Surefire C3 17500's and McClicky problems

nylaw

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I just bought 2 17500's, McClicky switch and a Pila charger. I also want to get a Malkoff 91 once you guys help me sort this mess out. Right now it's running a P91. It works fine off primaries but since adding the McClicky and the 17500's not so good. At first I would get a slight flicker depending how I press the switch. I put the primaries back with the McClicky and it works great. I searched here and found it could be related to the negative spring on the P91 not fitting around the 17500. I bent the spring and got it to turn on a few times but not consistently.

Upon further testing the light will come on if push the switch down at an angle not straight down. I can maybe do this 3 times in a row before that stops working also. I pulled the switch back out and tried to lengthen the spring. The spring and the retention clip popped off. Ughhhhhhh It took a while but I got it back together. It is still doing the angle thing and won't work with a straight press. I may have messed the switch up as it seems harder to get it to work now.

A couple times I unscrewed the bezel with primaries and as the bezel was close to coming off the light would come on. I assume the switch was pressed on but it's hard to keep track of all the presses when nothing happens. I know this is a bit long but I didn't want to leave anything out. Maybe just putting in the Malkoff will solve everything? I am really stumped here and need some help. Thanks!!!!!
 

Moddoo

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What brand of cells are you using?
Is it a genuine TorchLab/Oveready mcClicky kit?
Which boot is installed?

The 3 cell surefires with 2x 17500 or 18500 work with AW brand cells, but the fit is tight. Meaning that the 2 cells are almost too long.
If you have a lot of pressure on the mcllicky, you can either cause intermittent contact (if the ring is not fully tightened) or crush the cells and/or the switch.
AW 17500 are about 51.5mm and barely fit. if your cells are longer it can cause problems.

Check your cells, and check the tightness of the mcclicky retaining ring.

If your cells have a protection circuit, it could be tripping due to the current draw of the P91.

Good Luck with the build.
 
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nylaw

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They are AW cells with the standard boot but I also bought a silicone boot but I have not installed it yet. It is the real deal purchased from Lighthound. The first time I installed the switch I tightened the ring really well. The next time not as tight. It really didn't function any better or worse. It's just odd that pushing at an angle will get it to work some of the time. I was very excited to have a torch that could compete with my modded Mag Charger but so far this is proving to be a bit of a challenge. I thought this was all going to drop in and work like a charm since so many others seems to have great results.
 

Moddoo

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Sounds like you are likely tripping the protection circuit on your cell(s)

17500 cells are not rated to power the P91 that is capable of pulling over 2.5A from 2 rechargeable li-ion.

I'd recommend a bored body (with 2x18500), or running an led drop-in like the M91.

everything else seems in order.
 

nylaw

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I can understand your thinking but pushing the switch at an angle makes it work. If it was tripping the batt protection it shouldn't work this way either. I do intend to order the Malkoff 91 but I want to make sure this works correctly before adding another variable. I was hoping with so many people here that someone else ran into this same situation.
 

Moddoo

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sounds like you may have damaged something when you pulled the switch apart.
you may be getting a partial contact in certain situations that allows the light to work for a moment.
A new switch would be a good choice to get this light on track.

You cannot run a p91 with those cells, even if everything is working correctly.
I do not know of any IMR 17500 that you could try, but those would likely blow the bulb anyway.

does the light work with 3x cr123 and the mcclicky?
 

rookiedaddy

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I remember AW replied to my queries some years ago that he do not recommend using 2 x P17500 with P91, as the cells can't supply the required current to power P91, 2 x P18500 (bored host) or 2 x P17670 (with extender) is the minimum recommended. P90 is perfectly fine with 2 x P17500 tho... :)

btw, I'm running my P91 with the following config:
- 2 x P18500 or 2 x IMR 18500
- 2 x IMR 16340 or 2 x IMR 18350
 
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nylaw

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does the light work with 3x cr123 and the mcclicky? Yes it does.

I have a G2 laying around with a P60. Would that work until the M91 arrives? Many years ago I put a Kroll switch in the G2. I think I will order another McClicky and put the one I messed up in the G2.
 

cland72

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Do you have a normal Z41 tailcap with factory internals? If so, try that with your P91/2x17500 and report back if you have the same issues or not. This will hopefully help us figure out whether or not the mcclicky is the culprit.

Alternately, you could try using a paperclip or other metal connector to make contact between the negative end of the battery and the body tube if you do not have another tailcap.
 

nylaw

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Do you have a normal Z41 tailcap with factory internals? If so, try that with your P91/2x17500 and report back if you have the same issues or not. This will hopefully help us figure out whether or not the mcclicky is the culprit.

Alternately, you could try using a paperclip or other metal connector to make contact between the negative end of the battery and the body tube if you do not have another tailcap.

That was the only Z41 I had. I will try the paper clip and report back. As to the M91 which to get regular or W? Choices choices choices . . .
 

Moddoo

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does the light work with 3x cr123 and the mcclicky? Yes it does.

I have a G2 laying around with a P60. Would that work until the M91 arrives? Many years ago I put a Kroll switch in the G2. I think I will order another McClicky and put the one I messed up in the G2.


You have isolated the problem to the 17500 cells. They are not supposed to work with a lamp like the P91.

a p60 lamp designed for 6v will not work.
 

nylaw

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You have isolated the problem to the 17500 cells. They are not supposed to work with a lamp like the P91.

a p60 lamp designed for 6v will not work.


Thanks to you everyone for your help. I just placed the order for the M91.
 

Bullzeyebill

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I still think that the protected 17500 cells are too long. I have had a similar problem with 17500's in SF 3XCR123 bodies, and cured the problem by going to a different deeper tailcap. I use the RPM tailcap which house a McClicky. I have had the "length" issue using lights with Incan bulbs or LED's when using SF bodies, bored or unbored.

Bill

Bill
 

nylaw

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The M91 will be here tomorrow. I will report back. I also ordered another McClicky. That should be here Thur. or Friday. One way or the other this will be solved. I am going to Google that cap you mentioned.
 

Chodes

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If 3 x 123 do work, that will be fine for M91.
Using AW LION as example - 3 x 750mAh vs 2 x 1100mAh - slight capacity advantage to 3 cells (though I'd rather run 2.)
I think M91 would be more efficient at the higher volts.

I'm sure Malkoff tailcaps are a bit longer too.
 
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cland72

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you could try using a paperclip or other metal connector to make contact between the negative end of the battery and the body tube if you do not have another tailcap.

Have you tried this?

Side note: I run this exact same setup (2x17500 and Malkoff M91) in a bone stock C3 and have had no problems. I'm wondering if it is the tailcap...
 

Kestrel

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I can understand your thinking but pushing the switch at an angle makes it work. If it was tripping the batt protection it shouldn't work this way either. I do intend to order the Malkoff 91 but I want to make sure this works correctly before adding another variable. I was hoping with so many people here that someone else ran into this same situation.
I'm a bit late to the thread, but my only thought regarding the above is that operating the clicky in such a specific way might be causing slightly greater contact resistance. If the resulting connection is spotty, that would simulate an inline resistor and would place a slight limit on the current flow to the P91 LA. I could imagine that situation could result in the the current limiting component of the protected cell not triggering. Just a thought,
 

nylaw

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Update:

As luck would have it the Malkoff and the new switches arrived today. Keep in mind before my initial post I have never handled a McClicky or the brass spacer before. I popped the M91 in and nothing. I played around with angle pushes and got a slight flicker as it was doing before. I loosened the bezel first and nothing. I loosened the tailcap and nothing. When I tightened everything up and tried the angle push I got it to work every third or fourth press as it was doing with the P91. I decided to try the new switch and I also ordered a spare. The first thing I noticed was how tight the new switch fits in the brass ring. My first one is very loose not at all like the new one. As soon as I installed the new switch everything worked perfectly. I did add another variable by putting in the silicone boot.

Upon closer inspection I see there are cutouts in the brass ring that line up to the contacts of the switch. Being the first switch was so loose I am wondering if those contacts weren't lined up plus with me popping the spring retainer out and putting it back in who knows? I am amazed in the middle of a sunny Florida day how this combo lights up an entire room. This is what I was looking for so all is good.
 

Kestrel

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Happy to hear things worked out. I happened to fire up my old SF C3 with M91 & 2x18500's just last night, the C3 & Malkoffs were my first entry to CPF way back when. :)
 
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