Haikelite HK90 tear down

Thank goodness they added a big hole in the driver to make it easier to remove than a Sofirn SP36...

Goin back in time, drilling a hole in the stock driver is what we used to do, but fortunately Haikelite laid it out so there's no components on each side of the hole, so no damage using a pry tool.

Something like this could work out well, replacing the stock screw:

The screw is a direct connection between the copper plug and the reflector, and swapping from steel to copper should help. I'm not sure of the screw size, only guessing here, plus it's rather pricey.

Where do you get copper hex bolts? Parkrose Hardware?

Pic above has a link to an eBay listing.

Min qty here is 25K (ouch!): https://www.zenithind.com/copper-machine-screws-1730607.html

But at least someone makes them

I didn’t think of discount prices, so that makes it more reasonable. The emitters are all well and good, but the overall quality just seems lacking.

As for the copper block, that’s fine in modded lights - I’ve done similar things in the past before I had a lathe, but in a machined light, I just don’t get it…

Maybe I’m just being too picky. It does look decent for some modding.

I wish more people would do teardowns, but of course they risk causing damage.

The copper machine screw could be soldered/brazed to the copper heat block.

Holy smokes $15 for 2 bolts. I guess better than buying 25,000 at once.

I want to compare lumen and throw specs with the X65. Could this humble light possibly be a X65 killer? I also want to see for myself how the HK90 beam profile and beam performance compares with the X65. I just increased my odds of living to see the day when that can actually happen. Not by any expensive high-tech, recent advanced medical intervention, but by a much less costly means: I simply ordered another HK90. One of them should come in before the other one, later or sooner, I think, while there is still time.

Thanks for your graphic display of its guts.

Easily beats the X65 according to what I measured, in a smaller package. The X65 holds 8 18650's though, and should hold high output/high throw longer. I dunno if the published specs on the X65 is correct: 12,000 lumens, 423 kcd. The HK90 is 15K-16K lumens, up to 18K, and throw is over 700 kcd.

If the X65 has 5 XHP35 HI's, then max lumens is more like 10,000, not 12,000. I see maukka measured it at 10.5, but before his full calibration setup. But he also measured throw at 587 kcd, so well over the rating.

I've just been researching the FET's - they are Infineon, slightly older generation it appears, ~2012 or so. They have a max amp rating of 100 which is good, but still think the SIRA20DP is superior with lower resistance and quicker in other notable specs. The parallel FET's is questionable whether there's an advantage. I thought TA tried it out and either made no difference or made it worse... I should ask him.

Still trying to figure how to mod it before re-assembly.

Note: More updates and pics added to the OP

Maybe this would work out, little cheaper, maybe the 15 mm will work or cut down the 20 mm, probably easier to work with that head (link in the pic)

"Easily beats the X65 according to what I measured, in a smaller package." This is very exciting news. I am a huge fan of the X65, and I have been waiting four years for its successor. Thank you for your teardown, and for your observations!

Oh no, not at all. When I said housing, I was thinking the wall of the housing because your picture clearly shown that it was screwed under the shelf.

Ahh, ok. I added couple of pics showing where the copper plug sits in, and posted measurements of the shelf and copper plug - think this will help.

Started on modding, might take me a while. Here's a closer look at the tracing on the MCPCB. Not sure if you can make them out in the first pic, so I traced them in the 2nd pic. Seems weird to have those loops, but I suppose the traces are wide enough not to lose much:

I replaced the 1K at R8 with a 500 ohm resistor to make the button LED's brighter. Swapped out the Infineons with a single known good SIRA20DP:

In inspecting the clearance for 18 AWG wires, noticed the cutouts in the reflector for the solder joints fell short slightly. Just did hand filing to sand off the sharp corners, as the corners were just too close to the large 18 AWG wire solder pads:

Not shown, but I sanded down the backside of the MCPCB. There was slight burr edges around the center hole and outer edges. From flat surface sanding, notice the MCPCB was not flat, bumped up in the center. I used this Snap-On 1/4" pin punch shown below, giving it a couple taps to flatten it out, worked great, I've used it before on MCPCB's, also works great to flatten out 0.1 mm copper sheet metal used for hand made tracing:

I did end up ordering the copper M5 x 15 mm screws linked in post #25. They will take a while to get here, but one can be easily swapped in later.

eBay link in pic:

To be continued...

TomE, what do you think about the idea of cutting a disc/ washer out of a layer(s) of Al or Cu foil/sheet the same thickness as the led centering rings, and putting that between the mcpcb and the reflector? Maybe a little kapton over the + trace for extra caution.

Possible. The copper screw will help somewhat, dunno how much really though. I got a set of copper washers - I should take some measurements. Also got 0.1 mm copper foil/sheet material.

Yea, might use the kapton tape while I got it all open. The idea of blowing $135 in LED's by one little mistake is scary - I'm take'n chances with this one.

Looking at it, if the washer is wide, it would overlap the traces, and they are raised. Probably want to avoid the traces.

Maybe some CPU thermal silicone sheets then? Better conductivity than air by a few magnitudes…

Looks like I can trim down a copper washer I have using a rotary tool and sanding - I'll take pics. Looks like it may be worth while - thanks!

I'll check clearances - don't want it to lose compression on the centering pieces - might effect focus and throw. Using light amt of thermal grease should do the trick, plus flat sanding the washer because it's not finely machined.

Yes. I would sand it until it’s the same thickness as the centering gaskets.

It’s really unfortunate they routed the traces that way. No reason for it.

Mod continued

Prep'ing Surfaces

Started at 400 GRIT, notice the machining marks are totally gone now:

The 600, 1000, and 2500 GRIT:

Same done with the copper plug cutout:

copper washer, as JaredM suggested. Overlaps the traces, slightly thicker than the centering pieces:

Original washer thickness:

After flat surface sanding, 230 GRIT, then finer to finish:

It's clearing one trace now, thinking of leaving it overlap the other since the overlap is too big:

Preping the 18 AWG replacement wires, slightly longer than stock wires:

Sanded to 2500 GRIT as well, burrs are all gone, flattened and level:

Mirror finish on the plug from 2500 GRIT, though not all the machining marks are gone, still probably over 95% flat:

Would love to see what numbers you are getting after the mod.