FW3A mod thread. Post yours!

LED Flashlights – General Info 18650 Flashlights
581

That looks great, djozz! What size SMD LEDs were you able to fit on the MCPCB?

Does anyone have a diagram for the tracings on this PCB? Trying to figure out where the positive and grounds run through this board. It looks like they run in a circle?

582

If MTN ever restocks his triple board you could do something similar.

583

can you flash new firmware so you can config aux leds ?

584

I guess no, there must be hardware support for the aux leds too, I guess a free pin onnthe MCU to regulate them. On my FW3A the aux leds make no use of the driver.

585

that aux board looks amazing, real innovative solution.

586

I’d call it an oldschool hack mod :smiley:

587

Nice H-Mod Jozz!

a lower level h-mod… :smiley:

I cheated….

588

Finished the wife’s little sinner triple…. 16 ice blue trits…

589

/\ . Nice KB…. :+1:

590

Wow. Salivation worthy! :+1:

591

CRX Powder Gaskets vs ICE Filaments printed ABS GITD version.

So I did a little comparison test over the course of 20 minutes or so with these.

From left to right, CRX Aqua Blue, CRX Green, ICE Filament printed and then CRX Red.

592

Thanks!

Worked myself up over nothing, it was quite easy using Norland and the UV light I built, using the emitter and lens LED4Power (Neven) sent me as a gift years ago. Very powerful it must be, the stuff set up instantly!

She LOVES IT! :blush:

593

Hi all, a little lost, what do I need to do to reflow 219b emitters?

594

Here’s what I do for reflows:

Tools needed:

  • Soldering Iron
  • Tweezers
  • A small pick (like a dental pick) may be helpful
  • A small table vise
  • 1 wooden clothes pin
  • Thermal grease (arctic silver 5 recommended)
  • QTips recommended
  • Needle nose pliers recommended.
  • Solder paste

Instructions:

  • Unscrew and remove the bezel and lens.
  • The optic will be visible but is flush with the top of the head of the light. Take your dental pick (or tip of tweezers) and insert it into the gap and lift slightly. Then move your tool a few degrees and repeat. Walk your lifting tool around the optic until the optic pops off.
  • Place your light in your vise face-up to hold it still. If using a metal vise, put thick tape or wood in the jaws to protect the anodizing.
  • Apply the soldering iron to the bondpads where the wires are connected to the star. Use the pick to gently lift as you hold the iron. Once the solder melts the wires should life right off.
  • Use the pick to lift of the star. Insert it into the gaps in the star where the wires pass through to get behind the star so you can lift.
  • Once the star is removed use QTips to clean off all thermal grease from the bottom of the star and the top of the shelf in the head.
  • Place wooden clothespin in your table vise. Then place the star face-up into the clothespin. the jaws of the clothes pin should grip the side of the star leaving all LEDs exposed.
  • Using your left hand touch the soldering iron to the bottom of the star and hold it there (or if you have a soldering station use a hot air gun). In your right hand gently grip the sides of an LED with tweezers. When the soldering iron heats the entire star up enough to melt all the solder all the LEDs should lift right off with tweezers.
  • After removing the LEDs check to see that there is enough solder on the pads. If not, apply more solder paste with a toothpick.
  • Use tweezers to place new LEDs onto the bondpads on the star.
  • Heat up star again with soldering iron until solder melts. You can see when it is done because the LEDs will “jump” into position.
  • Let the star cool and remove it from the vise.
  • (Optional): I test the star at this point using a 14500 battery inside a small battery holder with wires coming out. Touch the wires to the bondpads on the star. If it lights up you did it right. If not, try reversing the wires… maybe you got the LEDs rotated the wrong way.
  • If you used a soldering iron on the bottom of the star give the bottom a few swipes with a small hand file to remove any solder.
  • Apply a thin layer of fresh thermal grease to the shelf.
  • Reinsert the star into the light.
  • Connect the wires from the driver to the star. I use a tweezers to hold them in position while I solder. Then I take a flat toothpick with the end filed flat with a “V” shaped notch in it and use that as a tool to press the wire against the star for final soldering.
  • Test the light to see that it works.
  • If it works, then insert the optic, lens and bezel.

If you buy a star with LEDs already installed, you can swap stars. That’s faster since it means skipping many of the above steps.

Once you get the hang of it, reflowing is easy. However, do not rush. In my experience, A slow and methodical approach works best for flashlight modding.

595

596

Thank you for this. Do I need to flash the firmware to something specific so I dont kill the emitters with a high drain batter as part of swapping emitters to 219b?

597

Use a 3500mAh cell and don’t worry about it

598

Thanks, isn’t more about amperage or capacity?

599

The 3500 mAh cells won’t pull enough amps to cause a problem and you get the best runtime.

600

Ah interesting, I’ll pick up a efest 3500mah 20A bat for this then. Thanks for the protip