This is part one of my beginner modding experiments. Im looking for affordable but well built hosts with acceptable thermal properties for single cell flashlights. Ideally smaller, pocketable builds, with 21700 cell support. My goal is to test some XPL or XPL HIs with warmer tints, also some LH351D’s, before moving on to triples etc.
Convoy S2+, looks nice, but not sure if the drivers are held by retaining rings or soldered to the pill directly. In some videos they were soldered, in others held by retaining rings.
Also consider M2, S21A or the M21B for more mass. What are your favourites?
Some S2+ lights have retaining rings, some don’t. The former are much easier as it takes a lot of heat to solder to that fat pill. I think you can also buy compatible rings separately…
Exactly, not to mention those solder blobs all over the pill look ultra ugly. It seems those larger models like M1 or M21B use shelf instead of pill and the MCPCB can be screwed down. Btw. what happens if the S2+ gets a thinner MCPCB? Will it rattle inside as it is held only by the reflector?
The “Grey” S2+ with SST20 may be then a good start. It is cheap and as a bonus I can cannibalize the biscotti driver and the SST20 led for later projects. Still would prefer something with 21700 support.
The S21A or M21B are on top of my list. My concern is Simon’s skimping on internal tube diameter, where supposedly only original OEM 21700 cells fit. I have only rewraps from Shockli, LiitoKala etc. Dont like being limited with nonsense like that.
Pills are nice when soldering the wires from the driver to the MCPCB. I’ve damaged a few domes on LEDs with lights that have a shelves because it was difficult to aim the soldering iron down in the head. Soldering is much easier on a removable pill.
There is S2+ SST20 on sale at BG, for around 9 Euro. But review pics show the driver is soldered to the pill. Seems like hit and miss with those various S2+ versions.
If you ask Sofirn on Aliexpress you can have any of their flashlights as hosts. The C8A and C8F are already listed in the host version and there are also drivers available separately. Another triple host with 21700 battery would be the Convoy S12 but for triples you will need to reflow leds.
The S2+ has soldered drivers if they are double sided like most 7135 drivers. I think most constant current drivers for SST40 are single sided and have the retaining ring. kiriba-ru in his thread here on BLF also offers some special rings for double sided drivers
Good luck with the modding! Much more fun than just buying stock flashlights.
I have the C8F 21700 host on my radar, but for convenience purposes and to minimize potential money loss I will start with cheaper single LED lights
Is there any reason why the double sided drivers need to be soldered instead of being held by ring? I would probably swap even the stock biscotti driver with BLF A6, as I like its mode spacing better.
In some cases the driver’s components will not fit inside the ring. I’ve filed out a few rings to make the hole a little larger, but it depends on the driver, some have the components right on the edge and filing the ring just doesn’t work.
Very similar to the S2+ host that ship with a locking ring and cost between $8.00 and $13 depending on source and the color but is able to use a 21700 cell is the Convoy S21A.It uses a 20mm driver or 17mm with adapter.A nice choice to build a triple or quad pocket rocket.
The S21A host is available from the AE Convoy Store with or without the 17mm adapter ring.
The S21A host is also available from Mountain Electronics
EDIT:the S2+ host in sand and clear colors have a smooth reflector.Most others have the OP if that is important.The S2+ hosts I have purchased from ME shipped in a nice Convoy box with nicer lanyard and secured in foam cutouts.
Much more fun than just buying stock flashlights. 