Icebreak
Flashlight Enthusiast
I wanted to keep the original 3D Elektro Lumens Tri-Star spring. I needed a spring for use with a 4C configuration. It occured to me that I had some copper wiring electricians use in commercial applications. One spool had a 10 on it and I assume this must be a gauge. I cut a strand of it and stripped it.
Using two pairs of pliers I worked it into a spiral shape. The bottom two spirals are about 17.25 mm in diameter to fit and slightly hang up in the well of the end cap. The second to the top spiral is about 15 mm across. The end of the top spiral is bent 90° across the center of the resulting "spring" for best targeting of the battery cathode.
Since copper doesn't have much spring (can't think of the proper term) to it, I knew the length would be somewhat critical. I wanted it to reach its' destination and apply pressure but I didn't want to smush (technical term) it. It came out to be about 25 mm long. I think it is only being compressed about 1.5 mm.
It works great. No battery rattle and the end cap screws on nicely. I would think resistance between Al cap/Cu spring/batt cathod is low. Surely, I'm not the first to think of this.
I would also think that if a person had a tapered punch they could simply wind the copper wire around it to attain a more semetric product.
I have an odd sense of humor and this ugly little piece that looks like it came off of a miniature still (moonshine machine) makes me smile. As many of you know, Elektro Lumens started out with copper pipe for barrels and heads. So here in his latest beauty, a finely knurled, silver anodized, light; pumping the photons of 3 bluish 3 watt stars through a Fraen triple optic rests an important electronic component...an oink oink pig tail of copper wire.
Using two pairs of pliers I worked it into a spiral shape. The bottom two spirals are about 17.25 mm in diameter to fit and slightly hang up in the well of the end cap. The second to the top spiral is about 15 mm across. The end of the top spiral is bent 90° across the center of the resulting "spring" for best targeting of the battery cathode.
Since copper doesn't have much spring (can't think of the proper term) to it, I knew the length would be somewhat critical. I wanted it to reach its' destination and apply pressure but I didn't want to smush (technical term) it. It came out to be about 25 mm long. I think it is only being compressed about 1.5 mm.
It works great. No battery rattle and the end cap screws on nicely. I would think resistance between Al cap/Cu spring/batt cathod is low. Surely, I'm not the first to think of this.
I would also think that if a person had a tapered punch they could simply wind the copper wire around it to attain a more semetric product.
I have an odd sense of humor and this ugly little piece that looks like it came off of a miniature still (moonshine machine) makes me smile. As many of you know, Elektro Lumens started out with copper pipe for barrels and heads. So here in his latest beauty, a finely knurled, silver anodized, light; pumping the photons of 3 bluish 3 watt stars through a Fraen triple optic rests an important electronic component...an oink oink pig tail of copper wire.
