# Solarforce L2-S7 tailswitch - anyone tried one yet?



## StormyTheCat (Mar 11, 2011)

I've tried searching the forums and can't find any mention of the new Solarforce L2S7 tailswitch for the L2 series. Does anyone have any experience with them? How do they feel? Is there a gap on an L2p since they are so much shorter than the stock switch?


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## mellowman (Mar 11, 2011)

yes, there is a gap. feel? uh, feels ok. Looks match the L2P fine. I got it thinking it would lower contact resistance vs the standard reverse clicky and make my tripple xp-g brighter. I don't think it does.


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## srfreddy (Mar 11, 2011)

It handles more current, but has higher resistance.


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## mellowman (Mar 11, 2011)

where does the higher resistance come from?


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## noobtrader (Mar 11, 2011)

There was a thread about it, which I had started, but the entire thread got deleted due to the server issues =(
I like the feel of it. I've replaced both the stock L2P and S6 tailcaps. I prefer the S7 by far.

I am thinking of ordering the McClicky switch upgrade soon, it fits in the S7. With the upgraded switch, you get momentary, click, and lock-out feature.
http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?248047-McClicky-Upgraded-Solarforce-L2-S7-Tailcap


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## kyhunter1 (Mar 11, 2011)

I have two. They feel nice. One of them was easily fitted with a Electronguru McClicky kit which works nicely. There is a gap ~ 3/16". Put some o-rings in it and it will look nice. 



StormyTheCat said:


> I've tried searching the forums and can't find any mention of the new Solarforce L2S7 tailswitch for the L2 series. Does anyone have any experience with them? How do they feel? Is there a gap on an L2p since they are so much shorter than the stock switch?


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## noobtrader (Mar 11, 2011)

kyhunter1 said:


> I have two. They feel nice. One of them was easily fitted with a Electronguru McClicky kit which works nicely. There is a gap ~ 3/16". Put some o-rings in it and it will look nice.


 
Hey kyhunter1, can you take a picture of your McClicky upgraded S7 with your L2 (assuming you have one) and post it here?
The gap was my main concern before purchasing the kit. So, it does leave a slightly bigger gap compared to the stock S7 tailcap.


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## kyhunter1 (Mar 11, 2011)

noobtrader said:


> Hey kyhunter1, can you take a picture of your McClicky upgraded S7 with your L2 (assuming you have one) and post it here?
> The gap was my main concern before purchasing the kit. So, it does leave a slightly bigger gap compared to the stock S7 tailcap.


 
Stock LS7 twisty:








McClicky modded LS7:







Oring gap fix on my extended L2 which has this switch permanently:


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## Lighthearted1 (Mar 12, 2011)

noobtrader said:


> There was a thread about it, which I had started, but the entire thread got deleted due to the server issues =(
> I like the feel of it. I've replaced both the stock L2P and S6 tailcaps. I prefer the S7 by far.
> 
> I am thinking of ordering the McClicky switch upgrade soon, it fits in the S7. With the upgraded switch, you get momentary, click, and lock-out feature.
> http://www.cpfmarketplace.com/mp/showthread.php?248047-McClicky-Upgraded-Solarforce-L2-S7-Tailcap


 

noobtrader, I am thinking of getting the S6 for L2P since I use the tail stand sometimes, and want forward/momentary too. What did you not like about it?


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## kyhunter1 (Mar 12, 2011)

Guys, for the record, it is very easy to take the forward clicky internals from a S6 and put them into a stock L2 or L2P's housing for a perfect fit. It's no McClicky but not bad at all. It is by far the best feeling and functioning stock solarforce clicky to date IMO. I have one of these switch mechanism's in the stock tailstanding housing that came with my HA3 limited edition L2P. The only mod required was trimming about half of the inner post off to get the larger boot to work right. No issues with the stock S6 boot in a regular housing.


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## noobtrader (Mar 12, 2011)

kyunter1, thanks for those pics. 



Lighthearted1 said:


> noobtrader, I am thinking of getting the S6 for L2P since I use the tail stand sometimes, and want forward/momentary too. What did you not like about it?


 
The four raised edges (used for tail-standing) got too annoying when pressing the button...kept poking my thumb. I like holding mine with a fist grip and with the S6 switch, it made it difficult and extremely annoying.
Plus, I EDC my L2P and don't want it getting caught inside my pocket.


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## odd (Mar 12, 2011)

Deleted


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## Lighthearted1 (Mar 12, 2011)

A new switch just appeared on Solarforce site. L2-S8

http://www.solarforce-sales.com/product_detail.php?t=FA&s=18&id=190


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## ElectronGuru (Mar 14, 2011)

Lighthearted1 said:


> A new switch just appeared on Solarforce site. L2-S8


 
Appears to be the cap designed for the M8:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb...r-Solarforce&p=3590947&viewfull=1#post3590947

Its big


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## goose2283 (Mar 31, 2011)

I got my S7 tailcap in the mail today, and I don't like it at all. It works fine as a twisty, but the resistance is too high press-on mode. With a cheap single-mode DX drop-in, I can't reliably get it to push on. I haven't pulled it apart, but I could see gutting it and using it as a twist-only tailstanding cap.

Alternatively, which McClicky fits the S7? I like forward clickies. At the moment, I'm using the S6 forward clickie in a stock L2 tailcap. I find the S6 cap too sharp to use with my big thumbs.


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## ElectronGuru (Mar 31, 2011)

Twisty + momentaries have adjustable momentary. It may help to tighten the cap until it activates, then loosen it just a bit. Closer distance = less pressure needed.

*This* is the upgrade option.


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## Tana (Mar 31, 2011)

I wasn't very impressed with it's original state but after adding McClicky to it (OR upgrade), the setup was so tiny but good that it fit like a charm on L2M body I had from before... it has short thread and fit only 16mm cells for some reason (later bought another L2M but this time whole host, not just body and it came completely different and wide enough to accept 18350 or 18650 with extension)... on older smaller body it fit all the way to the grip of the body so the whole setup is ultra short; never had 3P but I doubt that it can be any shorter... I may even need to shorten McClicky spring a little since there is a lot of tension on the battery...
And now it has dedicated M61WL with HA L2P bezel, because it's ultra cool looking... but that's not what this thread is about... lol...


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## Lighthearted1 (Mar 31, 2011)

goose2283 said:


> Alternatively, which McClicky fits the S7? I like forward clickies. At the moment, I'm using the S6 forward clickie in a stock L2 tailcap. I find the S6 cap too sharp to use with my big thumbs.


 
I just received the new S8 switch. I really like it on my L2X. I have large thumbs also but this switch is jumbo size and it is easy to press the switch (the 4 points are spaced far apart). It is a forward clicky and only needs light pressure to get momentary on. It works wonderfully with the Manafont XML drop-in. It allows an easy cigar hold, and on the LX2 it is a very good grip set-up (non slip). The S8 looks great on the LX2 as well. I don't have a photo yet, but might post one some day. It is my favorite right now. I paid $9.99 for the S8.

Thanks for the info on the S7. I was looking at that before I got this one. Now I don't need to try it.


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## goose2283 (Mar 31, 2011)

ElectronGuru said:


> Twisty + momentaries have adjustable momentary. It may help to tighten the cap until it activates, then loosen it just a bit. Closer distance = less pressure needed.
> 
> *This* is the upgrade option.


 
Thanks! I'll definitely have to order a switch for it. I'd rather have a forward clickie with lockout than the momentary. I just can't get it to make reliable contact without screwing it down beyond momentary.


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## johm (May 20, 2011)

I received a L2m with an S7 tail switch a couple of weeks ago and I am majorly disappointed.

Although this is probably due to the fact that I was expecting a forward clicky. I guess the description was not different enough to catch my attention.
For an hour I thought the switch was broken/stuck then I faintly remembered having read something here on cpf.

I now blame surefire for this design and solarforce for copying it.
Humor aside, I can see how this can meet some peoples needs but for me it is frustrating to look at this lovely protruding button and not being able to click it.

I tried opening up the switch for a possible upgrade but was unable to do so.
The metal disk moves freely inside the tail and the screw in the middle although resistive does not seem to unscrew anything.

Does anyone know how to disassemble the S7 tailcup?


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## ElectronGuru (May 20, 2011)

johm said:


> Does anyone know how to disassemble the S7 tailcup?


 
I've been practicing different methods and like this one best:

outside - cut the boot off with thin knife (pretend you are shaving it shorter)
outside - hammer a narrow punch through the hole in the center
inside - unscrew the white disk
inside - dump all remaining parts​
step 2 varies depending on the punch diameter. if its big enough to get stuck, pull out the spring and loosen the screw against the punch.


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## johm (May 22, 2011)

Thanks ElectronGuru,

I will have to try this one of these days but I should probably source some kind of replacement first, as opening this switch seems a non-reversible process.


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## ElectronGuru (May 22, 2011)

a major appeal of the S7 is that it opens up many z41 derived options.


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## Rod911 (Jul 6, 2011)

I was using it in an L2P with a kerberos0023 drop-in (4.2A) and an IMR cell to power the whole thing up. I found pressing on the switch was a hit and miss affair, so I have since replaced it with an S6.

The S6 does not work with an IMR because the spring is too short, so I have resorted in replacing the IMR with a LiCo cell instead. Using a rudimentary lux meter, I have tried the S7+IMR combo against the S6+LiCo combo and found the differences in output were negligible (S6 combo lower according to the lux meter, but my eyes couldn't tell the difference), and I preferred the tail standing ability of the S6 and the fact that pressing it does end up resulting in the light turning on 100% of the time. The only question now is whether the S6 can stand up to the current in the long term (it's rated to handle currents up to 3A).


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## ElectronGuru (Jul 6, 2011)

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