# Any photos of tail spring mod for 3 26650s in a 3D Mag?



## Battery Guy (Oct 24, 2010)

Greetings All,

I understand that 3 26650 cells will fit into a a 3D Mag with a tail spring mod. I was wondering if anyone has any photos or descriptions of this mod. I have searched CPF but have been unable to find one.

Thanks!

Cheers,
BG


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## morelightnow (Oct 24, 2010)

Here is my mod. I dremeled a bit out of the tailcap so the spring would make contact.


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## Drywolf (Oct 24, 2010)

Battery Guy said:


> Greetings All,
> 
> I understand that 3 26650 cells will fit into a a 3D Mag with a tail spring mod. I was wondering if anyone has any photos or descriptions of this mod. I have searched CPF but have been unable to find one.
> 
> ...


 
I just flipped the spring over and it fits fine.
Frank

:thumbsup:


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## 357mag1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Battery Guy said:


> Greetings All,
> 
> I understand that 3 26650 cells will fit into a a 3D Mag with a tail spring mod. I was wondering if anyone has any photos or descriptions of this mod. I have searched CPF but have been unable to find one.
> 
> ...




I don't have any pictures but could put some together and email them to you. I initially used a dremel but found it was quicker and easier to put a small grind stone (pick them up cheap at most hardware stores) on my drill. I grind off the anodizing from the inside bottom and slightly up the side of the tailcap. Then use a dremel to cut one coil from the bottom of the tailcap spring directly across from the loop created by the bottom portion of the spring that holds the extra bulb down. I then use two pliers to bend 3/4 of the largest coil left. This causes a friction fit with the tailcap so nothing else is required to retain the spring.
Let me know if you would like photos of each step.
Kevin of Lambda lights uses a spring from the C cell lights and an o-ring to hold it in. No need to go through the contortions of bending the stock spring and looks very clean.


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## Battery Guy (Oct 29, 2010)

357mag1 said:


> I don't have any pictures but could put some together and email them to you.



That would be great, but rather than email them to me, can you post them to this thread so that others interested can see them as well?



357mag1 said:


> Kevin of Lambda lights uses a spring from the C cell lights and an o-ring to hold it in. No need to go through the contortions of bending the stock spring and looks very clean.



This is a great idea. I can't believe that I did not think of it. Thanks!

Cheers,
BG


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## alpg88 (Oct 29, 2010)

i used c spring in 4d with 4x26650, but driven at 10 amps it gets hot fast, too much resistance, i had to do resistance mod. i had it held by rubber foam, it melted. i don't understand how lambda lights driven at similar amps has no resistance\heat issues.
could it be cuz he uses nimh cells, and has only 4,8v instead of 16?


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## 357mag1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Battery Guy said:


> That would be great, but rather than email them to me, can you post them to this thread so that others interested can see them as well?



I have the series of images but do not have an online album to post them from (which is the way I understand it to work). I don't see a way to upload them to this site so let me know how/if you would like to proceed.


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## 357mag1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Battery Guy said:


> That would be great, but rather than email them to me, can you post them to this thread so that others interested can see them as well?



Okay, I broke down and created an online album just for this post.

This is the drill with grind stone attached used to remove anodizing inside the tailcap to facilitate an electrical connection. Anodizing will prevent the flow of current so must be removed where the spring rests.








Here is the tail cap after I've attacked it with the stone and the performed a clean up. I remove the O-ring first so it doesn't get dirty and require cleaning. Rinsing the tailcap under the facet upon completion of grinding helps remove all of the anodizing dust. I then apply lube to the tailcap threads so it doesn't bind during installation. Don't forget to reinstall the O-ring.







Next comes the cutoff tool mounted on the dremel. Wear your safety glasses boys and girls. Metal pieces in the eye are ugly.







A picture of the spring and where we want to cut it off.







Cut off portion of the spring.







Picture of a couple of springs after being bent using two sets of pliers. The right spring has a gouge where I slipped off and that shows you about where to grip it with one set of pliers the other set goes out close to the very end. A set of locking vise grips would be ideal but there has to be room for you to twist the one near the end of the spring. You want twist the end of the spring in a circular motion to make the spring smaller in diameter at the base allowing it to enter the tailcap.

Some of these I can push in with finger pressure and some I use a screw driver to help seat the spring into the cap. It isn't an exact science and a little fiddling will make it work. If your spring tilts too much to one side after being installed in the tailcap just pull it out and bend the bottom portion of the spring to help it set straighter.







And the final shot with the spring seated in the tailcap and ready for installation.







Hope the shots are useful and informative.


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