How to remove Kaidomain's MagLite Q5 drop-in?

Got mine in mail today and "dropped" it into my 2D. It actually took some work to get in there and I managed to push it in as deep as in pic #7 here: http://www.kaidomain.com/ProductImages.aspx?ProductId=1777

Problem 1: It won't light up

Well, I have two of them so I could swap but there's another:

Problem 2: How do I remove the first drop-in?!?

The fit is very tight. It almost looks like it's the same piece of metal with my silver MagLite. No way to stick anything in between. Nothing to grab to either. Any help?

Terve....!

You will probably have to take it apart and then push it out from the back of the light with something...

Thanks for quick answer. I was actually able to solve it myself already.

You can grab the central part of the drop-in (where the led is attached) with pliers and unscrew it. That way I was able to fix the connection problem underneath and now it works. The outer ring of the drop-in is probably impossible to detach...

Now I however found that the original reflector no longer fits so I have to look for something else from Kaidomain to replace it.

Oh, and the 2AA -> 1D adapters are also a mess. They cannot even get a contact between two of those let alone with the tail cap of a MagLite. Well, something for me to work on

I used a pair of pliers, grabbed the cylinder around the LED, and pulled.

Mine was an extremely tight fit when i got it, so rather than risk getting it stuck, I polished the outside with a wire wheel and the inside of the mag body with a brass dremel wheel. I used dielectric thermal paste to fill the gap.

I just remove the Mag switch and the from the tail end, use a rod to
push out the dropin.
You have to be careful not to damage the dropin battery spring


EDIT

Now I however found that the original reflector no longer fits so I have to look for something else from Kaidomain to replace it.

Click to expand...

All you need to do is cut off the cam (stem) of the stock Mag reflector

tx101 said:

I just remove the Mag switch and the from the tail end, use a rod to
push out the dropin.
You have to be careful not to damage the dropin battery spring

All you need to do is cut off the cam (stem) of the stock Mag reflector

Click to expand...

Just in case I ever need to do it, how do you take apart MagLite switch mechanism and remove it from the tube?

I have one stuck permanently? in :0
It was a tight fit and i had pressed it in too much already...I ended up unscrewing the led from the heatsink and banging it all the way in on my desk as i gave up on trying to take it out

This is the method I use to remove the switch from a stock D Maglite:

-- Remove the tail cap and take the batteries out.

-- Unscrew the head of the flashlight (not just the bezel at the very top, but the complete head including the reflector).

-- There is a cover or "boot" over the switch mechanism. Just squeeze the sides of the cover and it should be fairly easy to remove.

-- The top of the switch is now visible. Before you remove it, take time to notice how the switch appears while it is still centered in the flashlight body. This will make it easier to center it when you put it back together. In the center is a hole for what I believe is a 2 mm (5/64 inch) Allen wrench. Push the wrench all the way to the bottom of the hole and use it to loosen the screw.

-- When the screw is loose enough the switch assembly should be free enough to be pushed through the flashlight body and out of the tail. You might need to use something to push the switch out if it seems too tightly wedged inside.

When you put the switch back into the flashlight, tighten the screw most of the way but not completely tight. This will make centering the switch assembly easier. When you are satisfied that the switch is in place, fully tighten the screw.

To replace the switch cover (or "boot") you only need to pinch it slightly and work it into place.

Be sure to wipe clean all of the threads and o-rings and lubricate them. If you search this forum you will find a lot of information and discussion on lubrication for threads and o-rings but what I use is a pure silicone grease. You only need a very small amount (about the size of a pea for each end of the flashlight).