Help me understand need for double click

hello,
i am trying to understand the need to double click the switch on some mods to fire up a bulb i built a 2d ROP high running off of 2 x 18650 cells. Many times i need to double click the switch in order for the bulb to light up. Can someone give a simple explanation for this and i it harmfull on the cells?

Hi - I am sure one of the incan guys will chime in to correct part of this, but here is a starting point.

When cold, the filament has a very low resistance, so there is quite a current surge that happens during that first "instant" of on time. This surge can be higher than the battery can safely supply, so the protection circuit goes into overload protection mode. Enough current has gone through the filament to start warming the filament up and raising the resistance.

The protection circuit on the cells can "reset" in some cases, allowing another attempt at starting up the filament. If the filament stays hot enough, and the cell protection circuit reset is fast enough, then after a few clicks (on / reset cycles), the filament is hot enough to have the needed resistance to run with the available power.

That same surge is responsible for a lot of filament damage, so incan controllers often include a "soft start" mode to reduce this effect. If you can, always try to use one of these controllers as it will make your overall experience with incans so much better. Search for threads by AlanB for more info.

As far as damaging the cells - I don't think it does, but anytime you are using a "protection" circuit as your "regulation" circuit, it is dicey.

If the light gets left on, it flattens the battery, and in some cases can make the light really hot.

The need for a double click helps stop it being accidentally turned on if it gets knocked whilst in a bag etc.

Magic Matt said:

The need for a double click helps stop it being accidentally turned on if it gets knocked whilst in a bag etc.

Click to expand...

LOL
it's not a mouse button Matt.
You find a switch that has this lock-out function. I'd be especially interested to see you find this double click lock-out in a stock m@g switch, as the OP wrote it occured using an RoP.

See Harry N's answer above.

Magic Matt said:

If the light gets left on, it flattens the battery, and in some cases can make the light really hot.

The need for a double click helps stop it being accidentally turned on if it gets knocked whilst in a bag etc.

Click to expand...

Post 2 explains what the OP is concerned about. His flashlight was not set up for double clicks for safety reasons, and the double clicks were needed to get the protected Li-Ion cells working. If he had used unprotected Li-Ions he would not have had to double click the light.

Bill

If I were to use the AW IMR red 18650 cels could this problem be fixed. Also could it fire up a 5761 bulb with this setup?

Linger said:

I'd be especially interested to see you find this double click lock-out in a stock m@g switch, as the OP wrote it occured using an RoP.

Click to expand...

Wouldn't that have to be a triple-click with a stock M@g? Click-on, click-off, click-on....

The OP said double-click, I assumed he had a momentary-on which probably had a lock-out in the driver.

jaybiz32 said:

If I were to use the AW IMR red 18650 cels could this problem be fixed. Also could it fire up a 5761 bulb with this setup?

Click to expand...

I don't know enough about incans to answer that question, but if you read through the threads in the "incan lights" section, it is nearly its own section of customized incan hobby modifications. Luxluther and others have created an amazing information base about bulbs, voltge, battery combos, etc. The ROP type are extensively discussed there.

jaybiz32 said:

If I were to use the AW IMR red 18650 cels could this problem be fixed. Also could it fire up a 5761 bulb with this setup?

Click to expand...

I don't know enough about incans to answer that question, but if you read through the threads in the "incan lights" section, it is nearly its own section of customized incan hobby modifications. Luxluther and others have created an amazing information base about bulbs, voltge, battery combos, etc. The ROP type are extensively discussed there.

BTW - Matt - I can see your point on that. I built a light (Breeze) which has an "off" and an "off off" setting just for that reason. Drives my wife crazy though.