3 Level Softstart Switches?

Reaper

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Nov 14, 2002
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I've been toying with the idea of popping in one of Lighthounds AW 3 Level Softstart switches in a extra Z41 tail cap I have. I plan to use it with one of Malkoff's modules but if I'm going to spend that much money on the switch - I want to make darn sure it's going to work. I already have one of the MD2's with the high/low ring but the thought of just clicking a switch is quicker than turning the bezel plus the fact that it would also give me 3 levels of brightness at the same time. Anyone with thoughts pro/con about this set-up and if it'll work?

Thanks
 

Reaper

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Nov 14, 2002
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The lights I have are from 6v to 9v but I was half hoping that the switches would work with LED's but if not then-------
 

kito109654

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Mar 5, 2010
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The lights I have are from 6v to 9v but I was half hoping that the switches would work with LED's but if not then-------


The point of the "softstart" feature is to prolong the life of incadescent bulbs. I've been thinking about this same switch for use with some higher powered P60 lamp assemblies. Does anyone use one of these switches? How can it be a 3 level switch, that part confuses me.
 

gswitter

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Apr 26, 2006
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I haven't tried it with a Malkoff drop-in, but it's worked OK for me with other regulated LED heads/drop-ins. And although the listed minimum input voltage is 6V, others have reported that switch working with lower.
 

Reaper

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Nov 14, 2002
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I ran a M60L and a M60LL on just one 123 with a dummy cell and it ran fine though I only tried it for a few minutes. Only slightly dimmer but it lit up fine, I'm just not sure about how they would run with one of these low/med/high switches. Would low be like just running on one cell? Even if running on low is like running on one cell, the switch itself is still receiving the minimun 6v (in my case I plan to run on 9v 6P). Sure work right?

I'm getting a headache.
 

novice

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kito109654,
I just recently got one of these, and I like it a lot. I've got a dedicated 'stretch' lego that I use use for exploring incan possibilities on rechargeable AA eneloops. It started out as a 6P, but when I add an A19, that makes it a virtual '9P', and which also makes it the right length for 2xAA. Then adding one A14 makes it the right length for 3xAA. This is what I use to power the FiveMega D26 reflector/assembly for the strion bulb. Don't use 4 eneloops for the strion bulb; I've already blown a couple. When I add one more A14, it will take 4xAA eneloops, and that is what I use to run my SF P60 lamp assembly. I've got a SF P61 on the way, and I'm looking forward to playing with that. The 3-levels are accessed rather easily: push once (briefly) to turn it on low, push again for medium, and push again for high. Repeat ad infinitum. Once you install the soft-start switch, it doesn't have much of a 'click', so it takes a little getting used to. To turn it off, hold down briefly until the light goes off, then let go. Once it is on, if you hold it down for 1.5 seconds, the strobe function will come on. It also has a memory mode, so after you turn it off, it will come back on at the last setting.

There are a few funky things about this set-up that you might want to play around with. The A14 extension is just a hair longer than an AA. Once you start stacking them up, you start getting a little excess length. I was having some intermittent connectivity 'issues', so I experimented and finally ended up with a fairly thin fibre washer, which was slightly oversize in diameter, so I sanded it down until it fit, then I dropped it in the bezel in front of the lamp assembly/reflector, which pushes the lamp contact back against the batteries more, and it works pretty good now. It does leave a slight gap between the bezel and body when screwed down. Clumsily measuring it with an old pair of really cheap vernier calipers, I get a thickness of about 2mm, or roughly 3/32nds of an inch. I've got 2 extra; if you want one, send me a PM and I'll mail you one. Because the AAs rattle around a bit, I got some vinyl tubing which I cut little donut slices off of, and I put one on the end of each battery. Once I did all that, this seems to work fairly reliably, although I wouldn't use it for a life-or-death situation. I do enjoy playing with it on dog walks at night.
 
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