So the 200mmx200mm hot plate was sighted for $64.99 on the ’zon, with Prime shipping. It arrived today…
Using the hot plate, I finally reflowed the brass ring from my old Supfire M6 driver onto the new one. Generously applied kapton tape to the top side of the driver in the hopes I didn’t lose anything, and heated the whole thing up to 180C. From there, a brief application of the soldering iron allowed me to lift the brass ring free. Basically repeat in reverse order to apply it to the new driver.
Got it all hooked up and no light. Drove myself nuts for a bit, but I eventually tracked it down to the reflector shorting to both LED+ and LED-, cumulatively across the three XHP50.2 3V MCPCBs. I disassembled the head, re-evaluated the underside of the reflector, and decided I needed that liquid electrical tape someone mentioned on here. For now, I used some UV-activated adhesive applied thinly to all six MCPCB soldering points. Given that I killed the previous driver with a similar short (back then, I was planning to use three Luxeon V), one of the Convoy L6 driver swaps I did, and at least one other mod, I think I’m just going to habitually apply the stuff in every single mod I do, so I placed an order. (I’ve tried Kapton tape and it never works out for me.)
While I was doing silly things, I also decided to reflow the ATTiny85 from the old driver in place of whatever was on the new driver. It has NarsilM, so I have to go figure out how that works, but the basic ramp/moonlight/turbo things seem common with RampingIOS and Anduril, so that’s working. The new driver came with some version of Bistro on it, but I’m not entirely convinced it was the correct version based on some un-assembled testing I did. (It seemed like a clicky version of Bistro HD OTSM or something - I forgot to specify firmware when I ordered the driver long ago. Regardless, the e-switch never seemed to work.)
I think my next batch of projects will be learning to flash drivers. I could go for some Anduril, and not just on this light…
Anyway, I need a set of four married 30Qs. I know this light can handle more than the (married set from my MF02 and BLF LT1) four 35Es I’ve got in there now