M@G 2C dead, what next?

Should I attempt to send it in for repair, or perform some kind of mod to it? I don't have a working M@G to compare it to for troubleshooting and this is the first M@G I've handled. I don't have any paperwork for it or a receipt, so would M@G even accept it for a warranty repair?

It was donated to my church for a garage sale and it doesn't work. Both bulbs light when connected directly to the batteries outside of the flashlight - even with the tail cap in series on the end, so the tail cap is ok too.

I measure 3.2v at the empty lamp socket with my DMM until I put the lamp in series with the DMM, then the voltage drops to 0v. This leads me to suspect a problem with the switch, or something between the + contact of the battery tube and the + spring of the lamp socket that won't allow it to carry any current at all, but allows voltage without a load. I was going to remove the switch assembly to troubleshoot it, but I didn't have an appropriate tool to remove the retaining ring.

What would you folks suggest for my next step?

Uh, have you checked the light with a spare bulb? if there is voltage going through, I would *think* the switch is good, and the current should pass with no problem. The mag light switch is pretty reliable.

When you take out the bulb, can you see the bottom of the socket to see if it's corroded or not?

All you need to take out the switch is a small allen wrench, take out the rubber switch cover and just loosen the screw inside and you can just slide the switch out, if you really wanted to look. The rest is very self explainatory, just make sure you have all the parts together and how they go back together.

Nick

If it's an old mag the switch won't drop out the bottom. The swtich will come out the top after you unscrew teh retaining ring. You can use some sissors to do that.

The switches are beefier in the C mags than the D's.. It could be just points where the switch contacts everything else. I bend those slightly outward when putting the switch back in so it has plenty of pressure. Hard to say without taking it apart...

Thanks to both of you for your suggestions.

Both bulbs do work.

The light does appear to be the older version with the screw down retaining ring for the switch. I haven't found a tool yet that will work to remove the retaining ring. My scissors won't clear the socket to reach the retaining ring.

Further investigating with the DMM verifies that the problem is in the switching mechanism. If I have one meter lead on the positive contact in the battery tube and the other on the + contact spring in the socket and activate the switch, the DMM will show infinate resistance until I start pushing the button of the switch around and then occasionally, the resistance will vary and sometimes go to almost zero. The contact is very intermittent.

With the batteries and lamp installed, I have now been able to get the lamp to light a couple times by activating the switch and then pushing the switch button around until the light comes on.

It looks like the next step is to get the switch out and inspect/adjust the contacts.

Thanks again for your suggestions.

I believe that if you pinned the problem down, the problem is in the metal pieces in side the switch. Basiically, the botton is connected to a metal ring that connects to two flexible u-shapped metal pieces whose two sides connects the metal ring to the positve end of the battery and the lamp base, and over time they can get bent out of shape and makes reliable contact impossible, You may have ot take it out and rebend the metal pieces so they can make connection again

Nick

I have replaced a switch in a newer style Mag. I believe it was mounted with two small hex head screws. I don't know if you can buy a replacement for the old style switch.

You might try squirting some contact cleaner into the switch if you have the rubber boot removed. I don't know what you are up against if you have to disassemble the switch.

Mark