New compact torch mod

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billyad2000

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Aug 4, 2009
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Sorry about that, pressed the wrong button

The torch is ideal since it is size AA and has a kill switch built into the base. I use a single Trustfire 14500 which works great. The torch just needed to be cut down to a reasonable length

Heres an image of the finished product
img35.imageshack.us/img35/8349/1001366u.jpg

and the design outline
img42.imageshack.us/img42/9154/image1fgk.jpg

Thanks to everyone on this forum for giving me the confidence I needed to try this, the 14500 is a fantastic battery.

I did try the Nicostick box mod, but I found that the 14500 were a little too big, causing the plastic battery coating to become damaged and scraped, this eventually led to a short. No damage done, although I did burn my thumb :(

In my oppinion the batteries are much easier to drop into the torch, no risk of damage.
 

ApOsTle51

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Aug 29, 2008
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donor torch : Rolson Alloy Torch 2aa - Rolson Tools - Country Living - Hiking Equipment and Accessories - Torches & Lanterns - Charlies Direct


and pics for ya

Heres an image of the finished product

1001366u.jpg


and the design outline

image1fgk.jpg



nice work billy, I got one of these torches knocing around ( well TESCO's own brand ) might give this ago myself.
Thx for posting, and keep moddin' :)

ApO.
 

billyad2000

Full Member
Aug 4, 2009
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Good job billyad,

And you are right about the 14500 (protected) in the nicostick.

It takes some extra work to fit them in, cutting springs shorter and a little filing here and there.



^^^^


The only way I could get them to fit properly was to remove the switch, which I wanted as added pocket protection. The unprotected version may be shorter, but I like to err on the side of caution

They would squeeze in with a greatly shortened spring, but the positive terminal always seemed quite sharp, inserting the battery damaged the plastic around the battery.
I didn't realise it, but the negative at the bottom of the battery is connected via a bare wire under the plastic to the top of the battery, hence the short at the +terminal after the plastic was damaged.

The torch mod works very well and avoids this issue, the only difficult part was fixing the pcb for the battery mount, which proved a bit tricky, especially since I was worried about it touching wall of the torch, but wrapping around the pcb with tape solved the problem.

It doesn't look great, and I have gotten some peculiar looks, a friend thinks it looks a bit like a hash pipe :), but i'm happy with the 3.7-4.2 voltage range, and the battery life is a big improvement over the regular DS901 battery.

After reading some of the advice on this forum I have ordered a DPV9 PCC kit with a couple of batteries that I will use with an RN4075 atty. These batteries seem quite good and I love the idea of the PCC. I also like the idea of the DPV9 carts, but for that kind of price I would want to refill them, and I read a few worrying reports about the filling burning.

Anyhow, thats enough of me rambling :)
 

warp1900

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ECF Veteran
Apr 17, 2009
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The only way I could get them to fit properly was to remove the switch, which I wanted as added pocket protection. The unprotected version may be shorter, but I like to err on the side of caution

They would squeeze in with a greatly shortened spring, but the positive terminal always seemed quite sharp, inserting the battery damaged the plastic around the battery.
I didn't realise it, but the negative at the bottom of the battery is connected via a bare wire under the plastic to the top of the battery, hence the short at the +terminal after the plastic was damaged.

The torch mod works very well and avoids this issue, the only difficult part was fixing the pcb for the battery mount, which proved a bit tricky, especially since I was worried about it touching wall of the torch, but wrapping around the pcb with tape solved the problem.

It doesn't look great, and I have gotten some peculiar looks, a friend thinks it looks a bit like a hash pipe :), but i'm happy with the 3.7-4.2 voltage range, and the battery life is a big improvement over the regular DS901 battery.

After reading some of the advice on this forum I have ordered a DPV9 PCC kit with a couple of batteries that I will use with an RN4075 atty. These batteries seem quite good and I love the idea of the PCC. I also like the idea of the DPV9 carts, but for that kind of price I would want to refill them, and I read a few worrying reports about the filling burning.

Anyhow, thats enough of me rambling :)


As long as you remove the atomizer from your box to put it in your pocket, you don't need a kill switch at all.

Your torch will work great I'm sure and some do prefer the flashlight mods, I like both.

Anyway, I know we will see more of your mods soon ;)



^^^
 

googled

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Mar 6, 2009
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Anyway, I know we will see more of your mods soon ;)



^^^

Depends when he comes to see me next :p. He did all the work and sourcing I just did a bit of pcb work and soldering.
Personally although the torch was a nice design I didn't like the negative being 'jammed' against the side to make a contact. I just don't like any possibility of a short occurring through corrosion or fractures due to the reliance on pressure , not when we're using lithium batteries anyway.
 

warp1900

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Apr 17, 2009
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Depends when he comes to see me next :p. He did all the work and sourcing I just did a bit of pcb work and soldering.
Personally although the torch was a nice design I didn't like the negative being 'jammed' against the side to make a contact. I just don't like any possibility of a short occurring through corrosion or fractures due to the reliance on pressure , not when we're using lithium batteries anyway.

What is the bulb holder made of?
Usually they are made out of plastic but covered with a conductive prime and that would make the wire to the body pointless.

What most of us do is use a washer instead of the bulb holder so the ground does not need any wires.

Hope that helps.



____
 

billyad2000

Full Member
Aug 4, 2009
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What is the bulb holder made of?
Usually they are made out of plastic but covered with a conductive prime and that would make the wire to the body pointless.

What most of us do is use a washer instead of the bulb holder so the ground does not need any wires.

Hope that helps.



____

The bulbholder is fully plastic, the torch used the same method as the mod to make the contact, i.e. a copper strip running up the side of the bulb holder.

I'm not sure what you mean by a washer, how would it be fixed to the torch body.

As for the possibility of a short, it is extremely unlikely, the DC connector is fixed i the bulbholder with resin, as are both the wires, and only has a short length going up the side to make the contact, it's not long enough to short out with anything.

The only risk would be the positive wire coming off the switch and touching the side of the torch body (That depends on your soldering Googled :)), I could have made it 100% safe by filling this cavity with resin, but I want to have access to change the switch when neccesary.

And as always, just to be on the safe side, I always use protective batteries.
 

warp1900

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Apr 17, 2009
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The bulbholder is fully plastic, the torch used the same method as the mod to make the contact, i.e. a copper strip running up the side of the bulb holder.

I'm not sure what you mean by a washer, how would it be fixed to the torch body.


A washer glued to the end of the torch that holds the connector and makes contact with the body at the same time for ground (negative) connection.



___
 
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