Mechanical Protege Switch fix IMHO

[YoMike]

Smashing the button or lowering the brass ring with a piece of thread are both doing what needs to be done. The tube housing the spring is just tad to long. When whoever designed this part had the spring tube at full length of available area when depressed. This means you need to smash that extra fraction of a inch to achieve proper contact or by lowering the contact ring.
So file, sand or slice the tube (see photo line) till it works!

(Please Read this whole thread what worked for me might not work for you)

 

[Gibby]

Wouldn't this be resolved by normal breaking in of a mechanical switch? I haven't received mine yet, but past experiences have told me that a switch of this nature will always need breaking in. The spring loosens over time, and makes it a heck of a lot easier to make good contact.

Gibby

 

[nubee]

Sounds like you are both correct. I wonder if having the metal ring shaped more like a grommet would help so that it "slides" in to make contact rather than having to "push" its way in.

 

[YoMike]

IT'S NOT THE SPRING!
The TUBE housing the spring is the problem. Taking off a fraction of an inch from the tube allows it to travel further down allowing the contact ring to connect properly and with out force. The spring has hardly and tension and not the problem.
I really thought the pic would help people understand

 

[rfun6]

so the black housing needs to be cut some and the spring left the same? Or does the spring itself needs to be shortened?
Thanks for the info.

 

[YoMike]

Leave the spring alone! (I said that didn't I?)

 

[eclypse]

So the button tube housing needs to be filed a hair so it makes better contact.

 

[YoMike]

So the button tube housing needs to be filed a hair so it makes better contact.

Yes we have a winner!

 

[nubee]

8-o

 

[Lightgeoduck]

Yes we have a winner!

Its amazing how somethings can be so mind boggling hehe

Thanks YoMike... now I don't have my switch yet... but I was suspecting from the talk around here that what you said could be the problem

Thanks for the close up pic...well since I have always been lucky with my purchases ... hopefully I don't need to do a darn thing to my switch for it to work hehe

EDIT: After rereading it, I could see how some could think you are talking about the spring, but anywho... the point seems to be cleared now.

 

[lotus14]

That would make a lot of sense YoMike.

I won't get mine until tomorrow, but it had me baffled why a mechanical contact would require so much force to make.

 

[Wench]

I thought it made perfect sense.. anyhow, I'll give it a shot.. couldn't hurt.

 

[YoMike]

I think for people not getting it just read through what I wrote a few times. It's just a hair of an inch off.

 

[CaSHMeRe]

YoMike ... The bottom of the button doesn't touch the bottom of the housing? Not sure how yours is? I think the main issue was the sizing on the buttons. When the user would go to press the button down, the finger/thumb mushrooms out making the press really hard. We made them so short because I wanted them not to activate until flush or just under flush This was my fault guys and gals. We lengthened the post roughly 35 thousandths, and it now stops right before flush, thus not making your finger/thumb mushroom on to the button housing ... make sense?

 

[LuckySevens4U]

So let me get this straight. Not one person here has been able to put the new switch in and have it work? We need to get out dental floss, wires, pliers, screwdrivers, a library card and a note from our mothers? lol Just curious. I haven't tried mine yet because frankly, I don't feel like getting frustrated right now. I'll most likely have to talk to Steve on the phone to get it figured out. I was under the understanding this was a put in and go switch and not rocket science. ::::sigh:::

 

[CaSHMeRe]

hey lucky - it wasn't supposed to be rocket science ...

There was a couple at fault issues at hand.

1) Too short of a button - Making the users finger mushroom out, and unable to get pressure centrally located to make the connection.

2) The honing of the inside of the tube. This was not done in the beginning and was an *after thought* for all you guys that wanted to use protected batteries. A counter bore was put in place so the plastic housing would stay trapped (this was originally not needed) Unlike the Electronic tact switch (which doesn't really need to be lined up to well to work) the Mechanical switch does. Thus, the tolerances are WAYYYYYYY tighter. Everything has to be lined up perfectly to work.

Ask me how we figured this out? We spent 4 hours today going over the issue. We perfected the Prodigy V2 - which needs a firm press, but nothing serious and is 100% aligned. The Protege on the other hand - because there were simple adjustments made here and there was not that easy to make univeral (insert-n-go) Its MUCH easier having the device here to line everything up and make the necessary adjustments. Its a whole new ball game when you don't have the unit in your hands and you are basing something off a universal design.

Make Sense ??? and If you need me to walk you through some stuff lucky, or if you have one of the shortened button, let me know and we will get a lengthened one in the mail to you ASAP!

 

[mgrimes]

YoMike ... The bottom of the button doesn't touch the bottom of the housing? Not sure how yours is? I think the main issue was the sizing on the buttons. When the user would go to press the button down, the finger/thumb mushrooms out making the press really hard. We made them so short because I wanted them not to activate until flush or just under flush This was my fault guys and gals. We lengthened the post roughly 35 thousandths, and it now stops right before flush, thus not making your finger/thumb mushroom on to the button housing ... make sense?

Does this increase the risk of it firing in your pocket or is there enough tension on the button still?

 

[LuckySevens4U]

Cash, thanks. I'm sorta thinking that I don't even want to deal with this. I don't know if I have a short button or a long button, don't know how to tell the difference. What I'd like to do is most likely send my whole unit to you with the switch you sent, then have you figure it out and make it right that way I don't have to deal with this. hehe Would that be okay, because you know how I am and I most likely am not going to be able to figure this out, unless you seriously think I can by walking me through it. And I'm only teasing you and I understand what you are saying above; however, it is frustrating for some of us.

 

[CaSHMeRe]

Does this increase the risk of it firing in your pocket or is there enough tension on the button still?

This was essentially what I was afraid of -- but the good news is, it won't. You need a press of the finger to activate

Cash, thanks. I'm sorta thinking that I don't even want to deal with this. I don't know if I have a short button or a long button, don't know how to tell the difference. What I'd like to do is most likely send my whole unit to you with the switch you sent, then have you figure it out and make it right that way I don't have to deal with this. hehe Would that be okay, because you know how I am and I most likely am not going to be able to figure this out, unless you seriously think I can by walking me through it.

Hey Lucky ... That works as well. If you want to send it to me, I can outfit it with the Mechanical Switch -- Break it in a bit for you, and shoot it back at to you with your Electrical Tact Switch out of the unit to be used as a backup for some reason Then you don't have to worry about fooling with it

 

[LuckySevens4U]

That might be good, Cash. You know me. LOL Do I need to send the electrical one with it anyhow?