MagLite has lowered the resistance

on their switches. Looks like they went back to to the old style battery contact with no spring.


Only problem is this won't work too well with IMR batterys so don't throw away your old switch housings. In a light that uses FM battery holders or button top batterys you will enjoy less resistance with this switch. The new switch insert has a key to fit in the new housing but removing the keyed part and replacing it with the old style will allow the switch cartridge to fit the old style housing.
I had the switch in my m*g458 to blow a hole in one of the contacts. "Must have been defective" I changed it to the new style and saved the old housing for another mod. I can't say this switch is brighter than the old style when it was fresh but it's brighter now.
Billy

Did you measure the differences in resistance, and/or use a lightmeter to determine that the lamp is brighter with the newer setup?

Bill

Bullzeyebill said:

Did you measure the differences in resistance, and/or use a lightmeter to determine that the lamp is brighter with the newer setup?

Bill

Click to expand...

I didn't compair the resistance between the two switches. The differance may be small but I would think there would be less resistance with the current not having to travel through a spring and making the distance shorter for the current to travel.
On a light this bright I'm sure it will take a light meter to measure the differance but I don't have one. After charging my batterys I got some flickering with the old switch and replaced it with the new style. I also treated the new switch with Pro Gold. It is noticeably brighter with the new switch but that's not a good comparison.
Billy

What are you talking about, it works great with IMR batteries.

Just go like this !




I've been running my LED Mag off a single 26650 cell.

Conte said:

What are you talking about, it works great with IMR batteries.

Just go like this !




I've been running my LED Mag off a single 26650 cell.

Click to expand...

Good mod.
Thank you for posting.
Billy

Theoretically, it may be true.

If you test for resistance, it my be negligible, but as soon as you start to push however many amps of current thru that spring that changes.
When you start to exceed the metals capacity for electrical conductivity it will start to produce resistance. The more cars on the highway, the slower the traffic.

Also, you look at the tip of the spring you can't help but question how good a connection its making to the battery. This theory also counts when considering the amount of surface area is contacting between the battery and the terminal.

That new contact terminal once rigged the way I have it, it certainly going to make a better connection to the battery allowing for less interference, and and it is one thicker piece between the battery and the switch.

So it makes perfect sense that it may very well result in less resistance under load. Now mind you, as soon as you get to the switch, you have a whole bunch more weak links to deal with, but that's another battle.

I think the only way you could hope to test it with a normal multi-metre is to compare the voltage at the battery terminal to the voltage at the bulb which could be difficult. I'm tempted to try it.