Saw this on CNqualitygoods:
Looks like a nice kit, and a good place to start if you’ve never done any modding before.
Which is me.
I guess the best way to learn is to practice, and this looks like it would be easy enough.
Am I missing something?
All you experienced tinkerers speak up.
Thanks in advance.
The easiest way into modding are P60 dropins imo.. but that thing looks nice. You'll need an XML, driver and battery. And solder iron, tin, some tools and patience. :)
If you're anything like me it might be a couple XMLs, drivers, and a battery. :P
I’ve got a p60 light, and am looking to take this to the next level and learn some soldering skills.
I mainly want to know if this is a good starter kit, or if there are some pitfalls in the design that will make this hard that I’m not seeing since I don’t know what to look for.
Nice looking, and reasonably priced host. I can’t make out what it uses for a pill though. From the exploded view, there does not seem to be anything of substantial mass (beside the head) for heat sinking.
As a first timer, I would agree to use a P60 host. They are very easy to do and have decent heat sinking. All you need is an empty P60 drop in module and a host for it. Solarforce is a favorite around here. I also like the Sky Ray S-R5 since it has nice built-in grip rings. They can be purchased for ~ $12, plus a drop in for $2. The rest would be an emitter ($10 for XML) and 2.8A driver (~$6).
The C8 is nice, but the reflector is too big to put it in a pants pocket. I still like P60’s which throw better than any of the compact lights and are easier to carry than a C8. Plus with P60’s you can get ready-made drop-ins or make your own. And there are all kinds of hosts you can get.
The host you ordered looks good. About the same size as a P60 but with the screw-in pill it should handle heat a lot better.
You’ll also need some thermal adhesive to mount the LED board to the pill. Being able to build your own lights open up a lot of possibilities.
FWIW… I have had problems with this kind of switch design before.
The contact tab of the switch would only make intermittent contact with the -B spring. It wasn’t a huge deal though, I just soldered the spring onto the tab. It also can be tricky getting the switch to make consistent contact with the switch pill and tail cap. I had to bend the tab contact out and I also put a blob of solder onto it so it could make firm contact with the switch-cap. My 501B had a switch design similar to this, once I got it dialed in its fine. Its a good switch, just not for the first time DIY-er. I have since taken the guts out and transplanted them into my Surefire G2 incan, where I like it better.
I agree that for the very first time builder P60 is the way to go.
lol. :D
I dont see P60 lights as an old relic. Sure, the C8 throws better, but I dont always want throw. And, besides aspherics (and multi emitter monsters), there arent that many floody lights..
@Sharpthangs: If you already have a P60 light and you like this host, go for it. Otherwise there are a lot of other great DIY hosts and CNQ.
… also I dont see anything in there thats copper.
Brass is often referred to as yellow copper, but it should not be confused with “copper”. Thermally the two materials are worlds apart…. one is an excellent conductor while the other (as far as metals are concerned) can be considered a thermal insulator.
Brass is inferior to Aluminum as a thermal conductor. Its used because it machines very easily and readily bonds to solder. Not so for Aluminum, which almost always forms a cold joint with Solder, and you have to more closely monitor your feeds/speeds and cut depths when machining.
I laugh at the high $$$ builders who sell Brass as a high end flashlight material.
I also don’t really see a driver pill in any of the pics. Unless that brass threaded piece is it, but they pictured it grouped with the tailcap switch parts. It looks like the LED sits directly onto the Aluminum bezel (item #5)
Yeah, after looking at that, I was confusing the tailcap insert for the pill.
I’m with you, kramer5150, I really don’t see how the LED is mounted, other than held between the reflector and that bit of white plastic, which wouldn’t exactly provide the heat sink I was hoping for.
And, is that a sleeve inside the body?
I think I’m starting to sour on this particular model…
+ 1 on this. Any extras you buy at this time will come in handy in the future. Here is a link for one that E1320 has reviewed.
https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/8345
