This mod is generally for newcomers like I am because this flashlight was around for a while and some great mod’s are already done. Nothing fancy and new in this build, just a great and cheap flashlight with lots of potential. Maybe this bulid will encourage members who never done any major modification to their flashlights to step up and do it. Also wanted to say that I have never (before this) done any electronics soldering, shaping metal, soldering metal and removing the dome from led emitter. I’ll try to be as detailed as possible, with lots of pictures and some basic info on this build.
Project cost:
- Zy-T08 from Tmart - $18,99
- XML-2 U3 1A bare Led from intl-outdoor - $4,98
- Maxtoch PCMCB 26 mm - from Banggood - $3,39
- Driver LD-1 (5A) bought from a member here - $15,00
- Omten Tailcap switch from Fasttech - $0,60
- Artic alumina from ebay - around $12,00 (this thermal glue will last for many other builds)
- Other supplies (solder wire, copper etc.) local hardware store - $20 (these supplies will also last for other builds)
So let’s start.
First measurements showed 2,2 A at the tail switch (stock), so nothing to be excited about although the light was pretty nice as it was. The plan was to do a replace switch, copper braid springs, improve heatsinking, add a 18 or 20 AWG wires, swap emitter and driver. These modifications turned out to be a harder then I expected but I had a great time and can’t wait to do another mod.
1. Improving a switch.
I removed switch and springs and made a copper plate which would be a base for improved springs.
2. All soldered and polished
3. Old and new switch - different in length, height, width
4. Inserting a 18 AWG wire inside a spring and soldering a copper plate on top. Stock springs were very soft and didn’t hold batteries firmly in place. Shaking the stock flashlight caused battery movement inside a body. This solved that problem and reduced overall current resistance.
5. Tailcap modification finished
6. The difference in height between old and new switch was significant so I had to make some adjustments. Preparing for adding a epoxy putty spacer on aluminium switch cover.
7. Epoxy putty applied.
8. Sanding spacer. Good to know when sanding flat surfaces and want to keep them perfectly flat: Put sanding paper on a flat surface like plexiglass or glass and sand the object in “number 8 motions”. Just push the object against the sanding paper and write number 8. Of course, you have to turn the object around periodically (by 90 degrees) to get a perfect flat surface.
9. Nearly done. Just have to trim it down to the right height and polish with 2000 grit sand paper.
10. Inside look at the copper braided springs
11. Tailcap finished. Did a new tail current measurement and now it shows 2,5A so improvement is significant.
12. Improving a pill heatsinking. Making a copper ring for the bottom of the pill.
13. Threads that need to be removed. These threads do not make any contact with the pill, it’s a empty space. Inserting a copper ring should improve that. Marking with a blue marker.
14. Sanded these threads using a dremel tool.
15. Making a copper heatsink inside a pill. I used copper fittings bought at local hardware store.
16. Trimmed to fit inside a pill.
17. Adding a top copper plate.
18. Copper plate is press fitted inside cylinder.
19. Soldering copper.
20. Done! Cleaned and polished.
21. Making a copper plate for the top of the pill.
22. Drilling holes to make a better contact with copper cylinder below and to maintain a good contact with aluminum.
23. Making small rods to fit inside the holes for connecting top plate, pill and bottom cylinder. Don’t know what material is this but it had some “copperish” color. Pure copper rods would be better but this is what I had.
24. Preparing for soldering.
25. Soldered together.
26. Top view.
27. I Soldered copper top plate to the rods below, cleaned and polished the pill and that’s it.
28. I sanded down the outer ring of the pill (again figure 8 flat surface sanding) to get a better clearance for the wires and trimmed the MCPCB to fit inside.
29. LD-1 5A driver, stripped stock driver, pill.
30. All wired using 18 and 20 AWG wires. To make a better ground contact, 18 AWG wire is soldered directly from the pill to the contact plate. Also added a small copper heatsink on the driver.
31. De-domed led, Maxtoch MCPCB and arctic alumina thermal paste. Reflector is going to sit on the MCPCB. No centering ring.
32. Finished!
33. Control picture, lots of street light. Distance is around 60 meters.
34. Just to compare, this is my Convoy C8 (XML-2 U3 1A on Noctigon and smooth reflector at 3,6 A)
35. ZY-T08 at 4.5 A on shitty ultrafire batteries. New 25R’s are in the mail. I also managed to light up a white wall 400 meters away with no problem. ZY-T08 throws like crazy.
36. Side by side. Convoy C8 and ZY-T08.
That’s it! Hope You enjoy this mod. If You have any questions I would be happy to answer them. Cheers .