Help With Problem With WF 500

Wassernaut · Aug 27, 2007

I received a WF 500 today from DX, but the clickie switch doesn't work. No matter how hard I might push, it won't click, nor come on. It seems like the internal parts were screwed/pushed too far in the tail-cap. Looking inside the tail-cap I can see threads at the rear (for adjustment or removal), but can't see any way to un-screw the inside parts (spring and keeper washer). There are no little holes on the washer as there are on some (to insert a tool and un-screw it). Do any of you WF 500 owners have any idea how I can solve this? I know DX will take care of it, I just hate to wait a month for the turnaround. Thanks - Larry

TITAN1833 · Aug 27, 2007

Wassernaut said:
I received a WF 500 today from DX, but the clickie switch doesn't work. No matter how hard I might push, it won't click, nor come on. It seems like the internal parts were screwed/pushed too far in the tail-cap. Looking inside the tail-cap I can see threads at the rear (for adjustment or removal), but can't see any way to un-screw the inside parts (spring and keeper washer). There are no little holes on the washer as there are on some (to insert a tool and un-screw it). Do any of you WF 500 owners have any idea how I can solve this? I know DX will take care of it, I just hate to wait a month for the turnaround. Thanks - Larry

Hi I have a WF 500,mine dont click,twist the tail cap for on or press tail cap button for momentary on.hope this helps.

WadeF · Aug 27, 2007

It doesn't click. You either twist it on, or press and hold the button for momentary on. If you have the tail cap unscrewe to far you won't be able to press the button to turn it on. Try screwing it down until it turns on, than back it off just enough to get it to turn off. Then press the button.

Wassernaut · Aug 27, 2007

Thanks guys. I'd forgotten it was a twisty. So far it does nothing, momentary or twisty. I've screwed it down all the way and still nothing. I'll take it apart and see if something isn't right. I've got a spare bulb and extra sets of batteries, so I'll try all combos until I find what works. Thanks for the tips. - Larry

WadeF · Aug 27, 2007

If it's still not working, what batteries were you trying? Protected 18650's without a tip won't work without modifying the light, which is fairly easy to do.

Wassernaut · Aug 27, 2007

Wade - I've got two types of 18650's, both protected, one set has the flat top, the other set (from DX) has nipples just like CR123A's. Also, the head of the WF-500 has a double spring arrangement . . . one spring rests on the outter ring of the battery, and in the center of this spring is another spring which is smaller in diameter but it protrudes further, and looks long enough to contact either the nipple, or the flat end of the batteries without nipples.

In case it still doesn't work, do you happen to have a link to the WF-500 mode?

Thanks - Larry

WadeF · Aug 27, 2007

I'll try and find the link, but my WF-500 came with a black insert with a metal contact in the middle. It fits between the spring of the bulb, and the positive terminal of the battery. This works fine with unprotected batteries that have a nipple on them, but doesn't work with protected batteries without the nipple. If you remove it by taking out the retaining washer that holds it in place, then putting the retaining washer back, you have to make sure the larger outter spring touches the metal retaining washer, and the smaller spring will now make contact with the battery. If you have that contact piece in place and put protected batteries in, the protected batteries maybe to long and not allow the tail cap to screw down enough to make contact with the body tube.

TITAN1833 · Aug 27, 2007

Wassernaut,try this https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/161267

WadeF · Aug 27, 2007

Here's the post about how to take out the piece so protected 18650's work:

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/145586&highlight=wf500&page=3

Post #82 towards the bottom by Netkidz.

Wassernaut · Aug 27, 2007

Hmmmmm . . . . . I'm stumped.

My WF-500 doesn't have the things pictured in the mod. I read both links, the complete threads, but mine is different from the lights pictured and described. My WF-500 has nothing in the battery tube - just an empty tube. When I separate the head from the battery tube, and look into the rear of the head, there is nothing there either - just the two springs on the rear of the bulb module. There are no black plastic or metal washers, in the head or front of the battery tube . . . just the springs on the rear of the bulb.

And there is no question the center spring touches the first battery. The batteries I'm using are protected, and they have a nipple on the positive end (DX SKU 3287 Ultrafire 3.7V 2400 mAh LC 18650 Protected - this one http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3287 ).

So there's no plastic washer for me to remove???? But the light still doesn't work. I load two of the Ultrafire batteries (after giving them a full charge on the DSD charger), they fit ok in the tube, and I replace the head and the tail-cap, everything seems to be making contact, but nothing! No push for momentary, no twist the tail-cap for constant on/off. Nuttin!

Any ideas?

- Larry

Wassernaut · Aug 27, 2007

Double post - sorry.

Wassernaut · Aug 27, 2007

And a triple post, something went nuts.

Gunner12 · Aug 27, 2007

Pictures might help

I'm sorry about your problem.

WadeF · Aug 27, 2007

Sounds like you're missing parts. As far as I know that metal retaining ring HAS to be there. The bigger, outter spring, makes contact with it. Is there anway to get the outter spring to touch bare metal on the body tube? Basically the negative of the batteries comes through the tail cap, up through the body tube, and to that metal retaining washer you're missing to make contact with the negative spring. The smaller inner spring then makes contact with the positive terminal on the batteries. Sorry, I'm not an electronics expert, so that's the best I can describe it.

TITAN1833 · Aug 28, 2007

Wassernaut said:
Hmmmmm . . . . . I'm stumped.

My WF-500 doesn't have the things pictured in the mod. I read both links, the complete threads, but mine is different from the lights pictured and described. My WF-500 has nothing in the battery tube - just an empty tube. When I separate the head from the battery tube, and look into the rear of the head, there is nothing there either - just the two springs on the rear of the bulb module. There are no black plastic or metal washers, in the head or front of the battery tube . . . just the springs on the rear of the bulb.

And there is no question the center spring touches the first battery. The batteries I'm using are protected, and they have a nipple on the positive end (DX SKU 3287 Ultrafire 3.7V 2400 mAh LC 18650 Protected - this one http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.3287 ).

So there's no plastic washer for me to remove???? But the light still doesn't work. I load two of the Ultrafire batteries (after giving them a full charge on the DSD charger), they fit ok in the tube, and I replace the head and the tail-cap, everything seems to be making contact, but nothing! No push for momentary, no twist the tail-cap for constant on/off. Nuttin!

Any ideas?

- Larry

If it helps I will post pics later of what you should have.

TITAN1833 · Aug 28, 2007

Wassernaut,some pics they may help.What the parts should look like.good luck.

Wassernaut · Aug 28, 2007

Well, we may have found the problem.

My WF-500 has none of those parts. The head of my light looks like yours, nothing on the rear but the two springs - but - the battery tube on my light has nothing in it . . . just an empty thick walled aluminum tube. Like all my other lights. I was assuming the negative path was making contact through the wall of the light, as in many flashlights. I was thinking it didn't like the 18650's with a nipple on them, so I am charging some 18650's with the flat ends.

I guess I'll have to holler at DX and wait forever for them to remedy the situation. Thanks a bunch for the help guys.

- Larry

molite · Aug 28, 2007

I had a similar problem,
The "twist on" wouldn't work but momentary on would work if I really pressed hard.

The fix: remove rubber momentary on button. then push switch guts out through the front of the tail cap. put back in rubber button then put back in the switch guts.

It seems the switching parts can recess to far back into the tailcap.
You will need to do this fix regulary if you don't use the ultrafire batt's and you crank down to hard on the "twist on" feature. You may find a washer helps to perminently correct problem.

Wassernaut · Aug 29, 2007

Thanks Molite, I might play with this while I'm waiting on DX, but I still don't have those missing parts in the battery tube. - Larry

molite · Aug 29, 2007

I dont think your missing parts.
You describe my wf 500 perfectly.
The big outer spring you describe is the negitive, it makes contact with
the body. you should be able to remove tail cap and with a wire short the body of the light to the negitive of the bat and fire it up. if that works you definately have the tail cap problem i described.
it may also be the protected batteries have you tried unprotected?

Help With Problem With WF 500

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