frozen tailcap

What's the best way to get a frozen tailcap off of a mini-mag. I've practically gouged the thing to death with pliers and it still wont come off. It was ok a few weeks ago so it hasn't been frozen long. I guess the batteries leaked, but it feels like someone put red loctite on it. I tried the freezer method...no luck...hesitant to try heating with a torch.

What's the best way? NO way at all...buy an Arc AAA

Maybe take the head end off and completely disassemble? This could possible release some of the pressure on the tail side--assuming it's pressure that's keeping the tailcap on.

I tried that, no luck, hate to throw it away, its a backup to the backup to the backup for walking the dog

Saaby has a good point! Buy an ArcAAA. Then you won't need so many backups.

I would send the MagLite back to MagLite for repair, replacement or refund.

Al

Send it back?......new ones are 8 bucks and change at Walmart with batteries, holster (iirc), and two spare bulbs in addition to the spare bulb in the tailcap. I think I'll take it to Walmart and let them give me a new one and send it back themselves. The postage wouldn't be worth it, it doesn't even get used anymore except in candle mode just for the fun of it. It just sits in a drawer by the dogs leash as a backup.....handy power outage candle etc...and to think....these were once my favorite pocket lights when they first came out before I discovered UKE.

BTW, since I joined this website a few weeks ago my credit card balance has jumped up over $500 bucks....I'm starting to doubt my sanity

And yes...I have ARC's en route as we speak

Thanks for the tip Seth, I remember that from car battery corrosion tips now that you mention it. I think I'll give Wlamart the minimag but I will try that on my Brinkmann 5-3-2 which I always liked and now sits with corroded batteries stuck in it. I wrote it off as ruined and was going to ship it to Everready for repair under their battery warranty. I like the versatility of that light for it's ability to use 2-5 D cells which last long and are always plentiful and easily found when a hurricane is expected.

stingray,
Seth' idea is sound but another method I've used is to soak the barrel, (after the head and bulb holder is removed), in WD-40 for a few days. I know the "naysayers" will tell you don't use petroleum based WD-40 because it will "eat" the o-rings but I've used this method on a couple of 10 year old Mags and they are working fine and the original 10 year old o-rings are in fine shape!

How about soaking the entire torch in WD-40?

Personally, before trying Coke and WD-40 (if you try them at all)...take the head off, put in some alcohol (not booze!), while covering the open hole with your hand, make sure you "rap" (not music!) the tail end (not what you may be thinking!) against something hard several times - to let the alcohol hopefully seep into the threads, and let it soak for awhile.

It may work (without leaving the residue that WD-40 or Coke may, then again, if you get the cap off via these "namebrand" methods...you would be able to easily clean out the "tube").

pb blaster and a blue wrench.

Coke is the cure for all evils...

PB(not PB&J ) is serious! I also like Kroil for very rusted stuff.

I would imagine that filling the torch with coke would leave the inside sticky due to the sugar content...I don't know about Diet coke though...
"Food Lion" branded diet coke does not have any suger in it...
If none of the above works, buy a new torch and make sure that its tail cap has some kind of lubricant on it!!!!!!

Thanks for all the cures....I'm gonna let Wal-Mart swap out the light...too much trouble for a mini-mag.

However, as far as my Brinkmann 5-3-2 and Mag 5C goes, with their frozen in place corroded batteries, which I can't believe happened so abruptly, if I send them to Eveready, who has agreed to repair or replace them (6 months ago), do they just clean em out or do they send you new ones. Anyone ever done this before?

My guess is they just send you new ones. Fixing them would almost certainly be more expensive in labour than just replacing them.

pb blaster and a blue wrench.

Snakebite, what are these interesting-sounding things?

Pat

Take it off with a pipe wrench and send it to the battery manufacture. They should replace without question. That has worked for me. Good luck.

Hi stingray,

try filling your Maglite with Classic Coke, locate it in a sink, let the phosphoric acid in the classic coke do it´s job over night.

No joke!

Tried this twice ( successfull )with corroded tailcaps in my pre-CPF-times

I don´t know if this works also w/ Coke-light, cherry-coke & similar... I have no clue if they contain some phosphoric acid too.

Seth

More than likely, you have some gaulded threads, due to a speck of aluminum comming off when you were putting the cap on. I've had it happen, & because of the very fine thread, it doesn't take much. No good way to get it apart that doesn't pretty well ruin the light. TX