Tec 40 Questions

Hello all,

I've been lurking on the forums for a few months now...thought I'd finally post.

After reading the many threads on the Tec 40/KPR103/NiMH setup I decided to give it a shot. Well, I'm not having good luck. I believe the problem the length of the NiMHs. They are definitely a bit shorter than alkalines. I'm using Energizer model NH-15, 1700 mah. My questions are:

1)Can any of you recommend a readily available NiMH that might be slightly larger?

2)Is there a way to build up the contact at the bottom of the flashlight body?

3)Could the bulb flange be shimmed away from the bottom of the reflector with a washer of some kind?

Thanks in advance

Aluminum foil. Haven't tried it, but I am sure if you take a piece of foil and fold it up and stick it down there it will work. Try it and let us know that (if) it works.

Spudgunr

Don't know about durability (shouldn't be an issue though, it is just resting on top), but aluminum is a VERY good conductor, and a piece that large I don't think you have to worry about the little half amp to an amp it would be carrying. Solder isn't exactly that great of a conductor, well, compared to copper and aluminum anyway. That is, if it is the lead solder. Don't know aobut silver solder.

Spud

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Tater Rocket:
Aluminum foil. Haven't tried it, but I am sure if you take a piece of foil and fold it up and stick it down there it will work. Try it and let us know that (if) it works.
Spudgunr<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I have....It does. No problem since I put in the foil. TX


Flashaholic
Member # 824
posted 01-31-2002 06:51 PM
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I found the problem. Apparently, the negetive connection doesn't protrude enough from the battery case to make contact with the flat plate at the bottom. This is strange as I have 3 different brands of batteries. To fix it, I cut a piece if tinfoil the width of the light, rolled it up & dropped it in the bottom. Now it seems to work fine. Boy, that Krypton 3D bulb sure is bright with the NiMh batteries. Very close to the Surge. TX
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Wulong, I have been using Sanyo 1600ma, Panasonic 1600ma and GP 1800ma. None of them has length problem on Tec40. Did you try to clean up contact point on these batteries and Tec40?

Alan

If I remember correctly, two different styles of battery contacts exist in the tec40. Older versions had a spring in the bottom of the flashlight. Newer versions have only a flat metal plate. The flat plate is the problem for nimh - It doesn't make good contact.

Mine has the flat metal plate that wouldn't work with my nimh. I looked around for a good conductor and spotted a roll of solder. I took the solder and rolled a tight spiral one direction and then a tight spiral in the other direction. It looked just like the "S" shaped spring in other battery holders I have seen. I dropped this in the bottom of the tec 40 - problem solved. I think aluminum foil would work but I wasn't sure of the current carrying ability or the durability so I didn't use it.

Aluminum foil was the first thing I tried, and as txwest said, it does work. Thanks for the feedback.

Hey, That's what we're here for. TX

Instead of aluminum foil, I used a piece of scrap metal cut to size and it works perfectly now. I don't know what metal it is though. Thin, bendy, silver colour. Maybe aluminum? Some kind of tin? I don't know. All I know is that it works and it's a little neater than foil.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ET:
I don't know what metal it is though. Thin, bendy, silver colour. Maybe aluminum? Some kind of tin? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>HUMMMMMM....almost sounds like aluminum foil. And you can cut it with sissors. TX
(i'm not sure if my foil is neat or not....it's in the bottom of the light under the batteries. )