Anybody got tips on Protege switch replacement?

[Wench]

My Protege isn't in yet but I do have a Prodigy and looking at it I imagine the Protege is just a smaller version.
Being I play with fire ( hoops and poi) I have a good supply of Duvetyne , nomex and kevlar.
I wonder if you could take a tiny swatch and lay under the brass pin's to prevent heat transfer to the delrin and accidental melting.
There's also Panther felt and Pre-Ox that could be used, but I don't have any of those.
In case anyone is curious...Cloth - Bearclaw Manufacturing

 

[BrockJ]

The wet paper towel works fine. You can wrap it around the derlin long ways so as to come in contact with the end pins.
It's such a small connection the iron isn't on it 1½ - 2 seconds.

You only use the iron in the reassembly phase. You remove it all with cutters and clean the pins outside the derlin body.


Play with fire huh? Got pics ?
That's some freaky looking attire there Wenchy

 

[Wench]

Mostly do Led stuff nowadays. Hard to find places to burn : ( I have a purple UV LED hoop that I love

 

[nubee]

The wet paper towel works fine. You can wrap it around the derlin long ways so as to come in contact with the end pins.
It's such a small connection the iron isn't on it 1½ - 2 seconds.

You only use the iron in the reassembly phase. You remove it all with cutters and clean the pins outside the derlin body.


Play with fire huh? Got pics ?
That's some freaky looking attire there Wenchy

How did you "cut" the switch off?? I got the lead/solder side all cleaned up with cutters but I can't get at the switch side leads for the life of me ?!?!?!

 

[nubee]

Ok.

All done and new switch is working great! Sorry, no pics as I was too intense and focused on not messing up the first attempt

Took me more that 8 minutes but I've not done any fine soldering since my last heath kit. Here's what I found worked.....

Totally remove old/broken switch manually - cut/clip off as much of the lead as possible and then pull the switch front off using needle nose pliers. Mine came apart in 2 pieces with the button and switch plate popping off first and then the back piece/soldered snapping off next.

Pull the brass pins up and out of the delrin - I used large wire cutters to get under the tops of the brass and then just lifted the pins out. They are in snug so some pressure is needed but it's a smooth slide out once you get going.

I then used soldering iron heat, metal file and razor blade to clean up the posts. They have a slot in them - not a hole - where the leads for the switch will slide back in. Those need to be clear of any old solder and large enough for the switch leads to fit back thru.

Put both pins back in with the flat sides facing where the switch will go in. The switch back rests flat against the flats of the brass pins.

Slide the switch in, making sure each lead goes thru the brass pin slot, and pressed it down until it rested flush with the flats of the pins and then gently bent the button leads to the 'right' - towards the space where it looks like the prodigy resistor would go.

Used a wet paper towel in the vice to be in contact with both brass pin heads - the wet paper towel is a GREAT tip!!!!

A little no lead flux right at the spot where the leads and brass pins meet and then 2 seconds of heat to get the solder to flow. I heard the paper towel sizzle just a bit right as I let off the heat - good indication brass was getting hot fast.

Like mentioned earlier in this thread, you want to avoid a cold solder joint - which looks like a bright, shiny BB sitting on the connection. You want the BB to flow into the grooves of the brass pin and around the button lead. The solder looks like pudding after you take the spoon out only wrapped around the wire lead. If you get the BB, let everything cool down and then reapply the 1-2 seconds of heat to get it to flow - avoid trying to fix it in one long pass!!!

Put it all back together in my Proto and vaping as I type!!!

Thanks Cash/Casey for helping me out here and providing the DIY option for the switches. Hoping you have the new version of the switch before I have to do this again as once was enough for me

 

[a2dcovert]

Way to go nubee, I'm glad you got that done. I bet you feel good about your project. It's nice when a plan goes like it should.

Kevin

 

[nubee]

Man you got that SO right!!! Whew.....

I must have run the drill in my head a 100 times before the tact switches came and unfortunately (not) Casey wanted to be all caught up this weekend so they arrived Saturday - Do Day had arrived.

Does feel good. In fact, I think my Proto is working better now than it did before I replaced the switch (ya, right).

 

[lotus14]

Good job Nubee!

Thanks for sharing how it went. I hope I don't need the info, but I have a tact switch sitting in the box just in case.

Hopefully, the mechanical switches will be available before I need it!

 

[BrockJ]

Congrats on the replacement.

I like doing them myself. They always seem to work better.
On my last Prodigy replacement I placed a small plastic piece under the switch to raise it just a hair. I was actually quite pleased with the results.

 

[nubee]

Thanks.

All the feedback and tips I got defintely helped...at least you know going in it can be done

I will be glad though to see the new mech switch on the PS site.

 

[casey]

Just curious.. why are people changing out the switches on these? I have a protege and it's working awesome. I dig the switch.

 

[Fodder4U]

For some (not everyone but enough to justify there is an issue) the switch has failed and PS has been working on alternate switches to resolve the issue from what I gather. I have a Protege too and so far so good but it is reassuring that if my switch does fail there is an alternate solution available.

 

[casey]

right on, thanks!