Reliablity of Forward Click Switches in LED Multilevel Flashlights?

How Reliable are the Forward Click Switches in LED Multilevel Flashlights?

for me it's ZERO Reliablity (any brand flashlight) as compared to Reverse Click Switch..

Reverse Click works every time... I know it's debatable, but just sharing my personal experience.

I feel, the main reason in such a high degree failure of forward click switch is the mechanism and design it has compared to reverse click. When we press the button, contact disk makes contact, when it clicks, the disk jump over the contacts and momentarily disconnecting.

Where as in a Reverse Click, the disk makes contact only after it clicks and rests firmly. Also, it's easier to change modes on multilevel lights as compared to forward click as one is forced to switch off and switch on the forward click switch.

In my life, I've had several forward clicky failures and no reverse clicky failures yet in "quality" (Arc, Maglite, Fenix, Ultrafire, SAIC, MTE, et al) lights. Small sample size I know, but my gut tends to agree with you that all else (cost...) being equal, reverse clickies are more reliable than forwards.

nerdgineer said:

In my life, I've had several forward clicky failures and no reverse clicky failures yet in "quality" (Arc, Maglite, Fenix, Ultrafire, SAIC, MTE, et al) lights. Small sample size I know, but my gut tends to agree with you that all else (cost...) being equal, reverse clickies are more reliable than forwards.

Click to expand...

Umm... MagLite is forward clicky, and IMO one of the most reliable switches out there.

I have had a SF clicky fail, some lubrication fixes it, the clicky is a pretty simple design, and aside from sticking from lack of proper lubrication or choice in materials (teflon clickies would be a beautiful product) they are completely reliable.

I've had 3 reverse clickies fail. Never had forward clickie fail. What does multimode have to do with physical switch failure?

ViReN - Your post is very timely for me. I can't say that I've ever had any of my Mag switches fail, but I am having a problem with one cycling through several modes on a multi-mode driver as I turn it on and off:
www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=185529
(Hope it is okay to post links like that - not much experience posting here.)

So if that's what you mean by "failure", I would have to agree that even the most reliable of forward clickies are not so reliable with multimode drivers.

SnowplowTortoise yup.. by failure i mean the failing to change the mode properly

For Standard Mag Light's it wont be an issue as there is no mode changing for Incand bulbs.

OK, a stupid Noob question...Whats the difference between a forward clicky and a reverse clicky?

I've used the search, but perhaps my criteria isn't clear enough for the search function...

Thanks,

awc

I've never had a problem with a Mag's forward clicky, no problems with my Fenix T1's forward cilcky, and no problems with my Dereelight CL1H V1, V2, V3, and DBS forward clickies.

On my Dereelights I can change modes just fine.

PhantomPhoton said:

I've had 3 reverse clickies fail. Never had forward clickie fail. What does multimode have to do with physical switch failure?

Click to expand...

It's not a physical failure, but failure in reliable contact

WadeF said:

I've never had a problem with a Mag's forward clicky, no problems with my Fenix T1's forward cilcky, and no problems with my Dereelight CL1H V1, V2, V3, and DBS forward clickies.

On my Dereelights I can change modes just fine.

Click to expand...

Fenix T1's (the one which I have used so far... review coming soon) actually has failed only once, but the CL1H V1 does have a frequent trouble in changing modes.

angrywetcat said:

OK, a stupid Noob question...Whats the difference between a forward clicky and a reverse clicky?

I've used the search, but perhaps my criteria isn't clear enough for the search function...

Thanks,

awc

Click to expand...

https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/172991

Marduke, thanks for the link...that's exactly what I've been searching for for over a week!

Great info, and I'll have to read and re-read a few times to get everything straight (I hope). I'm going to email myself a link to it so I can keep it handy!

Thanks again,

awc

ViReN said:

Fenix T1's (the one which I have used so far... review coming soon) actually has failed only once, but the CL1H V1 does have a frequent trouble in changing modes.

Click to expand...

I've never had issues changing modes with my CL1H V1, but the black tail switch cap it came with felt pretty thing and mushy. I replaced it with a GITD cap and it feels much better now.

I transplanted the L2T v2.0 momentary switch into a P3D tailcap - same threads so it fit fine. Works great. Made it an all new light for me. I had been ignoring it for a long time
Both momentary and reverse clickies work with Fenix-style multi mode, they just work differently.

Momentary: use momentary presses to get to the mode you want, no need to actually click full on - the advantage of momentary. If you do click on, then you have to unclick to change modes again.

Reverse clicky: You have to click it on to start, then you either click off again, or press the interrupt to change modes.

The major difference is you never actually have to click on at all with momentary - how I happen to like it.

The problem I have seen with either type of switch is that a less than well made switch of any kind could cause unintended power interruptions, or not interrupt when you want it to. Therefore changing when not intended, or not changing levels when needed.

Hmm. I must be the rarity involving forward click or momentary/forward click switches working perfectly for me.

On various units (mostly SureFires, Streamlights, and Pelicans), I have had zero issues with forward click units (like various gen's of the SF E1/E2 and my Stingers/Scorpions). And I'm not very kind to my SureFire's or my Streamlights either.

-Steve

I've always really preferred the feel of the Forward clicky, and that's why I'm excited by Raidfires E3 circuit (thats what its called, right?) cause it is a forward clicky but the change in output is done by turning the bezel (correct me if i'm wrong, I don't own it yet) but this seems to be the best way of having a reliable multi-mode forward clicky that I've seen. I guess there were some switch issues that had to be resolved with some gold contact cleaner. Anyways Maglite and streamlight have some really nice forward clickies!! I LOVE the feel of them.

Well in that case, I've never had a problem with not being able to switch modes on a forward clickie or a reverse clickie... just lucky I guess. However reverse clickies accidentally switch modes way too easily for my preferences. Just barely bump the tail cap on most reverse clickies and it changes modes. With a forward clickie once you click that mode is locked in. Much more reliable imo.

Just a quick tip for reverse multimode lights like the UF C3 and similar. If you take out the rubber boot, and trim off about half the length of the rubber peg on the inside, it is far less sensitive to accidental mode switches.

MTE 1 level light (DX 1995) had a notoriously flaky reverse clickie. I think they've fixed it in more recent versions.