C3 SS driver burned out, modding suggestions?

Put a 14500 in my C3 SS today, turned it on and got a flash and then no more.

I guess it is now modding fodder. Give me some suggestion as to what would be some beginning mods for me to try that would work on a C3SS. I'll try them the next time I have access to a soldering iron, or is there a module that will just screw right in to a C3 SS?

I have an Aurora SH-035 which is just like the C3. It uses a 17mm driver which is rare for AA lights, but perfect for modding since a lot of 17mm drivers are available.

Can anyone suggest a good, cheap driver for the C3 SS? Preferably one with pre-soldered wires sinceI wil be new at this. Also, I know that heat may be an issue, but should I try an R5 upgrade as well? Will an XP-G R5 work with the stock reflector or not? Since I would have to resolder the wires to the star with the new driver anyway, it wouldn't be hard just to remove the old star and put in an XP-G star would it?

I need some tutorials.

If you want li-ion only try the universally good AK-47.

For driver I'd go with this: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-133/3-dsh-Mode-Regulated-Circuit-Board/Detail

or this one if you still want the option of using AA cells: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-252/**NEW**--3-dsh-Mode-Regulated/Detail

For emitter go with an R4 or R5. Not sure the emitter diameter but it's eith 14mm or 16mm. If it takes a 17mm driver then I'm sure it'll take a 16mm star.

Neutral R4 16mm: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-24/**NEW**-Cree-XP-dsh-G-R4/Detail

Cool R5 14mm: http://www.shiningbeam.com/servlet/the-23/cree-R5/Detail

Getting all of this from ShiningBeam will get you exactly what you ordered at a good price and with the fastest delivery. You could always just get another C3 for about the same price but it wouldn't be as nice and it wouldn't be "yours". :)

Good luck!

I don't know much but the non-stainless c3 that I have went south and the driver in it is way smaller than the 17mm ones that are so common. Take it apart and measure the size of the driver that you need. If you find one that fits let me know because I think this is the issue here.

Agreed. My suggestions were based on Brted’s observation that it should be 17mm. My experience with AA sized lights is that they use 15mm drivers. The 14mm R5 is still a good suggestion for emitter. Decent 15mm drivers are a harder animal to find.

15mm Single mode: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/2-7v-6v-3w-cree-circuit-board-for-flashlights-15mm-2-7mm-25518

Unscrew the pill out of the C3 and measure the diameter of the board in there. Because it has an oversized head, it could be 17mm, but maybe not. I think Shininbeam's drivers have leads soldered in place already, but you will have to do soldering no matter what. An emitter swap is easier than a driver swap, but then you need some thermal adhesive. If you're removing the old driver, it might be easier to go ahead and unsolder the leads where they connect to the LED first. Then you can remove the driver (the amount of slack in those leads inside the pill isn't known and when you pry off the driver board from the pill, sometimes you end up ripping the leads out anyway).

Most of the 17mm drivers won't work with a single AA battery because they don't boost voltage.

This driver says it is 15mm, not 17mm. Is that correct?

Correct. Now that I think about it that is the driver I installed in my Sipik SK68 to make a multi-mode instead of single. A great driver, easy to install with the leads pre soldered. Grab that and the 14mm R5 and in a week you will have your C3 running like a champ.

And measure the existing driver before ordering just to be sure. Also, I am sure your emitter is fine so if you're really strapped for cash you can replace just the driver but since your in there anyway...

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Agreed. My suggestions were based on Brted’s observation that it should be 17mm. My experience with AA sized lights is that they use 15mm drivers. The 14mm R5 is still a good suggestion for emitter. Decent 15mm drivers are a harder animal to find.

15mm Single mode: http://www.dealextreme.com/p/2-7v-6v-3w-cree-circuit-board-for-flashlights-15mm-2-7mm-25518

[/quote]

I just used this driver to replace a fried driver in a Sipik SK58 - you're right, they are hard to find. This one is good, I now have a 14500 Sk58 that's much much brighter than the original (it was very disappointing initially).

[/quote]
Correct. Now that I think about it that is the driver I installed in my Sipik SK68 to make a multi-mode instead of single. A great driver, easy to install with the leads pre soldered. Grab that and the 14mm R5 and in a week you will have your C3 running like a champ.

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Do you find that the 1amp on high rating is pretty accurate or does it drive higher or lower than that?

I never measured it but Manafont's drivers are rated very accurately from what I hear and I saw an improvement when I changed the driver. With an R5 attached to it I'd guess it will pull even more. Even at 1000mA an R5 should put out 350+ lumen.

Was yours the 98mm version or the 93mm version? I'm wondering if I should run 14500 battery in the C3 SS I got today from DX. It is the 98mm version with an XR-E in it.

Mine was the 93mm version from Lightake.

Seems that DX version works with both 14500 and AA. Other seller have a different version (often 93 mm) that can use only AA. It's not the first fried driver...