Do you have any super simple "mods" that you do to most of your lights?

For example, I always wrap a very neat strip of electrical tape around the tail cap of all my lights. I make it a few millimeters thick, and then you have an instant biteable hands free solution that is extremely tooth-friendly, and doesn't get slippery when wet.

Also on the subject of electrical tape, if you have a light with a small bezel diameter, such as a little RiverRock or a little Fenix, you can use colored electrical tape (like blue or red) stretched across the bezel, then use another strip around the bezel to lock in the other one. Then you have an instant super cheap beam filter!


I'd be interested to hear if anyone else has come up with any super simple little "mods" that they do to their lights to make them that tiny bit more usable, with a tiny bit of money.

Good thread idea. I myself like to wrap a rip of gaffers tape around the light 3 times. That way I have a small amount of the greatest tape ever invented on hand. Gaffers/gaff tape is used for taping cords and cables down on stages. It is nice because when peeling it off the roll, it will not stretch (then shrink back when in use which is bad), and it is super sticky without leaving residue on most anything.

A thing about electrial tape... I am a firm believer in pulling off the length needed, then letting it shrink back after a minute or two. I hate when you put tape on something and then it starts to receed back leaving residue behind.

- Jeff
(05' stumpjumper)

The little things I do to my lights are:

1) Clean the threads and apply SuperLube to them.
2) Place deoxit on all electrical contacts.
3) Clean them in mild soap and water. (This also checks the waterproofness)



Bill

I invariably slip a length of bicycle inner tube over the bodies of small lights to make them easier on teeth and easier to hang on to. I very nearly always completely clean and lube a brand new light.

Yep !


Always lube the O-rings, and


clean contacts with De-Oxit & Pro-Gold.


:twothumbs
_

Burgess said:

Yep !


Always lube the O-rings, and


clean contacts with De-Oxit & Pro-Gold.


:twothumbs
_

Click to expand...

and remember to lune UNDER the orings as well.

I also flatten the bottom of the coil springs that carry electric current with a knife sharpening stone. Most companies do this now, but always keep an eye out for virgin:naughty: springs.

Don't know if you can consider it a "mod" but I usually install a small split ring through the lanyard holes.With the split installed you can attach a variety of lanyards and/or clips and switch them easily.The exception to this would be large lights or those that can accept paracord without the split ring.

If its got a standard type bulb I will replace it with a LED Drop in module

To the smaller lights I always attach a split ring, and possibly a clip if I intend to use it on my keyring often. To the larger ones, I sometimes attach a lanyard. My new T1 still doesn't have a lanyard attached, I should probably go do that.

I sometimes play around with various lids to make cheap diffusers for lights, although I recently bought a fenix diffuser as it works a lot better :twothumbs

Thanks for the idea about electrical tape around the tailcap, should save my teeth!

zipplet said:

Thanks for the idea about electrical tape around the tailcap, should save my teeth!

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Just make sure when you're putting the tape onto the light that it isn't stretched, and that you taper the top and bottom of the wrapping down to one strip thin, so you can't see the individual layers of tape if you were to look at it from above/below, know what I mean?. Both of these prevent adhesive from getting out, or stuff getting in.

Hmm, do you mean to cut it diagonally at the ends? Rather than just using a rectangular piece. I might try that.

The thing I like is this is easily reverseable/replaceable as needed. A nice rubber sheath (and even ring) would work better but harder to come by.

Similar to the electrical tape idea, I tend to wrap a bit of GITD Tommy Tape (silicon tape) around the tails of my smaller lights for easy mouth-holding (and glowing). I also usually clean and lube every new light thoroughly and put a split ring and Greenled lanyard/fob on it.

zipplet said:

Hmm, do you mean to cut it diagonally at the ends? Rather than just using a rectangular piece. I might try that.

The thing I like is this is easily reverseable/replaceable as needed. A nice rubber sheath (and even ring) would work better but harder to come by.

Click to expand...

No, I just leave the ends rectangular... what I mean is... if you were holding the light horizontal in front of you, you would see that in the middle it is thick, but on each side, left and right, it is only one piece thin, which sort of seals in the stacked layers. If you just roll the tape around straight, the sides of the stacked layers will get sticky and not hold in place as well.

bltkmt said:

Similar to the electrical tape idea, I tend to wrap a bit of GITD Tommy Tape (silicon tape) around the tails of my smaller lights for easy mouth-holding (and glowing). I also usually clean and lube every new light thoroughly and put a split ring and Greenled lanyard/fob on it.

Click to expand...

How well does that stuff glow?

For landyards like those come with fenix lights, I cut a 3-5mm long airline tubing like those used for aquarium air bubblers. Then I have the landyard go through it.

This way when you wrap the landyard around your wrist you can slide the airline tube down and hold the lube tight. Even if you drop your hands straight down, the landyard wont slip out of your wrist.

If the plastic on your airline tubing is hard or too small to push the landyard through, try putting it in very warm water to soften it up.

At $0.25 a foot, it will last you more than a life time.:naughty:

This actually saved my L2D from going into Lake Erie river once.:thumbsup:

do you have a pic of the split ring, on a fenix

(picture isn't mine)

3rd light from the left. The smaller fenix lights come with that ring included in the packaging - some come with a full keychain clip instead.

I try to add a Glowring or glow paint and a lanyard to every light.

I've got my cap stand for the E-series, L-series, and A2 lights. It's free and only requires that you be a little handy with a knife. Check the link in my signature for more details.

DeoxIt and Gold all threads, spring, resistor and body contacts. Remove all O-rings before a generous application of Nyogel 779ZC. Coat threads with Nyogel 760G. Lanyards.