Does anyone know where I can get some XM-Ls not on a star, preferably shipped from the US? I figure if they aren't on a star there is a smaller chance of my screwing it up when reflowing.
For anyone wondering I am having some 20mm triple XM-L boards produced and I'm gonna make the first ever triple XM-L P60. :D I'll have some left over so if anyone has any trades for a board (with no LEDs) pm me.
Mouser, Digikey, Newark
Thanks. :) So this would be an XM-L T6? Are they shipped from the US? If so I'll be placing an order. :D
How do you plan to manage the heat?
The plan is one of these along with my custom board which is wired in parallel being direct driven by an IMR battery in an L2. I may try to get some fins machined into a L2 head though. :D
That's not gonna be enough to handle the heat for more than a minute at a time.
Can an L2 switch take 10 amps?
I'll find out in 3-4 weeks. 
I know they are rated for 3 amps and it generally takes a bit more than the max to kill them. Keep in mind this is all uncharted territory so to speak so it will be going slowly.
Rojos, that may very well be true but I still want a triple XM-L P60. :D
Maybe house it in a gladiator body, so you can hold it for a bit longer
Nice looking p60. Might be Najib in a dive light host. What would you like to trade for?
Go scaru. This will have a short run high that will be orsm and different. As a particular ad says, just do it.
Reflow… you know you want to.
For that $14 you could get 2 XMLs on boards… and you get to try out reflowing and get left with a 20mm or 16mm XML board if you ever need one.
Here is what I use:
Fry-pan + DMM with temp senser + tweezers.
Once the fry-pan gets to about 160°C gently lower the board (+ LED) onto the fry-pan… once the LED is free on the liquid solder I pluck it off with tweezers and set it on the bench top…. not something with too much thermal conductivity or the LED will cool down too quickly (or that’s the theory). I do the same thing in reverse order to reflow it onto a new board (just add solder to the board once it gets hot enough).
So far I have done 5 XM-Ls (3 of which were completely de-domed), 4 XP-Es and one XP-G2 and am yet to destroy a single LED. I practiced a bit with a destroyed XPE I had laying around first. I have not noted any change in LED Vf or brightness.
I don’t envy you job of having to solder all those wires… good luck.
scaru, whats your plan for driver and optic?
The board is prewired in parallel so I am going to direct drive it off of a IMR battery. For the optic I am going to use one of the triple XP-G optics along wire boring it out and treating it with a few chemicals that will hopefully make it so it stays clear.
Basically anything, it doesn't have to be expensive as these are costing me around 2 dollars per board. Just a way to get rid of some surplus. :D
I've already done a decent amount of reflowing but I'm still nervous about this. Mainly because it is 3 LEDs in an insanely small place. I don't have that much soldering to do in reality, the reflowing is the big part. The board is prewired in parallel. :D
Scaru,
That's an ambitious project, I like it. I've thought about the same thing myself, except copper mounting the xmls. There are a few important issues though that would need to be addressed and have been brought up by the above posters:
* The switch - I know the McClicky replacements are rated at ~6 amps, but not sure if they can do more. Even at that level, that's 2amps a piece to the emitters and would make for one heck of a floody light!
* Optics - Most 3-up builds use Carclo TIR's, such as those used for the xpg. I looked a few weeks ago and didn't find anything available for the xml that small. Another option may be to forgo the optics altogether and short seat the pill making it a mule setup.
Things that really don't matter for a build like this:
* Runtime - Come on... a build like this is about one thing and one thing only... A truck full of lumens coming out of a small light! Besides, my estimate is runtime will be longer than the operators ability to comfortably hold such light :) , which brings us to the next issue -
* Heat - Pending you do the build right, and it looks like you are, that poor little L2 host will heat up faster than 3 rats making love in a wool sock... Most likely looking at 30sec bursts, which is why runtime isn't much of an issue. Let's be honest, a build like this isn't meant to take fluffy for a 2 mile walk, but be simply a "wow" light... something to turn on and make Father O'Mally curse like a sailor and maybe wet himself (just a little squirt).
If I may suggest, in keeping with the theme, forgo the driver completely (the xml's will handle it), and use a solid brass momentary button instead of a clicky switch.
Build it! I want to see this thing in action, and if I can offer any assistance just let me know!
-Match
If I have to I will be ordering a McClicky but I am trying to do this on as much of a budget as possible. For the switch I am just going to oil it up and hope for the best. ;)
Optics: There are not any made to work for an XM-L but I have been testing and I can bore them out to make an XM-L fit.
As i have said a few times already this is going to be direct drive. :D
Here a few pics of the design are. (Credit to PPTK for making the designs for me)
Match, would you like one? I couldn't think of anyone better to run them through their paces. :)
Whats the beam pattern with those XPG-optics? How much for one pcb? :P
I haven't tested anything yet but here a link to the optics is.
http://www.ledsupply.com/carclo-optics-3up.php
The boards are cheap to make, it would probably be cheaper to have your own batch of 10 made then for me to ship them to you.
I doubt that.. I was in contact with a company for 3up and 4up copper PCBs and was quoted 850€ for 10pcs.
First of all these aren't made of copper, they are made of fr4. It's the same thing PPTK's module is made of. A number of tests have been done that show that fr4 is as good as aluminum pcbs.