Suggestions welcome: How to stop a BLIMP from flickering...

I modded one of these, and took several measures to try to eliminate the flickering issue while running.

This flashlight has a 3AAA cartridge, tail clicky, spring contacts, and interfaces between aluminum. All could be sources of flickering.

I was concerned that the (+) contact of the 3AAA depended on electrical conduction through a small steel spring. This spring is redundant, since there is already a larger spring in the tailcap. I soldered a wire there instead, creating a a better electrical connection.

Still, the flickering persisted.

Another member suggested the problem is in the tailcap. I think he/she is on the right track.

There is a aluminum ring that turns down on a printed circuit board with a solder-plated pad all around it's perimeter. This board has a switch on it. From there, a metal spring is soldered to the board.

This tailcap setup is working fine in flashlights like the LILL and VINET, but for some reason it's not working properly in the BLIMP.

Here's my theory: In the LILL and VINET, the metal ring compresses down on the printed circuit board, which rests on the flange of the rubber button cover. The compression of the rubber provides a compliant reaction force that continually presses the solder ring to the aluminum ring, therefore maintaining contact force necessary for a stable electrical connection.

In the BLIMP, I figure the printed circuit board probably does not rest on the rubber flange of the tailcap button. Therefore, there is no compliant material to provide a reaction spring effect. The connection between the aluminum and solder ring is not stable, causing the flickering.

If this theory is true, by placing a properly-sized o-ring or donut of thin rubber under the printed circuit board should stop the flickering for good.

I don't have a BLIMP anymore, but I'd like to know if this is a solution. Does anyone have a BLIMP? Can you try this out and see if it works?

Thanks

So I bought another BLIMP to see why it flickers. This one won't !!! I guess they fixed the problem...

Check the ends of the battery tube for stray anodize. Sand it down good and wipe it down. This fixed many a light I've messed with that I thought was switch issues. And taking the switch apart and cleaning it and making sure the springs are tight of course is good measure too.

Wait! I left it run a while, It flickers! Yaaay, now I can get to work.

Here's my first attempt. I put a thick o-ring around the base of the switch so that it interferes a little bit on the board. That way it pushes up to make contact. I'll use it for a while and see what happens.

Update: That didn't work... next I try Deoxit products!

BTW, it's already upgraded to Seoul

Not sure how the light is setup but some cheap lights have an o-ring on the tail switch that interferes with the cap making contact.

can you test without the battery adapter?
does the regulation junk use pulses?

dont have one, but in order i would suspect
curcuit , (test and figure if its inherant)
3aa battery adapter and connections
Switch
Threads (container connection.annodising and stuff)
other conenctions.

It has a resistor for regulation.

The pro-gold treatment seems to be working better than the o-ring in the tail. So far, not a whimper since I took the tail apart and applied pro gold to the surfaces and also to the battery cartridge.

The problem is somewhere between the battery (+) and the body. Everything in the head is soldered.

Evidently, there are so many non-precious contact points (solder, tin, aluminum, stainless steel) that any oxidation presents a big problem.

This was a particularly annoying problem for me too and all attempts to solve the flicker and sometimes the switch wouldn't activate. Deoxit and ProGold and sanding also were no help.

So I sent it 1200 miles away to a modder friend along with some goodies. I don't see any flicker anymore. That's my "Postal cure".

marlite

EngrPaul said:

It has a resistor for regulation.

The pro-gold treatment seems to be working better than the o-ring in the tail. So far, not a whimper since I took the tail apart and applied pro gold to the surfaces and also to the battery cartridge.

The problem is somewhere between the battery (+) and the body. Everything in the head is soldered.

Evidently, there are so many non-precious contact points (solder, tin, aluminum, stainless steel) that any oxidation presents a big
problem.

Click to expand...

EngrPaul said:

It has a resistor for regulation. . .

Click to expand...

There's no resistor in either of the BLIMPs I have -- they're completely direct drive.

The 3-AAA cells seem to have enough voltage drop and internal resistance to keep from cooking the LED if the heat sinking is done properly. But I use an added 0.33 or 0.39 ohm resistor in series when using an 18500 cell with this light.

c_c