What did you mod today?

I’m not sure the FET driver needs much thermal consideration, but if there were something to gain, I think it would be cool if you wired up the USB port to the MCU for external flashing. MikeC did something similar once I believe.

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WOW, That is an amazing beam from a small light !! GREAT JOB !! :+1:
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Thanks CNCman!

BTW, I did some more beamshots in this thread: OSRAM CSLNM1.TG & CULNM1.TG 1mm², CSLPM1.TG & CULPM1.TG 2mm² - #956 by MascaratumB

Here’s one of them, even during daylight :

Hi, chris :smiley:
The XHP 70 runs surprisingly long time before getting warm, so I did not try to mod for heat sinking. Also just kept the stock driver.
This one is too difficult to mod for heat problems because the led is not directly mounted to the outside of the flashlight.
:beer:

Made the measurements and was able to swap in the glass 1504 lens.

Bezel Bezel Lens

Outer Opening Outer Bubble

Zanes X915: 67.0 62.0 65.5 61.0 mm

1504: 67.0 59.2 66.6 62.1 mm

With the glass lens, I measured 5.4 amps on a BT 35E at 4.18V: 650 kcd at 5m, so less than the stock plastic lens. It appears to be focused but there's some non-uniform artifacts around the hotspot.

Here's the tool I use to remove the bezel, using the flat ends (screwdriver type):

Business ends of the 3 modded zoomies:

Close-up of the Xanes with stock plastic:

Now with the 1504 glass, not much difference:

Wall shot with the glass lens. You cane see some of the odd patterns around the hot spot, more pronounced in real life:

With the 1504 SBT90.2, should have blacked out the reflective parts, believe it's the rim of the brass pill:

Here's the Noctigon K1 w/W1:

Does the USB charging still work after your driver swap?

Nope, that’s the bad thing about this mod :zipper_mouth_face:
The driver I am using (from led4power) doesn’t have charging, so it doesn’t work :zipper_mouth_face:

I kept the driver, though, in case I want to reverse the mod, or in case I can build a charger with it! (not sure how… :person_facepalming: )

Looks cool, which light does that fit in?

The wife got this little light for me off of Ebay a year or so ago. Can’t remember for what occasion. The stock emitter was not really my thing. I had replaced it with something, LH351 of some sort I think. I like the little thing but it’s not exactly a great EDC light. Well I had it apart for the second time swapping out the emitter yet again. This time to a lost but now found 219b. I had a few extra Reylight Pineapple AA pocket clips looking for a new home and what do you know, they fit the tail cap on that little light just perfect. Besides making it easier to carry, the clip also gives you something to hold onto while working the tail switch. It’s glass smooth and very slippery with even the driest of hands.

Nothing fancy other than that but, what a difference those two minor tweaks made.

Lucky you. Sweet little light. I would already be happy if mine bought me a Corona-dud.

Manker U23

After getting together the parts I needed I had a lot of trouble trying to get this lighted tail to function properly. After a lot of help from Mr gchart I got it working :partying_face:

Going from a press fit rubber boot to a retaining ring and battery indicator tail this light is on a whole new level now :sunglasses:

:sunglasses: well done!

Thanks djozz. I was definitely on the learning curve for this one :student:

very nice!
me want…

Sorry I only checked this out now, but this is beyond my capabilities, though I understand it (I think??). I can buy OSHPark PCB's but can't lay them out. I can reflow but I'm way short of an EE with the ability to do circuit board designs, and make decisions about when a cap or resistor is needed, etc.

I think what Mike C did was simply wire up the 5 pins of the MCU we need to reflash firmware to a USB connector. But of course he laid out the board to properly design it in. I think it's that simple, but not sure. Maybe other components were needed, like pull up resistors or something. Boy, sure wish that was more readily available - it could apply to many lights, but think each light would need a custom designed driver PCB.

Yeah…I wonder if Mike used USB merely as a physical interface or did he pay some respect to the specs. And if he did - then how much?

My guess would be just used as a physical interface. But even as a physical interface, to re-flash is pretty dang useful.

Indeed