thanks for your thoughts
since I did not thin the mcpcb, the retaining ring does not seat flat, but afaict, you just got lucky, cause we are both resting the stock Tir on the mcpcb, around the 219b…
IF the problem is that my 219b sits too high into the xm-l2 Tir, then a plastic centering ring could be used to lift the Tir… I might test that if I open the light again… I agree the bezel ring would sit too high, again… but my first mystery to solve, is how you got a good beam, and I did not, (yet). And I think the height of the LED can definitely play a role…
That would be my first guess as well. When I swapped the LED in my Baton 1 to a 219 C I used one that I pulled from a Convoy T2. The new PCB was the same thickness as the stock.
In another mod I tried shaving down the base of the TIR to fix a height issue with bezel clearance. You might have some leeway to do this but it could make the focus worse. Considering you probably only have one stock TIR, maybe try to adjust your PCB thickness first. I’ve had luck sanding them down on a belt sander but it’s a pain and hard to keep flat.
thanks for your thoughts
Im not concerned with the gap at the bezel
and Im not understanding how thinning the mcpcb, would alter the height of the 219b LED in the Tir… since the bezel presses on the Tir, which presses on the mcpcb… The LED height in the Tir stays the same when thinning the mcpcb…
So I see no point in taking the light apart to change mcpcb thickness
maybe there are LED height factors, in relation to the Tir, that are altered by thinning the mcpcb, that Im not understanding?
Sorry, I didn’t explain that thought very well. The big variable you changed with respect to focusing the TIR was the LED (smaller die, different emitting properties, etc.). The only variable you can change now is the LED height in the TIR. It’s always trial and error for me. If you find you need the LED to sit lower then you’d need a shim to lift the TIR off the PCB and possibly the PCB itself to be thinner or the bezel may not go back on / gap may be too big.
Jon I’m pretty sure I didn’t keep the original spacer, I don’t remember because I did the mod 2 yrs ago. The S-mini originally would have had a XM-L 5050 opening whereas the Nichia 3535 would have been smaller requiring a different spacer. As you say I was probably just lucky that it worked out.
I think you might be replying to me but thinking of pc_light’s light. I have an old S1 Baton with a 219c and the beam isn’t perfect.
It seems all that’s left to try is adjusting the height of the TIR - up, down, I don’t know. If it so happens it needs to go up then you might run out of space with that thicker PCB. Focusing can drive a person crazy. The more I write here the more I think about the slightly brighter spot in my beam… Best of luck attempting to fix it or convincing yourself you don’t see it
I’ve successfully modded Olight S mini and S1 mini lights. They aren’t the easiest to mod!
The S mini is easier since it has the bezel with a lip that isn’t completely recessed. It can be removed with tapered blades as shown by moderator007.
I like shaved LH351d LEDs with beaded 17mm TIRs from Yajiamei Photoelectric co on Aliexpress. This makes a very nice, smooth beam.
I have a S1 mini with a 219b that has an uneven beam with the stock High CRI Olight TIR. A layer of DC Fix is needed to smooth that beam out. I don’t really want to open that one up again to use a different TIR. Opening the S1 mini is very difficult without destroying something.
To fix that uneven beam, DC Fix is the quick and easy fix. New optic from Yajiamei is the slower, but better option.
there was no spacer (centering ring) in my Ti SMini, between the Tir and the mcpcb.
I dont see a thing… LOL!
(when I dont look)
I have some beaded 17mm Yajimei, they fit with their holder, to center over the 219b, but the bezel wont go over the housing… (I could shave the housing in that area, but did not try.
I did try removing the housing… that does not work… the Tir falls out, through the bezel
I have some LH351d, both shaved and not shaved… but lack the courage to reopen the Ti SMini…
thanks for the DCFix suggestion… Im not a fan… plus it wont work on the stock Tir, which has a non flat face, with a bump in the middle…
thank you all for the comments and suggestios
Im still really enjoying the Ti SMini w sw30 and stock Tir, despite the artifact in the center of the beam, beyond 24” distance…
The beaded 17mm I have do not have holders and fit in the S mini perfect.
They are intended for XML size emitter but work fine with the smaller emitters, probably because of the beaded surface.
YJM-XML-Φ17mm-20°
There are various beam angles available.
The DCFix’d TIR I have is the high CRI TIR from a S1 mini. It has a slight recess and the DCFix followed it fine.
Another option is to “frost” the TIR surface. I’ve used a coarse polishing compound on a dremel buffing wheel to get a light frost.
You can adjust how much frost by how coarse the polish is and how much you buff. Various sand papers also work if you had a flat surface to work with.
I purchased some 17mm tir’s from ali a year ago or so just for this purpose but never have got around to trying them out.
Maye this will inspire me to disaasemble and try them out.
My guess is the 17mm pebbled Tir for XM LEDs, which are just the lens, no holder, should work well.
I did a test with Scotch Tape over the stock lens, and the dark shadow in the middle of the beam is completely gone: (both beams are w the sw30 and stock Tir)
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the tape is bridging the concave lens, that has a dimple in the middle. So I dont expect the tape to last… but its a proof of concept that diffusion will hide the shadow. I can live with the tape, until my pebble Tir for XM LEDs arrive next year…
I tried the 17mm Tir for XP LEDs but they come in a holder that does not have the lip for the bezel…
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removing the holder does not work because the Tir lens for XP LEDs is only 15mm by itself
Evidently the optics I bought a year ago are the same as the one you have in the pic above. The height I can make work but the housing is what measures the needed 17mm. I shaved the top lip of the housing about 2mm and got the right height but the optic would just fall right out. It could be glued in with uv optic glue I guess. I tried to find something on Ali that might work but all the 17mm’s include the housing for the dimension. A 20mm might have to be filed or turned down to make it work but the 20mm’s I found have a few mm more in height. I also found 21mm’s with the housing which should mean the actual optic to be around the 19mm range. By the way, my olight is a S1R 2 baton but appears to have the same setup in the head.
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I’m rethinking this setup to maybe go with a XHP50.2 3v just for the pocket rocket wow factor, just to see what it will do. It should be good since the driver pushes the XM-L2 to 1000 lumens.
I ordered some. Since the artifact Im getting with the stock XM Tir, is eliminated with Scotch Tape diffusion, Im hopeful the Pebbled 17mm XM Tir will diffuse the artifact with 219b…
Those are the exact TIRs I’ve used in the S mini lights. I’ve used the 20 and 30 degree versions and both work well with a shaved LH351D. Nice and smooth.
Since the TIRs are cheap and the shipping is not free, you might as well try some other TIRs.
- Frosted and beaded Yajiamei TIRs in 20mm diameter work great in the BLF A6 to clean up those XPL rainbows.
- Same diameter works in the SC31 pro, but I prefer a slight frost (sanded clear) for more throw. Lots of options to pick from.
- 22mm diameters works great in LED converted minimags.
Smaller diameters work in several AA and AAA lights.
The holders seem to add 2-3 mm, so the 17mm in a holder becomes ~15mm once removed.
Measure the reflectors of any light you want to convert and buy a couple TIRs to try. It is just another mix-n-match option to improve a light!
I have a pair of SWM V11r lights with shaved LH351D LEDs.
One in 4000k and one in 5000k. I prefer shaved domes for the duv reduction, but they did have some rings.
I didn’t like rings so now they have some DC fix to smooth out the beam.
The V11r has a relatively deep 18mm wide reflector. This makes it more difficult to find a TIR replacement.
A modified 20mm TIR with a thicker o-ring might work? Something to try.
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