Me, now I take the lazy way out, and just pawn ’em off on someone who doesn’t know any better. 
I had enough aggravation with junk-lights, kept thinking of ways to “fix” them, but underneath it all, it’s still a junk-light. Took a while to get it into my head, but now I just get rid of ’em.
“Man, what crap… Hey, you! Want a flashlight?”
“Sure!”
“Here ya go…”
Problem solved.
Hey there again 
Well, thanks again for your comments! I’m thrilled that these mods may be encouraging!
“First I was afraid” to start modding, as I never had soldering experience, nor building electronics experience.
But then I read a lot here on BLF, benefitting from other members’ experience and I started watching some videos about technical aspects. That was what encouraged me to do these first things.
And, of course, the not-so-good quality or usability my lights had!
@ Ollie
The process was a bit like that: 2 lights in which I saw some possibilities to become “stronger” lights!
Then, the pieces from other lights I had, and then the new components that would make the difference.
I’m not much creative but I like to “invent” and experiment some things and to take me to another level, fearlessly!!
What could go wrong? Just some “wasted” € and wasted time! Comparing to what I had to win - 2 fully usable flashlights - I gave it a try!
Wish I had a lathe too, it would drain my money and energies, but it would be incredible!
Now I just use some of my old lights and I buy some new to make them better 
@ Lightbringer
Sorry, I completely understood it in the wrong way! I thought that you meant that I could have bought a drop-in module for the light as they it is similar to the L2M! My bad :person_facepalming:
Well, this was not a perfect “surgery” and I just hope some “stitches” don’t get loose
The Brennenstuhl I moded, despite the common aspect with some other cheap lights, it is a really nice light with very good original components, from the LED to the switch (OMTEN). But I guess that it had the capacity and the body to get something more powerful, and more usable for a daily base. I like better outputs and beams and I don’t like blinkies! That was what took to this “transformation”.
The Ante light…well, the some of the components are a bit junkie, yes. LED, pill, driver, reflector…That would need a major transformation.
And the adding of a tail switch. I guess that when the new switch arrives, I’ll borrow it to my parents, even if it uses a 18650 battery. They have their own lights, but this may work as a backup. There are no major issues when using it, and it may come in handy
BTW, I thought about buying a L2M, but I abandoned the idea some time ago, as most of the drop-ins didn’t suit me. Now…I’m not sure if I won’t give it a try
@ DavidEF
Hum, I like non-competitive “contests”!! I guess they become learning opportunities! :+1:
What’s the name of this one you’re mentioning?
Maybe the next mod I have in mind may be a nice one for that
Thanks again folks!! And keep up your good works too
Best regards!! :+1:
Nah, no worries.
Yep, I hear ya.
The crap-C8s I got with the plastic reflectors and the like, I know they’re essentially garbage, but figure that with decent pills from FT, I could load up my own drivers/emitters and have something that I know I ain’t gonna push very hard, so having a solid brick of metal at the head won’t be critical, nor would a cheapcrap switch.
Really nice host, forward-clicky switch, no shroud around the switch, so you can use it as a true tac-light.
I haven’t bought a completed drop-in in æons, and just roll my own with whatever emitter and driver I want. As long as the emitter fits the reflector, I’m set.
Hum, yeah, I realized the pill makes a lot of difference, especially to absorb some of the heat!
I bought mine from Kaidomain store in AliExpress, and I hot another 2 on the way!
They also have those to fit the C8s and other that fit drop-in hosts! I didn’t adventured myself on those because its measures are always missing. I guess that it is a flaw from sellers (although we can ask them of course…)!
I saw the L2M host there as well and it really seems a good one! Nice to know that from what you say! I guess some day I’ll give it a try and see how it works
Thanks for the inputs once again!!
Yes, the comp is mainly for fun, & pretty much everyone who completes thier entry wins something.
I entered in the first 3, but was unable to last year. Can’t wait until this year’s!
Check out the first few comp builds here.
A lot of times when you buy a pre-built drop-in, you have no idea what went into it, or how. Did they use thick-enough wires? Did they use a good thermal goop like AS5? Or is the emitter just press-fit to the pill by the reflector?
Æons ago, when I saw an 5000K XP-L drop-in just came out, and at a non-obscene price, I sprung for it immediately. Nice emitter, but the driver is just a bunch of parallelled chip-resistors, no actual regulation. Wellp, there goes that idea…
Never bothered to replace the driver, and I still have it somewhere, maybe in a ’501 host, forgot.
Point is, had I rolled my own, it would’ve been with my choice of driver, AS5ed nicely to the pill, and I would’ve been happy with it for what it is. I wouldn’t consider it half-good.
Throwing together a drop-in is easy. And quick. And you get to pick’n’choose everything you want on it, down to the last detail, just like ordering a sandwich from a deli.
@ FmC
Hum, nice!! I guess I’ll have a lot to see from the past years
Maybe I can enter too, if it is that way! I guess we “just can’t get enough” of new things to mod and learn from!
I have 3 projects in mind to mod! One I guess its almost done, I just have to fit the pieces when they arrive; a second one will be mostly a LED and driver swap, and a TIR lens replacement; and the third one, somewhere in the middle, will imply a side switch construction to recycle a flashlight’s host! This one may become a bit tricky as I don’t know much about electronics and that stuff, but I’ll try it and maybe I can take it to the contest :+1:
@ Lightbringer
I guess you’re right! Besides the measures, that aspect is pretty important, the components used and what have they done to them.
That’s why I preferred to use things from Convoy and Kaidomain stores instead of buying a stock drop-in! And more than that, I think the “hands-on” approach to the builds are the most exciting things, once you get new skills. You get to know the materials and processes better!
After the first one (or two, in this case) I just want more. And even if I don’t exclude the idea of buying those pre-built ones, it won’t be as funny as these were
Only now, after seeing FmC link, I understood that the is the name of the member that promotes the contest :person_facepalming:
I’m so noob
I’ll be looking forward to see the news about the contest! Thanks again! :+1:
:laughing: :+1:
I saw 3 different kinds from FT, just slight variations of 1mm or less, so got 1 of each. So thinner/thicker stars, O-rings, etc., I’d probably be covered.
Most cases, though, I’m not pushing the critter very hard (colored LEDs, UV, etc.), so I leave the original crapflector in there.
Nice work! You certainly are hooked up modding!
I did some basic modding, not even your level, so keep up the goood work
Absolutely it does. It’s hindered by any washer/spacer/etc. that keeps the reflector from shorting out the wires to the LED (at the solder-bumps), but it makes some thermal contact and wicks away some heat quite nicely.
“Some” being the operative word. And every little bit helps. Kinda like DTP vs non-DTP…
Hi Yokiamy! Thanks for your words!
In my view this was a bit basic too, comparing to what other people do here! But I guess this is a beginning and now I want more
Practice makes perfect and I guess the more we do, the more we want to do, the more we do better
@ Ollie and Lightbringer
On the Brennenstuhl I started to use the aluminum reflector I bought, instead of the original plastic reflector! I put some insulation tape to avoid the short circuit (I don’t have kapton tape as CRX suggested)!
The first thing I noted was that there is more heat on the front of the flashlight. The beam pattern is a bit different, but the temperature is certainly higher. I just don’t know if it creates or draws heat from the plate and LED! So far, it is working
The Ante, although using the aluminum reflector, it barely makes contact with the plate, so there’s no short circuit possibility and few heat transfer, I guess!
Good job with your first mods MascartumB! I like how your dad to helped you out. I have found that even though thermal compound can get quite messy, it cleans up very well with isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs. Thanks for taking the time to post your experience.
Thanks for your words and tips NeutralFan!!
Yeah, I needed my dad’s help as he has the tools and mostly the expertise on using them, and so I invited him to participate in the process!
Hum, I have to search for that “isopropyl alcohol”! Never heard of it :person_facepalming:
But…one (or 2) question(s): does the excessive thermal paste interfere on the connections or the light functionality, or does it endanger the wiring? Or is it more a matter of looking?
I’m sorry but I really don’t know, and as the light has been working fine, I also don’t know if it will provoke any “dangerous” situation for the plate or the LED.
Thanks again :+1:
I don’t think you should have an issue with the thermal compound causing electrical shorts, if that’s what you are asking. As long as it’s mostly behind the LED and not on the driver, you should be fine. It also depends on the compound you used, some are conductive and others are not.
Yup, that would be my major concern!
There’s a part of the thermal paste close and on the solder and the plate
The paste specs says “thermally conductive compounds are grease-like silicone materials, heavily filled with heat conductive metal oxides. This combination promotes high thermal conductivity, low bleed and high-temperature stability”.
Maybe I got the wrong compound too, besides the mess I did
To clean it perfectly I would have to unsolder the plate and take it out. The pill is very tall, so the wires are almost all stretched, there’s no space to lift up the plate and clean it below and on its sides…
To be safe, I would clean-up the compound around exposed wires and LED contact points. Since the compound says it has metal oxides, I would be concerned of possible current between the wires and the pill. But that’s just my opinion and perhaps others will say that it shouldn’t be an issue.
I hope you’re not a painter :laughing:
It’s not too bad, cottonbuds could clean it up a bit, taking care not to slip and get it on the emitter. Get some artic silver5 when you can, much better stuff.
Did you press the MCPCB down, I usually press it down with long nose pliars while twisting back n forth just a bit to seat it down, again taking care with the emitter and not guillotine the wires.
Eheh, no sir, I’m not a painter
Thank you both! I guess I’ll try to clean that then! Although this was an “experience” I rather not to go through some risks, namely damaging the light’s components!
Yeah, having some conductive properties it’s better not to risk…
I had some struggle soldering this one (due to the shape of the pill) and I guess I did the process in the wrong way.
I soldered before applying the paste. So after that it was a bit difficult to seat it down, even pushing the plate against the pill!
Next time I’ll do better :+1:
And I’ll get the arctic silver5! I searched a bit and I think I got a store nearby that sells it I guess I’m discovering a new world of stores
I have some more things (drivers, leds, lights) arriving, so I’ll try a new approach with those! Trying not to be so messy is my new goal