Thank you for the great pictures and explanations. My level of understanding just took a notch up.
Iāve got other lights so using this above water is not an issue. Obviously I have some great cooling in NW water but I gather the path from the emitter to the sides isolates it so even though Iām cooling the body, the emitter may not be getting cooled properly. Hmm. That could fry it over time?
Is that unit simply pried apart? Canāt be a screw because of the wires.
Iām used to using PC thermal paste, but that wonāt hold things in place I would guess. For this mod do you get some kind of thermal glue?
In my Underwater Kinetics SL3 the emitter has a direct track to a sleeve the length of the light to help cool it. The whole exterior unit is plastic so that compromises the transfer a bit. The SL3 kind of my standard for this kind of light. The SL3 is a very good NW backup light or main tropical light. UK has excellent customer service. For diving good customer service is very nice indeed. Iāve been through 3 of them, none my fault, and theyāve replace them all. Iām sure that exchange is now negative $$ for them.
Note-sorry you lost part of the switch taking it apart to show me. Should I venture to do that Iāll keep it in a plastic bag. May I suggest getting some silicone grease from a scuba shop instead of Vaseline for assembly. I think Vaseline is petroleum based. Though this has silicone O-rings they are often neoprene (petroleum based) in dive gear > like dissolves like, so we avoid petroleum products. Regulators are breathing life support with lots of O-rings in them so we avoid petroleum for that reason too. You really donāt want to be inhaling that kind of stuff.
[quote=flydiver]
I've got other lights so using this above water is not an issue. Obviously I have some great cooling in NW water but I gather the path from the emitter to the sides isolates it so even though I'm cooling the body, the emitter may not be getting cooled properly. Hmm. That could fry it over time?
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Yes. That's exactly why hollow pills are evil, and why I'm planning to mod my light.
[quote=flydiver]
Is that unit simply pried apart? Can't be a screw because of the wires.
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It is a screw. Wires can be kept straight if you loosen the driver first (it is held by a retaining ring, see below)
[quote=flydiver]
I'm used to using PC thermal paste, but that won't hold things in place I would guess. For this mod do you get some kind of thermal glue?
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I thought of taking the driver off and simply soldering a chunk of metal to the pill (= lower section of the assembly)
[quote=flydiver]
Note-sorry you lost part of the switch taking it apart to show me.
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Not your fault. I did it before you even asked. :) Just a bad habit taking all my flashlights apart and taking photos. ;)
[quote=flydiver]
May I suggest getting some silicone grease from a scuba shop instead of Vaseline for assembly. I think Vaseline is petroleum based. Though this has silicone O-rings they are often neoprene (petroleum based) in dive gear > like dissolves like, so we avoid petroleum products. Regulators are breathing life support with lots of O-rings in them so we avoid petroleum for that reason too. You really don't want to be inhaling that kind of stuff.
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Good point. I actually use silicone grease for flashlight threads, but I thought that vaseline would better keep the rust away from the spring.
My preference would still be silicone, especially for O-ring, but I use it on threads too.
I use āgreaseā for bearings.
Canāt say I use Vaseline for anything. Probably got some way in the back of the medicine cabinet about 20 years old.
great job and shots
I ordered 1 too with the 5$ GC, the heat dissipation looks poor the 5 cent coin is copper only externally, inside as you can see sanding is steel, that will not help thermal dissipation right?
Ever wondered how is the thermal conductivity of the nordic gold, (10, 20, 50 cents) is 89% Al and 5% Copper 5%zn and 1% stain so in the paper should be good but how in fact mixing and shaking all? anyone know that?
I didn't know that 5 euro cent coins are not copper before sanding them, but decided to continue because steel is still 2000x better than air. ;) (and "only" 4x worse than aluminum / 7x worse than copper)
[quote=MixoMaxo]
Btw destroy the money is illegal XD
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Thank you very much for welcoming and your answer. This flashlight is cheaper than money - looks like the best deal in town. Will be acquiring it shortly along with a 26650 battery. Which one would you recommend? My usage pattern would be turning it on only on occasion underwater - looking into caves while spearfishing. 10 minutes a day at most. So one battery can last me for at least two weeks without a need of a charger.
Unprotected cells are usually better for diving (they don't shut down suddenly when running low on power, just dim slowly), but as you are just looking into caves, that shouldn't matter so much.. And protected ones are safer! You can't ruin the cell by overdischarge and protection helps in case of short circuit (or overcharge caused by faulty charger).
Those Trustfires can be bought also from DX (about $2 more expensive than FT, but if you want them to the same package..)
In that āTrustFireā link you gave me there are two options: red ones unprotected and black ones - protected. Red ones have three reviews, black ones - none. I did some search and some say that the red ones are protected, but it does not say it on the battery. On the black one it does. I assume you are using the red ones. Are you sure they are protected?
Thanks again, now I am all set! Already ordered the flashlight, battery and charger will follow. In two month will be going to do lots of spearfishing and will post the link of the flashlight operating under water - I have a mask-mounted HD Pro camera. Will try to take it to 25-30 meters since I can not freedive deeper.
I bought one of these and the lens was glass, ordered another and it was plastic both from the same seller.
Iāve since been refunded on it but would like to find a glass lens for it like the first one has.
offroadā¦ did you disassemble your light? Did you measure the diameter and thickness of the plastic lens? If so, would you please advise dimensions you got.
Did you measure the thickness of the glass lens that you received? Did you try to put the glass lens into the light that original came with a plastic lens?
Iām concerned that - even if we find a glass lens of sufficient thickness - these lights with plastic lenses may have been customized to take a thin plastic lens but not a thicker glass lens.
Iāll measure both and post the dimensions this evening if Iām not home too late.
Didnāt compare them side by side, but as I remember the plastic one was about as thick but the weight and feel gave away the fact its plastic not glass.
Headās and bodies seem the same to me so I doubt there has been any change on it.
The auction I purchased both on said the lens was glass and indeed the first one I received was.