Protege V1.1 Hard Press Switch Solved?

[Jimi Mack]

OK, I have received my new Protege switch and I am having the same issue as many of you. When you press down the switch, you have to press so hard for it to hit, I am actually hurting myself on this. Now I have been reading it can take a day or so to break in and mine has not shown any sign of breaking in now for three days.

I was thinking and would like to double check this idea with you to see if this makes sense or if this is just my frustration talking now. If I was to cut down the spring in the switch ever so slightly would these ease the issue of having to press so hard to get it to fire?

 

[anim8r]

OK, I have received my new Protege switch and I am having the same issue as many of you. When you press down the switch, you have to press so hard for it to hit, I am actually hurting myself on this. Now I have been reading it can take a day or so to break in and mine has not shown any sign of breaking in now for three days.

I was thinking and would like to double check this idea with you to see if this makes sense or if this is just my frustration talking now. If I was to cut down the spring in the switch ever so slightly would these ease the issue of having to press so hard to get it to fire?

My suggestion is to first hold a dime (or penny) in place on top of the button with your button-pushing-finger. Use it to make pressing the switch down a lot easier.

Try and break in the switch first using this method.

Once it's easier to use the button with a finger tip, then trim a link or two off of the spring if you like a softer button.

I had to trim one of my springs because the button was still a bit stiff. I liked the "tact like" switch feel so much, I trimmed the other springs too =D

But, that was just a preference for me. Just be sure you have enough spring to work with

 

[GregH]

Just be sure you have enough spring to work with

Or, just take the springs out of some ball point pens and trim them to various lengths to see what works best. That way, you don't risk ruining your original spring.

 

[Jimi Mack]

I have been working with the dime trick for two days and it has not eased the new button at all. Now the idea of cutting some springs from pens is a nice idea to try, just hope they are the same with as the spring used in the Protege.

 

[Jimi Mack]

GregH,

That use the spring from a pen idea was brillant. I did try it and it works like a charm. It does cause more play in the spring compared to the original spring that came with the Protege, but at least now I can press switch down enough to get a hit without causing pain to myself anymore. Once again brilliant and thanks for the idea.

 

[Pinepig]

I just got a new V2 Prodigy about a week ago and the spring was a bit tough, I just took it out and squeezed it a bit shorter with my fingers until it was to my liking.

 

[rfw2003]

Just one thing to mention here, If you have the newest switch from PS it uses a thinner copper disc for the contact so that it kinda molds itself to the contact posts in the switch. If you have a hard press issue look inside to make sure that there is no slivers of derlin that may be causing the contact issue, because if you press to hard you can actually warp the contact disc and make the issue worse.

Steve said this some where I just can't find the post atm.

R.F.

 

[crip]

thats not the case.. its a round copper washer its not going to form to anything.. the button can rotate and does when you push it,, so its not going to contact in the same place any way, just make sure the contact posts are clean and that the copper is touching both of them , and no slivers of derlin .. , adjust your spring to you liking.

 

[GregH]

thats not the case.. its a round copper washer its not going to form to anything.. the button can rotate and does when you push it,, so its not going to contact in the same place any way, just make sure the contact posts are clean and that the copper is touching both of them , and no slivers of derlin .. , adjust your spring to you liking.

crip, I assume you're talking about the disk (washer) in the Protege V1. The one in the V1.1 is like R.F. described: very thin and (according to Steve) somewhat malleable. Also, the new stainless button doesn't rotate, at least as freely as the original (black delrin) button does; it's completely entrapped.

 

[crip]

uhhh ya ok ,, im just using mine and holding it right now, but i dont have a clue what im talking about..

 

[rfw2003]

uhhh ya ok ,, im just using mine and holding it right now, but i dont have a clue what im talking about..

Do you have the original thicker disc version of the switch or the newer version with the thinner contact disc made out of dead soft copper?? if you aren't aware the properties of dead soft copper will allow it to indent to the shape of the SS contact posts in the switch as it breaks in, there by increasing the contact surface of the disc to the contact post and allowing the switch to run cooler and more easily pass the current. The bad side to this, if you press the switch to hard you will warp the contact disc because of the rubber o-ring that is needed in there to allow for tolerances while the switch is breaking in.

R.F.

 

[crip]

ok.. you guys do what you need to do obviously you guys know it all so have fun.. mine works like a charm,, and the button does rotate its not captive other than to not let it pop out.. an you dont need to cut any plastic off the bottom,,like I read somewhere,, the switch does not bottom out..

so its the newest just got it last week, copper is bout 1 mil thick not to soft.. if you could bend it with finger pressure id like to see that.. you got gorilla hands? you should not have to press that hard to make the contact,, this is a great and simple design ,, thats why i got this one.. all mechanical,, low parts count,, and stainless../

im done enjoy..\

 

[Quitter]

I'm lost here. If you use a copper disc does it lose the resistance increase to bring it to 5V? I thought the Delrin was to add the appropriate amount of resistance. I would think that the copper would allow a full 6V from the LifePo's to the atty.

Can anyone clarify?

 

[rfw2003]

Quitter the Protege is the smaller 3.7v device the Prodigy is the 5v unit The Prodigy currently uses a Titanium contact disc which is what adds the resistance to lower the voltage.

R.F.