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View Full Version : Stylus LED pen lights - easy to get batteries?



NINJA
07-09-2010, 10:14 PM
If you're a professional mechanic, especially an ATV/MC mechanic such as myself, I'm sure you're familiar with the Stylus LED pen lights. They're great for getting into small places and checking timing marks and piston wash, etc. What sucks is when the batteries go dead from use or leaving them on all night in your toolbox drawer as I did last night:rolleyes:
They use AAAA batteries, which are not only expensive, but they are hard to find. Not anymore:naughty:
Buy an Energizer 9 volt battery and peel the tin off around it, careful, it's razor sharp as I discovered. Inside you will find 6 AAAA batteries, no joke! A Stylus pen light takes 3. Here's where it gets tricky. The batteries poles are opposite of a normal AAAA (+ is the flat side and - is the side with the nub). Also you will find that they are slightly shorter than the factory batteries. No problem, wrap a thin strip of electrical tape once around a 1/4" ball bearing (can be purchased at just about any hardware store for .17 cents). Make sure that there isn't too much tape to block the BB from contacting the battery on one side and the spring on the other. Drop the tape wrapped BB into the penlight after you've loaded the batteries. Now, screw the switch on and VOILA! Not only does it work, it's brighter than the factory batteries too.

BIGREDGUY
07-12-2010, 09:21 PM
You could also use tin foil as spacers instead of the ball bearing.

NINJA
07-12-2010, 10:42 PM
Nope, tinfoil crushes down, has more resistance and you'd still have to wrap it with tape so it doesn't contact the sides. I mean, you could use it, but the ball bearing works perfectly and won't need to be replaced. Far less trial and error.