An Even Brighter Key Chain Flashlight Mod!

I'm trying to find a source for tiny 'push on - push off' switches...

If anybody knows a specific switch that is small enough to just replace the switch on the stock board (see pictures in first post), that would be great!

Then this would be a fairly easy mod that I could probably sell at a reasonable price. But fitting the large clicky with the 3 ohm resistor inside, is too time consuming...
Jay

Yes jay! sell these it would be a great gift for my dads keychain ;D

Ohh I would love these babies being sold around here

Then again, I'm not sure anybody would want to pay for one, because if you look at the 1st model (the easier one), shown here:
http://www.laserpointerforums.com/forums/YaBB.pl?num=1233608928/0

It is still quite a bit of work to do all of the modifications involved. I think that this version is the most desirable, because of the longer run time of probably around 2 hours. Still very bright, drawing just over 100mA's.

But when I consider making the tiny heatsink, trimming the emitter, and doing the tail cap mod to fit the 10280 battery... plus parts etc...

I would have to charge about $75 dollars. A battery and charger would be another $15.

One good thing though, is that I would expect the emitter to last a very long time. Not like a laser build...
Jay

Maybe you could just sell everything needed to build it. Seems like a fun weekend project to do.

Possibly...

This is one of those builds that you do not take apart! In the final assembly, the head screws down and presses the emitter into place. The key is not to let the emitter twist. The wires that attach from the circuit to the emitter/heatsink, are only about 1/4" long. (maybe 1/2" with the distance inside the heatsink) The strength of the wires, keep pushing the emitter up, so you have to carefully keep pushing the emitter back down and letting it 'turn back' a 1/4 turn at a time, until you finally get the head screwed down and into place.

So with this in mind, you cannot let the emitter twist more that about 1/2 turn max. You have to use a toothpick to keep pressing the emitter down to let it spin back 1/4 turn at a time until you get the head almost all way down. Also, you don't want the toothpick to push directly on the glass, but on the metal ring at the edge of the glass dome and not touch the glass. (or you could loosen it)

That said, this assembly can be done in a matter of minutes. The time consuming work is in the four main modifications. Making the heatsink, trimming the emitter, bypassing the circuit, and modifying the tail cap...
Jay

Reflector retrofit!

Man! I'm really happy with being able to fit the head of the tiny Key chain light with a machined down reflector from the Pocket Mini host, and an 11mm X 1mm thick piece of flat glass. (this is the modified lens from the Pocket Mini host, modified using a sand blaster)






This little sucker has some throw now! Nice center spot too! Not bad for the size of it!...
Jay

Absolutely stunning Jay. Just stunning. I can't wait to find a really small switch for this and have you make me one!!

Ok another question.  since we've located some clicky switches that are incredibly smaller, why are we not using surface mount resistor?  I know taht it is going to dissapate quite a lot of heat, but a smt one is going to do that just as easily as a full blow through the hole resistor.

I've kind of taken the electrical portion of solving this project. Found some very nice small switches, it's just a matter of getting them to work. It's my belief that the additional resistor isn't going to be needed as short run times would prevent the battery from exploding but jay does have a good reason for that as well.

Oh and I SERIOUSLY doubt that this is a r2. Probably a P4. I know the one I got here:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.10806
is a Q5.

I bought that same Q5 light Ken after you told me about it in a different thread...

It was not any brighter than the regular Pocket Mini host. It just had 5 modes instead of 1.

Look a couple of posts above! : I added some details of the reflector mod...

Here's a beam shot:



Not bad for the size of it!
Jay

Well, the light isn't going to be that much different between the two at the same current.  it's like hooking a stonetek diode and a long open can, the difference between the two of them at 100ma is going to be not noticable.  Unlike at 450ma, the difference is going to be stark.  Really when it comes down to it, there isn't going to be much difference between the two led's.  the difference between 120lumens and 130 lumens is not that much.

I'm lovin this mod more and more every time I see it.  I've currently got one torn apart and workin the #'s to see how to get this to work with an independant clicky.  You still didn't address the SMT resistor jay.  I, since I'll be ordering the clickies very soon, can very easily add on a pack of 20 smt 1 Watt resistors.  They are just about as long, but lots skinnier.

http://www.e-switch.com/pdf/TL2201.pdf look at part # TL 2203. Now if I can find a retailer that actually caries that badboy!

Those are the ones that I have already tried Ken...

They are too tall, I'm sure it could be done, but it is easier to use the other clickies that I used. I have made three of the 12mm X 12mm clicky style now, with a 3 ohm resistor. It isn't getting any easier!

Such a pain to get them in there with the resistor. Maybe like you said, I need to try the SMT resistors...

As you can imagine, by looking at the pictures of all of the different modifications that this little guy gets, by the time I'm done, I don't want to let go of it. Too much time and effort goes into each one...

But if we find parts that are easier to work with, that could be a different story!
Jay

Nah, the one that you purchased is 8.5mm from bottom to top. This one that I linked is 5mm from top to bottom. (they are both on the same datasheet) Now this does NOT include the plunger on either of them. The one you got (or the one you emailed me with a link to) is the TL2201. NOT the TL2203. Look at the dimensions in the datasheet. I think you'll be as convinced as me that these will work better. I've emailed them as even mouser doesn't have them. Hopefully somebody does. Hell if they work out great, I'll use them for a side mounted switch for my Krytons.

I see said the blind man...

Yeah... we have to try some of those!
Jay

jayrob said:

I see said the blind man...

Yeah... we have to try some of those!
Jay

Click to expand...

They are "obsolete" says the company. Donno how a micro micro latching switch can be obsolete in a world of smaller and smaller.