Grounding problem in a mini M@g host

I made a host for a S bin Lux 1 and a badboy nexgen 400.







How can I make contact to the negative ground?
screws are too huge for this small thing... :sigh:

Also did someone have to fight with this problem?

Zelda

When I was trying to make my own Mag tailcap switches, I had a similar situation trying to make ground to the tailcap. I used a short length of wire that went from bottom to top around the outside edge of the PCB and when the PCB was pressed into the groove in the tailcap, it held the wire againgst the bare metal to make ground. It looks like something similar would work here, sandwich the wire between the PCB and the copper sink.

solder some wire to the inside of the copper sink.

It's not copper, its Aluminum.
the photo was taken with a "Incandescent light source"

I should try to make contact between pcb and host.

zelda

zelda said:

I should try to make contact between pcb and host

Click to expand...

Right. In the minimag that is done through the underside of the "lip" on the top end of the battery tube. You're stuck with having to connect a (-) on the top.

IIRC, ground is shared in the BB (correct me if I'm wrong). What I would do is solder a small piece of wire to the second (-) on the BB board, make it go through a hole (a third one) on the top of your can, and solder a flat tab of copper to that end. You can shape that tab so it "hugs" the can around it and keep it in place. Alternatively, you can just solder the tab to the (-) end of the Lux.

Another option would be to use the same approach (use a flat piece of copper around the body), but instead of using the top of the can, use the sides of it. You'll need to deanodize the inside of the battery tube for this to work, and I'm not sure how much clearance you have between the OD of your can and the ID of the light.

A third alternative would be to get one of those *tiny* screws that come with Lambda's MiniPro engines and screw that to the top of your can, somewhere in the middle and use that as ground path between the can and the secondary (-) hole on the board.

Two methods you can use.

1. What Migs said with the screw. The heatsink looks thick enough to do this.

2. That looks like a BadBoy not a BadBoyNexGen. I know that the NexGens use a high side sense resistor. That means the LED and the Driver share a common ground. If the BadBoy in the picture uses a high side sense resistor like the NexGens (contact WayneY to be sure), you can use a bare wire to the LED cathode (negative) and "wedge" it where it goes through the hole with a split pin (or other suitable material) to make the ground contact. This is the easier method.

Paul

So, now its done:



When i press the pcb in the host, its fits nice.

zelda

Nice work there zelda. Do you plan on taking any orders for your 'z-can'? :thumbsup:

chimo said:

...you can use a bare wire to the LED cathode (negative) and "wedge" it where it goes through the hole with a split pin (or other suitable material) to make the ground contact. This is the easier method.

Click to expand...

Awesome idea - much simpler.

Nice job, Zelda.

I'd be in line for a couple of you decide to churn out a couple (copper works for me).

I can turn some pieces, but they are made in Aluminum.
The pictures above just look like they are made with copper.

Maybe, I can get some copper if you want

zelda

Why don't you make the can in brass or copper?

Icarus said:

Why don't you make the can in brass or copper?

Click to expand...

I prefer to work with aluminum

Most of Indexable inserts I have are for aluminum. They need no cooling liquid.

zelda

zelda, I sent you an e-mail.

Nice, great efforts !!

I would like a couple also, aluminum is fine. This may be the solution I have been looking for, to finish a project.

What is the cost on these?

Ryan

pm sent

zelda

Great job at finding the solution.

How does a sammie make neg contact?

Look at posts #6 & 7, GB.

That's how it works in a Sandwich? I gotta rip mine out and see