Here is how to mod the ThruNite TN-31 flashlight...

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
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This is how to beef up the battery carrier

1 Remove the 3 screws on each side of the battery carrier, put screws in bag, remove the 2 aluminum plates, notice how the black plastic center post isolator go, then remove and store in the plastic bag.

2 Use Flitz polish to polish the aluminum plates to a mirror shine

3 Use alcohol then de oxit then progold on each of the gold contacts where the screws go in.

4 Loosen the center positive contact, it is a screw you just use pliers to twist it open, Polish with 2500 sandpaper then clean with alcohol, then deoxit then progold. pay attention to cleaning and progolding the underside of the screw where it contacts the PCB

5 Use a hot iron and soldering to beef up the contact between all the springs and the PCB base.

6 Put progold in all the screw holes before reinstalling the center screw

7 Firmly tighten the center screw using pliers on both sides of the battery carrier, careful not to strip them.

8 Clean the underside of the polished aluminum plates where they contact the PCB then use alcohol, then deoxit, then progold.

9 Make sure all the gold contacts in the Battery Carrier where they contact the aluminum plates are clean and progolded

10 Re install the black plastic positive contact isolators then the plates and tighten the 3 screws on each side firmly, careful not to strip them.

You are done with the battery carrier!

This is how to beef up the switch PCB plate

To access the contact PCB plate you will need to boil it inside a ziplock bag in hot water and use strap wrenches to open it.

1 Remove the PCB switch assembly.

2 Clean all the gunk from the tread using alcohol and Q-Tips, pay special attention to the shinny shoulder at the end of the treads

3 Polish the shoulder using Flitz to a mirror shine, then use alcohol, then deoxit then progold

4 Clean both sides of the PCB with alcohol to remove the gunk and grease from factory

4 Beef up the 2 spring contact with the PCB using a hot iron and solder.

5 Beef up as needed the contacts between the switch and the PCB, and the electrical connections of the switch

6 Clean with alcohol, then deoxit then progold the gold ring around the PCB and all parts that have electrical contact.

7 Re install the switch PCB and lube the Tailcap O-ring, tighten the tailcap

You are done!

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Wow, why would they leave kapton tape in there? Foolishness!
Nice step- by-step description. I’m looking forward to hearing your impressions on the light post-mod. Maybe beamshot or two for good measure? 8)

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Alex - this is a sick mod! Since this is designed for throw pretty much, would be great to measure it. If you don't have a light meter, bunch of BLF'ers in Tx that do. Q's:

- What is Flitz? Probably been mentioned, but not familiar with it or where to get it

- you dremel'ed out the PCB dielectric layer, but not clear what you did with the hole? Maybe I'm confused...

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Yea it was kind of dumb to leave a plastic tape between the copper and the heatsink, it is much better now

I do not have a light meter and most of my lights are not stock I will post a comparison beamshot against a 35W HID I think the modded TN-31 can hold its own against that monster.

I did not drill a hole with the dremel, I just scraped the dielectric layer off until I got to the copper

This is flitz

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Pictures against the 35W HID on the right

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Very good step by step instructions. I think that anybody who feels confident enough to fellow your procedure will and up with a awesome light. These TN31’s can be really beastly when modded. Heck, they are very impressive bone stock.

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This is very concerning… I have tried to get some clarification from David at Thrunite but it’s like trying to get blood out of a stone.

I’m worried about using my TN31 now !, especially on longer runs.

Thanks for the info Alex

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I'm suspecting they want electrical isolation, which is what you lose when you have a direct copper thermal path, like in a SinkPAD. Interesting, I've asked this before about the SinkPAD's but guess no one seems to know. Original MCPCB's has the substrate layers to electrical isolate the middle pad of the LED, but with a SinkPAD type of MCPCB, you lose that isolation.

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as I’m sure you realize, the middle pad is neutral, and doesn’t need electrical isolation…

so that use of tape is really strange

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Then why the substrate layers in standard stars? Thought it was mentioned they were there to electrically isolate the middle pad for the battery negative running through the body. Maybe something left over from older design LED's?

Update: this CREE App Note explains the issues: CREE - XLamp_PCB_Thermal.pdf. They say:

"The pad is electrically isolated from the anode and cathode of the LED and can be soldered or attached directly to grounded elements on the board or heat sink system."

Not sure though if the housing could be considered grounded.

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but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s simply cheaper to produce MCPCBs with a dielectric layer under the thermal pad than without. I imagine that in common designs, the dielectric that isolates positive and negative traces is the same as that which ends up beneath the thermal pad. Thus, eliminating/removing the dielectric in the thermal path would necessitate an extra step. Just a guess, and I could very well be wrong.

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Slim - could very well be, but makes you wonder why ThruNite engineers designed it with that kapton tape there... Electrical isolation is the typical use of it, but maybe they were just playing it safe and being overly cautious, thinking it wouldn't impact the heat transfer much. You would think they would do thermal testing, but who knows what really goes on in the design/prototype phases with these manufacturers.

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I finally got the info from David at Thrunite. He tells me that there shouldn’t have been Kapton tape on the back of the sinkpad.

He says that it should be directly coupled with thermal glue.

Kinda weird though, where did the tape come from then ? unless the sinkpads come with a Kapton tape backing and they didn’t remove it this time.

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Ok, I was offbase here... Wow, this sounds like a ThruFire brand . Maybe this is some of the quality problems people have been experiencing with ThruNites lately.

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What I suspect is that it was some sort of surface protection for the copper PCB and it was supposed to be peeled off prior to instalation, it is like the very thin kind of tape the factory puts on the back of new watches and the user has to peel it off before use.

When I first removed the led PCB the copper back looked the same color as the copper wire used in transformers, that is what gave it away, then when cleaning it to remove the white thermal grease, it started to peel off.

I was able to source an extra stock TN-31 copper PCB from another member who moded his light, when it arrives will check the back for the presence of the tape and post pics if its there.

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That’s my guess too :stuck_out_tongue:

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My TN31’s MCPCB did not have tape under it when I modded mine. Just thermal paste.

I tend to agree with AlexGT’s observation about what it is and I’m putting it down to poor QC on Thrunite’s part.

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I’m glad I haven’t bought one yet - I’d have to pull it apart just to check lol

too much of a Laser + spill for me anyway, so if I did it would be to mod it anyway…

which is feasible with these great instructions :slight_smile:

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wow thanks for the how-to! just wondering which SMD resistor that one is. unfortunately i don’t have a pic of the tn31 so i just stole turbobb’s k40 pic, i hope he doesn’t mind. is this the one? i hope tn31 has a similar pcb

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Yes that's them.