches on Light Hound's page.

Never mind. Saw it on previous post.

I think it is a simply matter of jumping the tailcap to be always on if the button is on or not. So you must first twist the light to be on the push button to go to high. Interesting mod that looks amazingly easy.

2 days ago my mcgizmo 2 stage tailcap switches arrived for my L4 and EL2. ! is 22 ohm (for the L4) and 1 is 30 ohm for eL2 (as quickbeam recommended). Great switches! Both seem to work fine with either light btw. Highly recommend them.

The tail cap works by twisting it on. Then click for low or high beam. If the light is on low then a light push of the tail cap gives momentary high.

I modded my L4 switch with a 10 ohm resistor.

It couldn't be easier. Well, it could be easier if someone else did the mod.

Nice mod, TrueBlue! Thanks! :bow: I'll give it to a friend for his L4.

easier to house it in the Z52

YEah like the other guys said get the seperate tail cap from Wayne/SShope. Ihave the flat top and it's really nice, the 10 ohm setting is just right to use with a pila for the low out put, if you are using more primaries then a 15 or 20 ohm may be in order.

Nick

I have asked this before in several threads with no one really being able to answer. Please help.

True Blue, 270 Win.
By how much does the 10 ohm resistor reduce the light output of the stock L4? With the 10 ohm engaged can you estimate a the output of the light as a percentage of the stock L4 output?

GWC3
Can you estimate the same for the 22 ohm resistor used on the L4?

Thanks a lot.

It's really hard to say how much the output will be reduced. All I can tell you is that in Aleph builds, using a badboy converter, 22 ohms of resistance in the tail cap is pretty much standard. I don't know for sure, but 10 ohms of resistance may not be enough to force to the light out of regulation when running fresh primary cells.

On the other hand, 22 ohms may be too much resistance when using a single li-ion cell. My advise would be to try a couple of different resistor boards and see which one (if any) will serve as a good all around compromise.

With my L4 and the 10 ohm tail cap I am using a single 17650, 3.6V battery.

Visually I guessed the lower brightness of the light is 50% of high. I did better by using my lux meter and comparing the two brightness levels. I simply dropped my light on top of the dome and took two readings.

Actual numbers here. Low, using a 3.6V battery and 10 ohm resistor, is 45% of the full brightness.

With a Pila I'm getting quite a bit less than 45 percent of the original out-put. I would say around 15%. It's just good for night hikes. Of course, it greately depends on the particular bin of your LuxV since the Li-Ion battery is direct-driving on low. I guess TrueBlue has a lower Vf bin than my KL4 so as we all say here, your milage may vary.

True Blue, 270 Win

Thanks for your input, -- 10 ohm resistor it is. Somewhere between 15% and 45% of the stock output of the L4 would suit my needs. It's interesting that the variation is so great. While I will hope to get a bit more than 15% I certainly want LESS than 50%. Your help is appreciated.

pure guess on my part, but on low with the 22 ohm switch output seems to be less than 20% of normal / high. maybe the 15% to 20% range which is a nice level to walk around the house / camp etc. I like it but havent used it much yet.

Mental note, don't use quotes.

Dang, tried twice, locked twice.

Anyhow, i did Trueblue's mod last night to one of my test subjects.
I used a 10-Ohm, 1/4 watt resistor.

Twist cap for low, momentary high or constant with a click.

SO now my E1L, just became a little more handy to own indoors late at night, and a usable low beam for navigation indoors ect, and the usual high output blast.

Now, what kind of run times will this get on the 10-Ohm low i wonder.
:devil:

Thanks Trueblue, great litle idea.

IF