Surefire Z57 Switch Problems Revisited

I bought a SF E1L yesterday. The switch failed to work after 4 hours of ownership. I sent SF an email asking for repair information.

After thinking about the problem a bit, I searched the forum and found repair information on this switch problem. I put a small amount of NyoGel 760G on the plastic sleave and a plastic washer from the bottom of a Duracell 123 battery between the two halfs of the switch itself. The switch now seems to work ok.

I noticed that the addition of the battery washer in the switch causes the locking ring to no longer sit flush with the end of the tail cap. My locking ring sits roughly the washer thickness above the end of the tail cap.

Has anyone who has done this repair felt the need to put something such a silicone caulking between the rubber cover and the bottom of the locking ring to address any concerns pursuant to water tightness of the newly modified tail cap, or is the feeling that just tightening the locking cap as tight as possible is all that is required?

Harry

The water resistance is gone with the change dimensions of the internals. The rubber-boot seal is a rather weak construction.

Grease may help, but i would not trust such a switch in the long term.

Thank you for the information. I guess lossing the waterproofness may be the trade off for a working switch.


Harry

I suggest to remove the spacer... the only thing it changes is that the spring has half a milimeter more space, which doesnt help in any way.

IMHO the water resistance of the switch should not be affected at all, as long the retaining ring was sufficiently tightened. Kind of how unscrewing the tailcap from the battery tube will not affected the water resistance of that seal, so long as the O-ring is still covered by the tailcap.

It is affected. The additional space moves the boot away from the ridge in the tailcap-housing, that makes the seal against the boot.