My Mini-Maglite AAA is really dirty and grimey. Also, the switch seems to get stuck a lot. Should I use soapy water, and is WD 40 good to spray in the switch or will it mess up the electrics?
if the switch mechanism is the same as the aa, here is what you do. 1:un-screw the head, remove the bulb 2:prize the black bit that says "do not remove" off the body, a thin knife blade is good. 3:unscrew the end to remove the batteries. this is the bit to be careful, as the switch assembley will fall out with the batteries. catch all the parts, there should be a black circular piece of plastic, with two tiny pieces of copper, one connects to the +ve end of the batteries, the other contacts the rim of the torch at the front, to complete the circuit. 4:wash the torch body in the sink 5:clean up the battery contacts with a little emery paper 6: dry the body out, put the inner part of the switch back togheter 7: ease the inner switch part into the body of the torch and then use the batteries to push it up to the front of the torch, screw the end cap in. 8:replace the outer switch part, put the bulb in to make sure it lights up. 9:undo the battery compartment, grease the threads, do the same with the head of the torch. 10: put in new bulb and batteries. 11: have a pint 12:nearly blind yourself with your bright, finely working torch!! hope that this helps steve ps tried it on my AA, it worked a treat, i cleaned out the threads on the battery compartment as well with a wooden toothpick and a little oil. sc
Look here Edward if the Steve's plan does not work. I sent off my old 3DD maglite for repair. I think they have a lifetime warranty. It was repaired FOC and sent back to me me (FOC also!) Damn good service. Good luck
I never thought of using emery cloth to clean the contacts, i used a small swiss army knife witht he nail file implement to clean. worked great. i popped off the switch mechanism with my thumbnail. fixed up several of my mini maglites this way.
I did one, an AA maglite that had corroded contacts, a bit tricky, but I made new contacts out of fine silver, then converted it to the LED things and fitted the IQ switch, like wow, what a difference, three levels of brightness and two flashing modes. The IQ switch flashes red so when the torch is off, you can find it in the dark.
Also I have noticed to watch what batteries go in the things, my last maglite suffered batteries welded to inner casing syndrome when a certain variety with a coppery coloured top somehow leaked and corroded the inside. Turned on, it still sort of worked, but it gained a new feature, that of a hand warmer.
Greasing threads on the lamp unit, well, I wax the threads, as grease tends to attract filth and grit.
I sadly just seem to keep losing ones of mine from use, by forgetting to remove batteries and then subsequently suffering battery acid leakage to the inner compartments of the torch. This has in some few cases now completely and irreperably ruined the torch.Luckily a replacement torch is just so really cheap now at the clearance outdoors section of Seven Day Shop.com, that it is honestly a lot easier and so much less total hassle I feel to just go buy a new torch now; and to keep the other remaining bits of the old one, that were able to be salvaged from disaster, just as handy spare parts. I think it is worthwhile too in changing the inners of the torches over now, with the up to date conversion kits made, of LED lights and the push button end conversion operation unit. I will be seriously thinking of doing this to my two remaining AA torches before this year is out, as funds allow.
I think it is worthwhile too in changing the inners of the torches over now, with the up to date conversion kits made, of LED lights and the push button end conversion operation unit. I will be seriously thinking of doing this to my two remaining AA torches before this year is out, as funds allow.
If it interests, Blacks seem to be having a sale on, their sale was the reason I updated mine, as I got the IQ switch for a fraction of the normal price and the three led conversion which comes with the push button end. Though they are not official maglite products, they are Nite Ize products which seem as good. So, I paid fifteen quid, but what a difference it makes, a bright white light, the old incandescent bulb is feeble by comparison, a yukky wan yellow light.
After fitting that conversion, I stated looking and my Pezl myolite 3, and wondered when they were going to do high power led conversions for their main beam lights.
Lots of maglites in TK Max at the moment in York - mostly not LED ones, lots of AAA, C and D cells all about half or more off. If they don't have them you can wander over to the massive blacks and look at the sale there.
Andy - Snow and Rock had Petzl LED conversions on sale too. I only saw duolite ones but was not really looking.
Luckily a replacement torch is just so really cheap now at the clearance outdoors section of Seven Day Shop.com, that it is honestly a lot easier and so much less total hassle I feel to just go buy a new torch now; and to keep the other remaining bits of the old one, that were able to be salvaged from disaster, just as handy spare parts. I think it is worthwhile too in changing the inners of the torches over now, with the up to date conversion kits made, of LED lights and the push button end conversion operation unit. I will be seriously thinking of doing this to my two remaining AA torches before this year is out, as funds allow.
