TM-310H - finally opened and played with driver...

I tried brute force with a couple of strap wrenches last night to break loose the head of my TM-310H with no success. The other 2 methods I've read are...

1. stick light in a ziploc baggy and dunk in boiling water for several minutes
2. stick light in a ziploc baggy and put in freezer

Is one method better for a certain type of glue or flashlight? Anyone know what the TM-310H Nuwai 0.5W uses?
For the freeze method, how long should I leave it in the freezer?
Would I be able to break the glue bond after either of these methods with my hands? I don't have a vise or wrenches.

Thanks.

J.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Either or both might work.

If it has a thread locking 'glue', applying heat usually loosens its bond.

Freezing will allow a metal body to contract but I don't know what its effects are on the glue.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I've only done the boil method. Sometimes it requires 10-15 minutes of boiling so that the entire bezel/part/body heats up completely.

You say you have strap wrenches, that'll do.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

The body of the TM-310H is really slick/smooth so the strap wrenches don't grip well. All I managed to do was bend the clip constantly. I'll try the boiling method first...hopefully it doesn't mess up the reflectors (I've been told boiling can remove the finish on the Fenix reflectors) or other parts. Hopefully I can break the bond with my hands and gloves.
If anyone has more info on the freez method, please let me know. Thanks.
J.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I use a small hair dryer on high and it has worked everytime- let it get good and warm and use gloves. Works for me.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Thanks savumaki. I'll try that too. These lil' buggers are hard to open! Why do they have to glue these things!!!

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I tried the hairdryer last night, still couldn't open it. I just can't seem to get enough grip on the light. I eventually broke the clip that came with the TM-310H. The strap wrenches don't grip the light well enough and they take quite a while to put on likely allowing the glue to cool and re-harden. I'm going to hopefully have a chance to try it today at work with a heat gun and a small vise. Not sure if there's pliers around here tho and I need some cloth to protect the light's finish. Hmm...

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

you didn't remove the clip first?

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I tried, but it wouldn't budge, just keep spinning around the body. It wouldn't come off till I broke it.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

How about trying MEK? That usually "loosens" quite a number of hard fast things.

Enjoy!

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

What's MEK? Got a link?
Thanks,
J.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Methel Ethel Keytone.

Any hardware store or home center should have it. Use in a VERY WELL VENTILATED area. Nasty stuff.

It will destroy any flashlight related plastic i.e. reflector, lens etc. If you chose to use this method, one very small drop on the end of a toothpick should do the trick.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Sorry for the late reply, but exactly what TranquillityBase mentioned above. Be very careful with eye and skin contact too!

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I just added a Flupic to my Q3. I rotated the head over my gas stove for about 15 seconds after 2 tries it came right off. Heat is the only way I know of to break loctite easily.


Mac

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I tried boiling the light in a plastic bag last night. Did it for 15 minutes and the head still wouldn't come off. But I did manage to warp the plastic reflector so now it produces a flood beam with an hour-glass shape...haha! Damn, I'm not very good at this!

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

jsr said:

I tried boiling the light in a plastic bag last night. Did it for 15 minutes and the head still wouldn't come off. But I did manage to warp the plastic reflector so now it produces a flood beam with an hour-glass shape...haha! Damn, I'm not very good at this!

Click to expand...

Send it to me I'll get it off


Mac

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Mac,
Thanks for the offer. I got one more trick to try...I have a heat gun at work and a small vise. I just need to pick up a set of channel lock pliers or something and bring some rags to protect the finish. I was hoping to try it today, but my coworker forgot his pliers. Hopefully, the vise and channel lock will be enough to break loose the threads. I've already warped the reflector, but so this is more now an experiment than a worthwhile mod. I want to see what the converter/driver circuit is and test how much current it can source. I'll let you know if I need to send it you. Can I send it in a standard envelope?...or is the TM-310H too big for that?

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Hi jsr
I have opened two of these lights...well, one 1-AAA and one 2-AAA. One with hot water (also warped the plastic reflector), the other, using a hair dryer for a while...not wanting to warp another reflector...I fanned the head and body of the light, not wanting to concentrate the heat just on the head.

For a gripping material, I used the back of an old mouse pad, which I cut into a about a 2" x 3" size and then used a small vise grip, and just enough pressure to hold it. (I had already removed the clip, along with the tail cap). I used a larger piece of the mouse pad to hold the body...just a good hand grip...then tried some quick twists...trying to get everything to hold and turn...it did finally break loose. I forget how, but I managed to scratch the coating on the head - anyway!

The circuit in these, is very similar to the Q3. Called a Zetex 310 circuit. The coil/inductor may be a little smaller than the Q3, but overall, it's still the same. The sense resistor might be the only thing you would change to boost the output, although from what I read on another thread, you might have enough power (voltage and/or current) to drive a 1-watt nicely.

If you have problems, I will gladly send you my two lights...I had the same idea about putting a 1-watt Luxeon into them (I have two Q-bin LED I removed from other lights), but I am having problems working on such little things...I have to use a magnifying glass to see the smd resistors and read their values...hmmm. Trying to hold them down, and solder them is crazy! Well, it drove me crazy. Isn't that right, TranquillityBase?

IF you have continued trouble, I could send you the two units I have...one TM-310H and one TM-311H. But, the reflector on one needs replacing...I was thinking a small acrylic collimator would go nicely...?? Does anyone make either reflectors or collimators this small?

Don't quit...and, keep us informed. Wouldn't it be great if you were the one to show us all 'how to do it?

Take care,
Ed

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

Hi Ed,

THANKS for all the great info!!!! That's great if it uses the same Zetex 310 driver. Tho not the most efficient, the design is modifyable (is that a word?). The only limitation to output current capability would likely be the output BJT, which I can get a hold of BJTs up to 1A for virtually free, so no prob there. Hopefully changing the bias resistor is all that's needed. That might mean I can build a 3W light out of my TM-313X also. I would think the inductor would be larger since it needs to boost more voltage (from 1.5V vs. 3.0V). I don't know how small the SMD components used are...if they're the size of the Zetex 310 driver, I shouldn't have probs soldering it. I've soldered smaller packages before (though, have to do it at work...have a soldering station and magnifying glass at work).
That'd be great if there were replacement reflectors available for these! I didn't have a chance to pick up a wrench this weekend as I was working on my house all weekend long (and I don't have president's day off...damn company!), so I can't try removing the head today. If I can get this to work, I'm gonna pick up a few TM-310Hs from you to mod. I'll let you know if I need those units you already opened.
Thanks!
J.

Re: Boiling vs. Freezing to break glue?

I FINALLY got the TM-310H open! (joy!) I wrapped the body in some cloth and clamped it in a vise. Wrapped the head with foam and use a set of pliers and got it loose!
I took out the light engine and it does look almost identical to the Q3 circuit. The Zetex 310 driver and 617 BJT are identical. As Ed mentioned, the inductor is quite a bit smaller, something I didn't expect since the circuit needs to boost to the same Vo from a lower Vin. I desoldered the R020 resistor (which I believe is 200mohms, I measured it but contact was intermittent and values jumped around quite a bit, can anyone confirm?), but unfortunately lost the resistor. I soldered a couple of leads to the resistor land pads so I could change resistances. I only had a couple of 100mohm thru-hole resistors though and didn't have any pots that went lower than 400mohms. I also desoldered one of the leads from the LED so I could try to measure current. I set the DC supply to 1.46V and turned on the circuit. The LED lit, but the measured current with the 100mohm sense resistor was only 6.4mA (???). With 2x 100mohm in parallel (50mohm), I only got 7.5mA. The numbers are way too low.
Could it be too much internal resistance from the DMM? I just couldn't get any more current through the LED at 1.5V VCC. I adjusted the VCC higher to get more current and the circuit seems to work fine at higher currents. However, I blew the LED (smoked it!) when I peaked to 500mA.
I can replace the LED with some Nichia CSs I have for more experimenting, but I need help with the following:

1. Why is my measured current to the LED so low at VCC = 1.5V?

2. Is my setup sound?:
- DC power supply HIGH connected to + contact of PCB (just me with a lead from the PS touching the PCB + contact).
- DC PS ground connected to - contact ring of PCB.
- Leads soldered to original resistor land pads connected to through-hole resistors in a breadboard.
- 1 lead soldered to one LED land pad -> connected to DMM for current measurement -> connected to lead of LED
Is there too much resistance elsewhere that's limiting the current? Could the breadboard be messing things up?

3. Any other suggestions???

Thanks!
J.