Could someone who owns one of the answer a couple of quick questions? Does the switch screw out or press out? What are the driver and emitter sizes? Is the pill pressed in or screwed in and I assume it is hollow but could be filled with JB Weld for heat dissipation?
I have not been able to find one of the older, better quality versions of this light. So, I am going to make something work. I have never owned a zoomie and I like the size of these.
Thanks Matt
I’d suggest you instead buy one (or two, or three) of those for $2 postage paid on eBay.
Search for “sk68 zoom” and be just a little patient, there’s a zillion of them for sale there.
Those Gearbest listings for over $7 have you paying for a charger and battery you’ll want to throw out.
Press fit for the switch.
Driver is 15mm (and you’ll want to replace that also)
Emitter is 16mm (and you’ll want to replace that also)
On second thought, even Gearbest sells the same thing for $1.99 nowadays:
http://www.gearbest.com/sk68-\_gear/
Of course you can pay a whole lot more if you want to.
But it’s the same lottery ticket.
hank, thank you for answer.
But, the link should have been to one without batteries and charger… would not get near anything labeled Ultrafire and battery on the same product. I know there have been good examples of the 68’s over time, but that sounds like it really is a thing of the past.
Matt
Unless the machining has gotten just awful on the general body of the light or something, the biggest problems are the hollow pill and non Cree emitter.
But there are ways to make a pill like sanding a penny and xpe’s are cheap now. Nice lights.
Not sure how much of a problem the hollow pill is unless you use 14500’s, my solution so far has been to use AA’s.
I’d like to find something else higher quality, but maybe I’ll try modding these. ?. Nice little lights. The 98’S for 18650 are good, too, imo
I do intend to use 14500’s, but I think I can get a handle on the thermals. Also, nothing says that I would have to program the driver with a high mode that is 100% cranked up. And I likely would program it to sensible mode levels, this would give me better run time on small cells and would also help with thermals. I am actually thinking I would use a nice warm tint SP-G2 and a FET+1 driver since it would be hard to fit more than 4 7135’s into the pill. I am assuming that a single sided driver is in order due to the size of the light, if not might just drop in a 5 or 6 7135 105c and call it good.
Thanks Matt
Here’s a photo of a hollow pill, haven’t been able to post photos directly from phone yet:
Looked like it had room for a 16mm star, the driver is probably 16-17mm (can measure if you want. ) I’m not an expert at this but it looks like there’s plenty of room in there. This was off an SK68 clone.
Would like to know what you are doing for heat management, just did thread on that in modding forum.
Sounds like you’ll have a super nice light, if you post a thread on it would be great. I’d probably even consider buying one, given my current modding skills 
It has single sided driver now. Not sure if you can fit 8x7135 somehow or not. 4x ain’t bad, though
The hollow pill on these makes practically zero difference as long as you put your emitter on a noctigon. Heat transfers just as easily sideways as it does down and considering that the light will be too hot to handle in no time at all with high amps it’s about the same after a very short time. They all tend to be too ringy with XPE’s in them and run too hot with XML type emitters. Best bet by far is going with a de-domed cool white XP-G2 on a noctigon. You get a great tint, no rings, extra throw too. If you want to use the original driver it can be bumped up a lot just by adding heavier wires and a tail-cap spring mod. If the original driver has next mode memory this can usually be fixed with a lead pencil. Just scratch back and forth across the top of the capacitor until it’s black from the lead. This will make the light turn on every time in it’s first mode. The big advantage to leaving the original driver is that you can still use AA batteries and for lending the light out or gifting it this is perfect. Not to mention a big 24pack of AA’s is very cheap now and can be left on a shelf for years and years for a complete loss of power emergency.
All hail the mighty and mighty cheap SK68!
I figured I would go with JB Weld in the hollow core when I was ready to button the whole thing up. While it may or may not spread heat out more it would add a larger space to distribute heat to for the first 1 to 2 minutes???
[quote=18sixfifty]
If the original driver has next mode memory this can usually be fixed with a lead pencil. Just scratch back and forth across the top of the capacitor until it’s black from the lead. This will make the light turn on every time in it’s first mode. The big advantage to leaving the original driver is that you can still use AA batteries and for lending the light out or gifting it this is perfect. Not to mention a big 24pack of AA’s is very cheap now and can be left on a shelf for years and years for a complete loss of power emergency. \/quote]
I knew about the pencil trick, I did not assume that spring bypasses on the stock drivers would make much difference. I will try that first, but just can’t stand going thru blinky modes. I would like to maintain AA use, but have also had many lights get misplaced and damaged by AA batteries (even the good batteries) and keep very few around anymore with AA batteries…
I know that I am beating a dead cat here, but I like to have a plan before I start. I find that it makes for less pain during the build process. Plus, I have never even opened one of these up. I do have a couple on order now, a build thread??? I don’t know, maybe. I assume that many have done this build thread as well, but again maybe a refresher would be good.
Thanks Matt
Has anyone tried the SK68s that Simon is selling?
I haven’t seen any on ShenZhen Convoy, if he has some let me know
The one I posted a picture of works best with 15mm star. Couldn’t find any on FT, don’t know if you could sand/grind 16mm.
The pill has a lower shelf, but the upper shelf looks like it’d take a 16. Might not focus, if you want a thrower when zoomed. Can unscrew front a bit though.
I folded aluminum foil a bunch of times until it was thick and cut it out with scissors with a 98. Might want to apply a bit of glue near center, to maintain contact. Hard to test this, at least idk how but I think it would work better than jb weld.
There is a page that has solid pills for sale, but it’s in kanji
This is the one that Simon is selling.
The GB version is pure and utter garbage not even worth to call a piece of trash.
Are they even giftable to non flashlightaholics?
I got one of these several months ago and only recently got some 14500’s for it. Used it at work yesterday and it didn’t get too warm but the cell ran low after around 4-5 hours of near-constant use. The previous time I ran it a lot at work was more intermittent but that also ran the cell low before the day was done. I went through 2 alkies in one workday before this. This light needs LiIon to perform decently; there is a very noticeable difference. The light still works just the same on AA’s after all this.
When apart for a cell change last night I noticed some spring weakness on reassembly; my long runtime on 14500 must have done that as it never happened before. So 14500 will work but a spring bypass or shorter runtimes might be a good idea
Not a bad little light but maybe not really a good one either. Good enough on AA’s for non-flashaholics. I’d suggest a better zoomie with a larger cell.
Phil
for 3,5 bucks i wouldnt say trash, i have one myself and its a good flashlight its durable as hell i can throw it in the snow and nothing happens to it and the battery lasts forever… its a steal imo.
anyone can enjoy this i would say and it works on regular AA batteries that most have or can buy anywhere…
*List of ‘perks’:
- manual zoom
- 3 modes (Full power, Low Power, Strobe) - access using the switch by pressing halfway.
- uses 1x AA battery. The most popular battery type, can be found at most shops.
- fits inside pocket
- has a very nice military feel to it
- the clamp is very tight and requires some muscle
- the body of the flashlight allows it to be mounted on bikes, weapons etc. (mount required)
- the lip surrounding the button allows the flashlight to be placed upright on a flat surface (candle style)*
They’re even cheaper if you get the other clones. I got several for less than $2 each during their sale and I think they pocket carry much better, since there aren’t any sharp edges compared to a normal SK68. These would be the ones I lend or give away to people.
http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_172290.html
KuoH
Usually, on SK-68 clones, the switch presses out inward, that is you push on the boot trying not to tear it. The switch spring and the battery spring are the same piece. The pill screws out, sometimes there are slots or grooves, sometimes not.
US $8.13 is a bit higher than RMM sold UltraOKs for, but Simon is known for finding and making good stuff. And the UltraOK was a one mode.
Click for this thread:
Unless I am reading it wrong, the price of $8.13 from Simon is for two pieces.