First Attempt Rayfall headlight Mod

Bought this. http://www.gearbest.com/led-flashlights/pp_70417.html

Headband was to small. PWM. Blueish tint. Terrible UI. Plastic Lens. I like the O-rings, switch location, balance, aluminum reflector, and the beam was a good mix for my style of hiking and outdoor travels.
I have decided to attempt a driver and LED swap. I contacted Richard at Mountain Electronics, to work out some possibilities. He asked for some photos of the light. Here they are.

I am leaning towards a Qlite driver, if we(Richard) can figure a way to hook it up.

I WILL edit this thread as needed to add info, clean it up, etc. Oh, and for spelling mistakes. But will do my best to keep important info.

EDIT, had trouble with uploading photos.

1-5-16 Edit. The Qlite has a custom option. Where you can pick your output levels.
I have been looking for the perfect output levels since I got into flashlights. One of my favorite UI’s is the Novatac lights, if you hacked it you had your choice of 4 levels out of 21 possible. Other lights levels to far apart, some to close together. Some have to many, some not enough. So how many levels do I need/want?? What are my ideal lumens??
How do I attack this with sanity. Lets keep it simple. I will start with 2 modes. There will be more, but I figure I needed to find the 2 levels I that fit me the most.

I took 9 lights out for a walk. Used one light at a time and picked a Low and a Hi.
Lights ranged from Wizard to M2X-U2 Javelot. I had flood and throw. Warm and Cool tints. They all had more than 2 modes. I found the lowest I could easily navigate a known trail with at a slow walk. Next I found the lowest level I could easily navigate off trail in heavy woods, scan for reflective markers 200 plus yard, find rabbits Red was tracking, Etc etc etc. It was a great night for flashlights, no moon, snow, clean air.

Processed all this in my Bic and Mead computer. My numbers were 43 and 159.

Factoring in the conditions of tonight. My low should be between 45-60 OTF
My hi should be between 170-210 OTF

Well I did some playing (have been for years) with low modes. Attempted to see how many lumens I could shine directly at Heather without waking her. Trips to fridge and toilet, adjust the head, etc etc. I came up with 5-7. So to simplify my choices I have came up with.

5-50-200-MAX

With that switch....That one should be easy for Richard to come up with a driver (he has two models) . Since there is no battery in that one there should lots of room. Just ask him to play it safe and give you some extra length on the emitter wires. I have recently purchased and used 4 of his e-switch drivers.

It is really too bad that Rayfall is one of the worst companies to deal with. They have a product line that has a lot of potential but as they told me they just do not have the time to deal with end-users.

Thanks for the reply and the hope :bigsmile:

I have taking many lights apart, few I have assembled.

Anyone have any idea’s if the switch can be removed??

Updated post 2 with some over thinking. I will keep post 1 focused on the build and use post 2 for my thought process.

Next step in level selection will be stealth level.

Don't try and remove the switch if you can avoid it. It looks like the wires are long enough there. Also forget about the modes. Go with the moppydrv on this driver http://www.mtnelectronics.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=67_116&product_id=209

Here is what is available with moppydrv:

User Selectable Groups:

MAIN GROUPS | [SPECIAL/DOUBLE CLICK ACCESS MODE]

  1. 100% Only
  2. 5% - 100% | [100%]
  3. 30% - 100% | [100%]
  4. 70% - 100% | [100%]
  5. 50% - 10% | [100%]
  6. 75% - 20% | [100%]
  7. Moon - 30% - 100% | [100%]
  8. 100% - 30% - Moon | [Strobe]
  9. Moon - 20% - 70% - 100% | [100%]
  10. 100% - 70% - 20% - 0% | [Strobe]
  11. Moon - 5% - 15% - 50% - 70% - 100% | [100%]
  12. 100% - 70% - 50% - 15% - 5% - Moon | [Strobe]
  13. 100% | [Strobe]
  14. Strobe | [100%]
  15. 100% | [Blink1]
  16. 5% - 33% - 100% - Blink1 - Blink 3 - Beacon | [Strobe]

Yeah. I have thought of that option. Not sure the levels I want are there.

Are those percentages based on lumens or drive current ?

Anyway I am working on stealth level. Don’t want to get shot on the way to the fridge or toilet. Don’t want to get lost either :slight_smile:

In my opinion, the best headlight ui out there is Dr Jones’s lumodrv.
From his site
“Key features: Easily accessible ramping (just press and hold); hidden extended modes; double-click to high etc.; momentary mode; battery indicator and low-batt step-down.”
I have built three headlights using this ui. My latest and now my favorite is a noctigon triple nichia 219c crammed into a skilhunt h02 host, running a Dr Jones lumodrv driver bumped up to 4.5amps.

It looks like you can fit a triple noctigon in there no problem.

Speaking for myself, I would much prefer Mobydrv/Q as it is much more like the UI's I am accustomed to. The new Nitecore HC30 has that ramping UI and makes me nuts....BUT...that is just me.

Chadvone - I do not know if those percentages are based on Amperage, Output, or PWM. More inclined to think PWM because as far as amperage and output there is curve involved but again I do not know. The last two I just received (standard 3.04A) were flashed with STAR and I just asked Richard to space them evenly.

Star is much more like what I am used to.

electricjelly— nice build, I will check out Dr Jones drivers.

bugsy36— UI’s have made me crazy since I got into lights. Richard told me he could get them close to the levels I wanted.

Novatac and HDS has spoiled me on UI’s. Double click to toggle between 2 modes of your choice, click press to turbo(or just press for mom-turbo), and a triple click for your 4th level. How can that be beat There downside, No headlamp, price, 18650, runtime, and max output.

update— Richard is making me a driver with close to 5-50-200-max

updated post 2 or 1 by the counter

Got my driver today Qlite with star program. All excited to hook it up. But but….

I don’t know what leads go where.
I have 2 leads on star side.
2 leads on back side.

I am guessing back side are for LED
Star side are for switch

Where do I hook the battery leads ???

I am thinking spring post and outer ring.

Post a pic so we can see

Sounds like you have it right, but I agree with bugsy, a picture would help.

Pics came out darker than I expected, I can brighten them up and try again if its to dark to tell anything

Yes, I believe everything looks right

Switch = Star 4 —> GND , I haven’t learned that language yet :slight_smile:

The star side is for the switch AND battery spring. The other is the emitter.

Ok, gonna hook the power up to the center post and the outer ring.

Postman lost my lens today, hoping they find it today.