Sticky Switch. Repair Help?

will621

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Mar 2, 2009
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Had this long time and would like to keep it or give to my grandson. No markings but it's 3-aaa led, maybe a coast.
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Think I spilled beer on my flashlight switch and now it's sticky so won't turn off unless I unscrew the cap. What looks like screws are just decorative and don't screw. Appears the brass inner part of cap will screw out using 2 holes but won't budge.

Like to take it apart and clean inside but can't figure out how.

Any ideas? Will
 

parnass

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WD-40 excels at dissolving glue and gummy substances. Wonder if you could spray WD-40 around the outer perimeter of the pushbutton while keeping it depressed?
 

will621

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WD-40 excels at dissolving glue and gummy substances. Wonder if you could spray WD-40 around the outer perimeter of the pushbutton while keeping it depressed?
Thanks parnass. Tried wd-40 and soap and water and even a strong solvent with no success
 

seaside

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If what looks like two small black dots in fact are holes, you can put some steal wire in both of them, try unscrew it by turning both wires slowly and firmly. If this works, put parts on the table in order. Clean them, put them back in, see if it works again.
 

will621

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If what looks like two small black dots in fact are holes, you can put some steal wire in both of them, try unscrew it by turning both wires slowly and firmly. If this works, put parts on the table in order. Clean them, put them back in, see if it works again.
Tried that Seaside using a pair of spring clip pliers. If no one comes up with a better idea I'll try again using a vise and more force.

Will
 

Zatoichi

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Tried that Seaside using a pair of spring clip pliers. If no one comes up with a better idea I'll try again using a vise and more force.

Will

From the picture, I think that's what you need to do. Those 2 holes are usually to unscrew the metal ring and give access to the switch mechanism. They can be stiff (I bent some needlenose pliers on one).
 

will621

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From the picture, I think that's what you need to do. Those 2 holes are usually to unscrew the metal ring and give access to the switch mechanism. They can be stiff (I bent some needlenose pliers on one).
Thanks Zatoichi I've sent a link off to Coast and will report back if I get a response.

Will
 

chmsam

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You could also try an electronic parts/control cleaner or cleaner/lubricant. Most electronics store should have the stuff and at a reasonable price. That said, I think Radio Shack only carries small spray cans of Caig's DeOxit which is good but pricey. The stuff is also good for cleaning up "scratchy" sounding controls on radios (unplug them before spraying of course!).

Spray according to directions on the can and allow to thoroughly dry (several minutes at least). Try the light with fresh batteries and see how that goes. Stuff like this has helped me a lot and is a lot less work than tearing a light apart. Does less damage too.
 

VidPro

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i have seen the switch inside the similar model, and taking it apart can be easy or very hard depending on if the glue is set and in the right places on the threads.
a little heat from the heat gun worked to free it, of course then making it to hot to work with. on one i had to drill out the holes bigger and stuff (brittle) drill bits in to get the threads loose, because everything else BENT i stuffed in there.

in the mods threads they talked about a locktite solvent that frees up locktite, i have never tried it.
the flatblade screw looking indents are indeed nothing, mabey there to just confuse us :-(

with beer/soda/sugar, you need to Rehydrate the stickey substance, then move it away.
so i would soak it in 99% Alcohol for 3 hours, then try and get the alcohol out, use a compressor or something, then use silicoln spray , the light very solventy non-enviromental kind, which is harder to find, to finish up.

inside there is the BIG back plunger like you see, then a spring JUST to retract the big button plunger, then a seal (that on mine was broken) then there is a 12mm type round small switch , that is the actual switch behind the mask. you might have to get your solution back that far, to free up the switch IF the plunger is moving fine, but the switch is not. if its just the plunger, then , you should be able to free it up without dissasembly, just get stuff up in there and Leave it for time. like in a dixie cup full of alcohol (no not more beer :)

the system basically has 3 spring retractions, the plunger retract spring, the spring in the switch itself, and the springy seal that is supposed to keep beer out, its pretty hard to keep that from retracting , what was it microbrewry with pulp hops :)

at any rate, rehydrate the beer for TIME, then move the rehydration solution out. if you use water to rehydrate the beer, then you use alcohol to get the water out, then silicoln spray to finish up , which leaves a very thin oil to lubricate and protect.
 
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will621

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Toronto, downtown
Sticky Switch. Coast to the rescue

Had this long time and would like to keep it or give to my grandson. No markings but it's 3-aaa led, maybe a coast.
3326528639_bdba592f35_m.jpg
3326528567_f4cfa2c9d0_m.jpg
3326528443_57f3f05eb0_m.jpg
3327365512_f03042f93c_m.jpg

Think I spilled beer on my flashlight switch and now it's sticky so won't turn off unless I unscrew the cap. What looks like screws are just decorative and don't screw. Appears the brass inner part of cap will screw out using 2 holes but won't budge.

Like to take it apart and clean inside but can't figure out how.

Any ideas? Will

I sent an email with link to Coast to ask how to repair this thing and Alex Davis of the Portland office responded and said they might be able to send me a new switch. Today I received in the mail a brand new flashlight identical to my old one with batteries even and no charge at all.

Wow I'm impressed!!:twothumbs

Will
 

will621

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Toronto, downtown
Nice CS :twothumbs
I agree. BTW i disasembled the old switch by using the 2 holes and scewing the brass innards out of the alum casing using a pair of spring clip pliers. This worked good along with the WD40.

Switch is full of gunk or course so I will try to clean it up and reassemble and maybe get it working.

Caution is advised if anyone should want to take apart this kind of switch. The brass inner plate forming the switch contact is soldered to the outer brass threaded plate with the 2 holes so in unscrewing this I broke off the solder connection so I will have to do some tricky soldering if I ever expect this thing to work again.

Will
 
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