Problem with new L4 tailswitch

I just received my new L4 yesterday and this light is very bright, as it lights my whole backyard up very nice. The problem is the momentary action of the tail switch is very light to the push, it only takes one or two ounces of pressure to activate the momentary on. Just wandering if anyone else out there has the same problem or not?

That's normal - it means you can "strobe" the light by flashing it on and off very quickly.

Certainly it needs to be locked out when clipped inside a pocket - that's my experience at least.

Funny that the Z57 has been noted to have a soft switch after a thread noted that the E2e has a hard switch. I guess theres no pleasing everybody all the time!

Personally, I love the Z57. Perhaps you should give it a chance - put a few sets of SF123As through the L4 in normal usage to see if the Z57 Clickie grows on you. It did on me.

Al

I find it's a little loud as deer can hear it @ 30-40 yds but not @ 75. Other than that I love it.

The L4 switch is quite sensitive. I wish the E2e cap was this sensetive; would've made for a quicker triggering... That being said, the L4 cap is giving me fits right now, as its internal spring's stuck and it won't click out...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Update; I made my switch less sensitive by adding a plastic washer underneath the rubber switch cover, see I took notice that my L4 rubber tail switch cover was not deep enough for the switch and that was keeping pressure on the switch all the time, and the plastic washer I put on lifted up the tail switch cover, and the switch works perfectly now, only problem is I now have about a 1/2 thread sticking up on the tail switch.

I really like the feel of the new switch on the L4... it's a lot like the A2's, except without the constant-on click. A real nice feature is that it doesn't take much turning of the tailcap to activate the LOTC. It's funny that Al should bring up the E2e "hard to press" tailswitch thread (you're right, it's difficult to please everyone - myself included), as I've never really got used to the extra pressure it took to activate the E2e light.

I'm definitely looking forward to converting my pair of E2e's to this new switch when available.

-Jim

Jim, it's already available from Dan (TW)... It's in the "accessories" page, under "miscellaneous", near the bottom (labeled Z57)...
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ohgeez.gif wowwww... Dan the Man comes through again. Thanks, Choua - as always, you and Dan are a great source of information. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif

-Jim

Wow. Crazy. I, on the other hand, just LOVE the smooth, easy momentary action. The latching part of the switch is a different animal though.

Tell me this, guys. Can anybody latch the switch with the ball of the thumb? I personally need to use the tip of my thumb to latch it. I want to verify if this is common before I admit to Don's take on this - that my delicate, feminine hands are to blame.

I just tried using the "ball" of my thumb, and didn't have any ytrouble at all getting the switch to latch on and latch off.

[ QUOTE ]
Darell said:
Wow. Crazy. I, on the other hand, just LOVE the smooth, easy momentary action. The latching part of the switch is a different animal though.

Tell me this, guys. Can anybody latch the switch with the ball of the thumb? I personally need to use the tip of my thumb to latch it. I want to verify if this is common before I admit to Don's take on this - that my delicate, feminine hands are to blame.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've tried 4-different switches and I can't activate any of them with the ball of my thumb. They require using the thumb tip.

I can click the Z57 I have using the ball of my thumb rather than the tip.

I can click the Z57 using the distal interphalengeal joint of my right thumb without much difficulty. I perfer however, to use the pad of the thumb. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

It is your delicate feminine hands Darell. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I can click mine with my thumb joint no problem.

Thanks for the input, guys.

Ok, before I have everybody send me pictures of their various masculine thumbs - let's make sure we're all on the same page here. Mike kinda scared me with his big words, and I want to make sure nobody is using their pinkie toe or something.

The part of the hand that Ray and I can't use to latch the Z57 is the *pad* of the thumb. The part that you'd use if you were to leave a thumbprint at the police station. The part that Kyra draws a little face on, and calls "Mr. Thumbkin." THAT part.

Either we were talking about different body parts, these switches vary a bit, or you guys have some REALLY weird thumbs.

Heck Darell,

"Little Don" can dang near turn on the clickie even when he isn't awake, as it were................. OK, I have exaggerated as well as really haven't had "Little Don" rise to the challenge. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

I do notice some difference between the couple switches I have. One of the *intentional* design criteria in this switch was that it not be easily or accidentally switched into constant on. See Peter's recent comments about "mom" on HERE. The switch is definitely not easy to turn on.

(the preceding is based on a small test sample and may or may not reflect upon the population at large and the author may in fact be suffering from rectal/ cranial insertion syndrome)

- Don

Yeah.. uh... put Big Don back on the line for a minute.

Yup, I understand not wanting this thing to click on accidentally. I'll be curous to play with a larger sampling of the switches. One thing that astonishes me is how rock solid the momentary mode is. I'm so used the Krolls giving all kinds of dimming/flickering trouble, that this switch is astonishing in it's capability to light and STAY lit at full throttle - even when you move around in the momenary "travel" of the switch. Very nice indeed. And really, this is how I use the switch 90% of the time. If I want to transition from momentary to latched, I typically have to release the button, reposition my thumb and repress. In a perfect world, I'd like to be able to just mash my thumb pad down and have it click on. Yes, even if it IS hard to do.

OK, back to you, Little Don.

[ QUOTE ]
Darell said:
Either we were talking about different body parts, these switches vary a bit, or you guys have some REALLY weird thumbs.

[/ QUOTE ]


Maybe our thumbs are the normal ones /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Sorry, couldn't resist. And you'd expect no less /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Cute little Mr. Thumbkin says "Bite me Bug Boy!"

You better be careful! You know what the consequences can be for that kind of behavior...Mr. Cowgod

My thumb fits the clickie just fine.