I have a Lowe's Task Force 3C that I'm using as a bike light. I love the light's output and for $24, it is brighter than a lot of bike shop products costing five times as much.
The problem is the switches. I've returned two of these lights because the switches went bad after a few weeks.
When the last switch failed, I ripped the guts out of the tailcap and modified it so that I just remove the tailcap when I want to turn the light off. This is adequate for my uses, however not real convenient.
The light comes apart in three sections - the head, a hollow tube for the battery and the tailcap.
I went to Radio Shack and got a 2AA holder and a 4AA holder. I made the light work with 2 AA batteries and just pressing one wire on the spring and another on the body of the head. So I know it will work. 2 AA batteries don't work with the 4AA holder. That's where I am now.
What I need to know is if this will work, and the best way to do it.
What I want to do is this: Get another 2AA holder, and wire them together in serial. With two 2100mAh batteries in each holder, that would give me 2.4v and 4200mAh, right? If so, that's plenty of burn time for my needs.
Are there any major pitfalls to doing it this way? I know I could get a single 2D or 2D holder, and run C or D cells but then I'd have to buy high capacity C or D batteries and a charger. That starts getting expensive. I already have collection of AA batteries and chargers. I also like the security of knowing that if I somehow find myself without any freshly charged batteries, I can just stop at a convenience store on my way home from work and buy a pack of alkaline AA's to get me home. That's if I can't find the janitor who gives them out for free.
What kind of connectors, switches etc. should I use and will I need to take up soldering? The switch just needs to be a simple toggle. I was at Radio Shack and they have many to choose from. I need it to be fairly sturdy, relatively water resistant and also be able to swap out the batteries easily. The battery holders only have these two little skinny short wires coming out of them. The wire needs to be long enough to go from the front of my bike frame to the light. It also has to hold together over bumps and allow me to turn my handlebars without getting disconnected.
I'm new at this, so any technical advice is highly appreciated.
Thanks.
The problem is the switches. I've returned two of these lights because the switches went bad after a few weeks.
When the last switch failed, I ripped the guts out of the tailcap and modified it so that I just remove the tailcap when I want to turn the light off. This is adequate for my uses, however not real convenient.
The light comes apart in three sections - the head, a hollow tube for the battery and the tailcap.
I went to Radio Shack and got a 2AA holder and a 4AA holder. I made the light work with 2 AA batteries and just pressing one wire on the spring and another on the body of the head. So I know it will work. 2 AA batteries don't work with the 4AA holder. That's where I am now.
What I need to know is if this will work, and the best way to do it.
What I want to do is this: Get another 2AA holder, and wire them together in serial. With two 2100mAh batteries in each holder, that would give me 2.4v and 4200mAh, right? If so, that's plenty of burn time for my needs.
Are there any major pitfalls to doing it this way? I know I could get a single 2D or 2D holder, and run C or D cells but then I'd have to buy high capacity C or D batteries and a charger. That starts getting expensive. I already have collection of AA batteries and chargers. I also like the security of knowing that if I somehow find myself without any freshly charged batteries, I can just stop at a convenience store on my way home from work and buy a pack of alkaline AA's to get me home. That's if I can't find the janitor who gives them out for free.
What kind of connectors, switches etc. should I use and will I need to take up soldering? The switch just needs to be a simple toggle. I was at Radio Shack and they have many to choose from. I need it to be fairly sturdy, relatively water resistant and also be able to swap out the batteries easily. The battery holders only have these two little skinny short wires coming out of them. The wire needs to be long enough to go from the front of my bike frame to the light. It also has to hold together over bumps and allow me to turn my handlebars without getting disconnected.
I'm new at this, so any technical advice is highly appreciated.
Thanks.
