zixaq
Elite Member
I picked up an extra kill switch/ignition housing to mess around with and, long story short, the only cost-effective way to harden the mechanism against failure is to add a shim. Otherwise, I'd recommend cleaning it out at least once a year, especially if it gets wet regularly or if you use it frequently.
I took some pictures of disassembly and thought I'd share them. I forgot to take images of the cleaned-up parts and reassembly, but I'd guess you can all figure out how to do that.
Above you can see the clamshell pulled apart initially, showing the very, very dirty insides.
Now I've removed the black plastic insert that holds the wires clamped down as well as the small brass screw that holds the kill switch in. Now comes the tricky bit:
Use a flat screwdriver to gently pry the indicated white flange back a bit, and you should be able to pop out the black plastic plate that the wires run too, revealing the contact points for the kill switch:
The contacts are pretty grody. I gave these a good scrub with toothbrush/toothpaste and hit them with a scotch-brite pad and vinegar and they now sparkle.
Getting the kill switch itself out is extremely fussy. Be careful and don't use too much force. There is a ball bearing and two small springs that you must not lose.
Eventually you'll get the switch out and can remove the little bits and pieces. The small copper plate with the two bumps is the bit that closes the circuit when the switch is in the "run" position. Clean it VERY THOROUGHLY and reassemble. If you want to modify the mechanism to make a better contact, you can insert a small shim between the spring and copper plate when reassembling. I used a small rectangle cut from a disused credit card, similar to adding a preload shim to a fork. Nothing in here really needs/wants lube, but if you'd like you can add a touch of lube to the plastic bits that rub against one another.
I was a little disappointed that I couldn't find a better solution, but I'm hoping just a thorough cleaning and the shim will make it more reliable. Those copper contacts wear down over time with frequent use and lots of vibrations. Water gets into the clamshell and causes corrosion. Eventually, the connection becomes intermittent or has some resistance, and then you will have a bad time. There are a few companies that offer small springs approximately the correct size, but I'm not sure if they're equivalent spring rates or how much extra force would be beneficial. For reference, the spring is 3.0 mm Outer Diameter, 5.6 mm Free Lenght, with ~0.2 mm wire diameter and six windings. One comparable product can be found at https://www.springsfast.com/part_detail_compression.php?part=C04-010-008.
On a tangential note, I don't need an extra switch assembly anymore, so if anyone would like a freshly cleaned and serviced, although cosmetically challenged, switch & housing, PM me and I'll ship it to you for what it cost me ($25).
I took some pictures of disassembly and thought I'd share them. I forgot to take images of the cleaned-up parts and reassembly, but I'd guess you can all figure out how to do that.
Above you can see the clamshell pulled apart initially, showing the very, very dirty insides.
Now I've removed the black plastic insert that holds the wires clamped down as well as the small brass screw that holds the kill switch in. Now comes the tricky bit:
Use a flat screwdriver to gently pry the indicated white flange back a bit, and you should be able to pop out the black plastic plate that the wires run too, revealing the contact points for the kill switch:
The contacts are pretty grody. I gave these a good scrub with toothbrush/toothpaste and hit them with a scotch-brite pad and vinegar and they now sparkle.
Getting the kill switch itself out is extremely fussy. Be careful and don't use too much force. There is a ball bearing and two small springs that you must not lose.
Eventually you'll get the switch out and can remove the little bits and pieces. The small copper plate with the two bumps is the bit that closes the circuit when the switch is in the "run" position. Clean it VERY THOROUGHLY and reassemble. If you want to modify the mechanism to make a better contact, you can insert a small shim between the spring and copper plate when reassembling. I used a small rectangle cut from a disused credit card, similar to adding a preload shim to a fork. Nothing in here really needs/wants lube, but if you'd like you can add a touch of lube to the plastic bits that rub against one another.
I was a little disappointed that I couldn't find a better solution, but I'm hoping just a thorough cleaning and the shim will make it more reliable. Those copper contacts wear down over time with frequent use and lots of vibrations. Water gets into the clamshell and causes corrosion. Eventually, the connection becomes intermittent or has some resistance, and then you will have a bad time. There are a few companies that offer small springs approximately the correct size, but I'm not sure if they're equivalent spring rates or how much extra force would be beneficial. For reference, the spring is 3.0 mm Outer Diameter, 5.6 mm Free Lenght, with ~0.2 mm wire diameter and six windings. One comparable product can be found at https://www.springsfast.com/part_detail_compression.php?part=C04-010-008.
On a tangential note, I don't need an extra switch assembly anymore, so if anyone would like a freshly cleaned and serviced, although cosmetically challenged, switch & housing, PM me and I'll ship it to you for what it cost me ($25).