Headlamp Turning on in Pack

How do you prevent a headlamp from accidentally turning on in a pack? I would prefer to leave the batteries in for quick access.

I guess it would depend on the type of headlamp. How about a small piece of foam rubber taped in place over the switch? My Tikka XP and my PT Aurora would be almost impossible to turn on inside my pack, plus I usually put them in the outside pockets away from anything that might press against the headlamp.

dyee said:

How do you prevent a headlamp from accidentally turning on in a pack? I would prefer to leave the batteries in for quick access.

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I've had this happen a few times. It's a real drag when you open your pack at the end of the day to discover your headlamp has been running for x hours while inside.

You can improvise a safety shield to be taped over the headlight switch. Use something like a plastic cap from a small pill bottle and a piece of sticky duct tape.

Pack the headlamp in an outside pocket with its switch facing outward.

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Another trick might be to do like manufacturers do with new products that include batteries already installed. Place a small tab of paper or plastic between two of the cells (or one cell end and the contact) with the end of the tab sticking out of the battery compartment. For quick access, just pull the tab to restore contact. However, this only works if the battery compartment configuration allows pulling the tab through the edge of the closed compartment. And of course, it's more of a pain to reinsert the tab when you are done.

Depending on the headlamp, you can also try reversing the batteries. Some headlamps have a small depression where the positive contact is, so when you turn it around the flat (negative side) doesn't protrude enough to make contact.

The headamp is a Nuwai HLX-712L. I tried wrapping the straps around the button but that was not good enough. I will try to look for a cover since it protrudes abut 2mm, any sugestions? I guess what is good for gloves is bad for the pack.

yup.. that's a real weakness for clickies.

to prevent accidental drains, I've been unscrewing battery cap on my Argo HP and disconnecting battery harness on Stenlight.

Nuwai is one of the ones where you can flip one of the batteries around without it making contact, it's been working for me. I also used a little piece of paper sandwiched in between the contacts, but i always ended up losing the paper.

I thought about adding a tiny dip switch inline with the pushbutton switch (under the battery cover), but haven't gotten around to doing it. I don't even know if it'll fit.

remove the batteries.

putting in the batteries fresh is better then having DEAD batteries in a light.

cy said:

that's a real weakness for clickies.

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Not only. I've accidently switched on also other lights, thats why the better lights all have a lock (like the top caving lights). I personally do not like to unplug them, as the connector collects dirt.

In my opinion, flashlights are possibly the only device that should be stored with battereies. When you need a light is not a good time to be trying to load battereis. If there is a problem, you won't be able to trouble shoot it.

Some tricks I have used over the years:
- Tape around bezels that turn on the light keeps the light from coming on accidentally.
- If the swich is flush, a piece of thick paper taped over it will keep it from turning on. If you fold over a pull tab onone side, it can be retracted and replaced. Incedentally, you can stuff a pice of paper under the valve on a cigarette lighter and wrap it with tape to prevent accidentally draining it. This is a must for a first aid kit.
- Rubber bands can be wrapped around some lights to keep switches from turning. This is ideal for rarely used lights in hot cars.
- The pull tab idea mentioned earlier works well for some devices.
- Some devices need a ridge around the switch to prevent accidental sliding and pushing. I take solid core copper wire (like the telephone line wire used within the walls of a house) and make a wall around the switch, which is secured with superglue. It's a bit tacky, but this solution works very well.

mrme said:

- Rubber bands can be wrapped around some lights to keep switches from turning.

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I use pieces from old bicycle inner tubes. Works for most lights. I had one for the Stenlight, as even this come on alone. (As I wrote above, I prefer to keep it connected, even more as I waterproofed the connector, but because I upgraded the Stenlight to a much better light it is no issue any more).
With the ActionLight I I used a piece of duct tape. I did not assume that even this low profile twistie will come on, but it did.
Even a few lights with built in software locks came on after travelling on rough roads for a while on expeditions in Asia.

no issues with unplugging stenlight when not in use. a true failsafe mode. Simple is good!

have heard zero folks reporting contact failures due to debris collecting in connectors.

A zip-tie loose around the area where the switch is might help, if there is pressure the zip loop will absorb it and the switch won't turn on.

Luigi

I buy lights with sliding switches if possible. Sliding switches are harder to turn on by accident.

If push-button type lights, I remove em batteries.

If you need batteries inside so that you can use the light right away when needed, I would keep the light in my shirt pocket or around my neck.

cy said:

have heard zero folks reporting contact failures due to debris collecting in connectors.

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Now you have got a couple (at least thre of them with Stenlight, several more with other lights and the same issue). When you use the light under wet or damp conditions, you have to keep the connector greased. The grease itself acts like an magnet for dirt.
I even made blind connectors in former times to solve this problem (also to avoid shorts, you know, Murphy's law....)

dyee said:

The headamp is a Nuwai HLX-712L. I tried wrapping the straps around the button but that was not good enough. I will try to look for a cover since it protrudes abut 2mm, any sugestions? I guess what is good for gloves is bad for the pack.

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The Nuwai is especially prone to this, and I never found a solution I liked. One of the nice features of the light was how easy it was to work the switch, but out of my first 3 sets of batteries, probably over half the energy was wasted by it getting turned on in my pack :scowl: My final workaround was to put it in a hard plastic case, which of course makes it heavier and bulkier, and negates another nice feature of the light - it's compact and lightweight design.

tie or carabiner to outside of pack?

I think gluing a o-ring around the switch will help. Anyone know what type of glue to use? The glow ring is one of the small GID ones sold in another thread.