Lurked here for a pretty long time, finally decided to sign up. L6 surely looks like an interesting idea. Will watch the development news.
Dale whatever you decide it’s bound to be impressive!
Simon made what he called an XPL-HI gasket for the L2.
I assume he’s referring to the centering ring? Chime in if anyone has other thoughts.
He included these two pictures:
looks pretty good! any info if he will be selling the light with a xpl HI stock?
Those look great, please tell Simon to list them on his store, I was looking to buy something like that for XP-L HI upgrade :bigsmile:
I already asked him when they will be available. As soon as he responds I’ll post here and add the link to the OP when it becomes available. I like how it centers in a round hole so you don’t have to worry as much about torqueing the emitter if you take the head apart. The square hole design stinks IMO.
I hope simon starts selling this with xp-l hi, then i could push place order button :D.
I really hope that Simon would use copper DTP led boards. More mod friendly.
Since he doesn’t use over 3Amp drivers, it would be a bit useless since the most people leave the lights stock - but I agree, it would still be nice.
I got mine today…
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Honestly.
Even stock, the hotspot is not even half the size of the Courui DO1.
I got a package from MTN as well… FET driver and XP-L Hi 1A for the Courui - which are now in the L2 
Just a crazy thrower. I don’t hope that it outthrows the M24 Sniper that’s on it’s way 
Edit: SInce I didn’t have a fitting XP-L mounting ring, I just glued the original ring with superglue on the MCPCB - works pretty nice.
Cool! 
On the L2, the reflector is pretty well fitted to the head, it doesn’t slop around like a lot of lights. This means that the centering ring is really only a spacer, so gluing it down really isn’t necessary. That said, if you can find an XP-G centering ring that fits the emitter more closely then it’d have a nicer trim. Sometimes I like going to the extra trouble of getting the larger XM-L sized centering ring settled in opposite of the XP-L emitter, such that the corners of the emitter are in the middle of the flats on the ring, this gives a diamond like pattern and allows the red Noctigon to show and it looks pretty sweet. Has no effect on performance of course, just looks neat.
I built a second L2 with an XM-L2 U4 1C emitter. It makes more lumens but has a less concentrated hot spot than the HI emitter. Live and learn, right? I’ll be changing it when I figure out just how I want to go about that.
If/when I get one, I’ll probably go for an XR-E EZ900
Yes it is
The 20mm Noctigon is too small and flapps around. The screws don’t really grip the Noctigon.
So you really need a centering ring on that light.
Well we can’t have our Noctigons flapping around all over the place… :davie:
Someone could get hurt…
I think it’s illegal in most countries…
I Present To You…. Arctic Alumina Thermal Adhesive! Woohoo! Problem solved!
(I recut the emitter shelf and used a 25mm MaxToch DTP mcpcb)
I’m working with Simon to help correct these issues but I need to understand more than I do to give him all the proper info and translate where there is any confusion. Dale my friend it’s awesome that you can recut your emitter shelf but for many of us mere mortals it’s not so easy. Simon wants to make the L2 (and of course the upcoming L6) as good as it can be. The emitter shelf should not have to be recut. Is it that it’s intended for a 20mm mcpcb but the emitter shelf is machined a little too large and has a sloppy fit? That’s what it sounds like but I need someone to chime in with confirmation and clear explanation so we can get Simon working on the fixes. I think KawiBoy posted some info on that note but I need it simplified so I can help Simon understand. Input here is appreciated.
Naaa, I recut the emitter shelf because I wanted to use the big MaxToch star. (I also wanted to reduce the dimple from the initial drill bit they cut the hole in the head with, I want metal directly under the emitter, not a gap.)
Simon has it cut just fine. The space could be 10mm larger than the mcpcb, the centering ring is there for that reason, to make sure the mcpcb is aligned with the reflector. That’s also why thermal paste is used instead of glue, so the board can shift as needed for that proper alignment.
What people are having an issue with is that a de-domed emitter wants to sit higher into the reflector for proper focus. The reflector in this light sits on multiple shelves in the head, giving it a fixed point and not floating. So the emitter mcpcb has to be raised slightly to use a de-domed XM-L2 or XP-L HI. That’s where the problem lies. Getting perfect focus for maximum throw. That’s for the OCD out there, I didn’t do any of that with my first one, simply put a 20mm Noctigon in it with an HI emitter and it makes 217.25Kcd. I’m good with that. Perhaps it could be more, but my eyes don’t distinguish that much difference out past 500 yards anyway, so it’s all good.
Edit: For total honesty sakes, I went a little OCD myself on this second one. I wanted to seat the reflector deeper into the head so the bezel would sit down on the shelf on the head, no gap (externally). So I machined the top edge of the head where the threads are for the bezel, machined the shelves inside the head where the reflector touches, then machined down the emitter shelf and while I was at it I made the area wider for the larger mcpcb. This wasn’t necessary stuff, this was me playing with the lathe after being sick for almost a month. It was also semi-preparatory to buying a $100 emitter that is 27mm x 28 mm square on the mcpcb, with the actual emitter offset from center on this “square” (I plan to cut it round on the lathe, if that’s feasible)
So the light is ready to do more to it when I get there. (just bought a knife for over $200, the emitter will have to wait) See? I’m notional and far too addicted.
I thought it was a little funny you calling other flashaholics out for flashOCD Something about a pot and a kettle… hmm I forget. As far as emitter positioning for a light light this thrower I’m all about being OCD for that perfect focus point. No donut hole here buddy. Pure laser beam is what I’m looking for and I think this is a great light to do it.
Every true thrower I’ve had has a donut hole out to a certain distance, from 3’ to 15-20’. This is from light’s doing 500Kcd to 665Kcd. Reflector based, not aspheric. It’s all part of tuning the collimation to the furthest point, only a few reflectors I’ve seen make a column of light instead a “V” point. If memory serves, I think the Courui D01 “Bighead” is one of those. I had just gotten my TK61 shortly before a trip to Mississippi and “only” had it doing about 430Kcd, but that was enough to reach across the mighty Miss at Vicksburg. (with that long inverted V shape going out probably 30’)
I got the TK61 up in the high 500Kcd range before I got mad at it an traded it off… this showing the white barn at 610 yds. Notice that V?
Working on an Solarforce S1100 with a large aspheric that I’ve done preliminary testing at 834Kcd… gotta get back on that.
As you can see, there is some space around the LED.
Problem, if he makes it fit the normal stars: Noctigons maybe too big.
Nice Pic L4M, well done!
I don’t know what you mean about “normal stars” 20mm is 20mm. Noctigon is the supreme player in our game. Simon has it fitting just fine, the centering ring primarily stops the reflector from showing rings in the beam from the very base of the reflector. I ran it both ways, with and without, and the beam is cleaner with. Due to the way the reflector fits so neatly into the head and sits on top of the shelves, it doesn’t touch the mcpcb. The reflector opening fits onto the centering ring nicely and the centering ring is forced to center on the mcpcb, which is centered itself by the two screws with tapered heads. I say nicely done by Simon, no need to do anything differently here!
Well, if he sells a centering Ring for XP-LEDs, then there is no need to change anything, yes.