We know lower Vf (or higher voltage) will increase the current draw. My thinking is that since multiples in parallel draw a higher current from the same source in DD as compared to a single in DD, that if you regulate the current down, that should extend the runtime before the cell voltage vs. Vf starts to reduce the current.
For instance checking with a really low voltage, a single CR123, the 3XP draws 540mA. A single XML2 light with an identical driver only draws 420mA from the same CR123.
Convoy S2 is cheaper than the X-Power, and the pattern of knurling & grooves on the head would make it easier to hide the cut line when the head's shortened to fit the 3XP. And the TR-801 has a really slick pill design, I think it's better from a heat standpoint than any of the other little tube lights. TR-801 has about an extra 1/4" or more in the head/bezel that can be cut off when converting to the 3XP and ditching the glass lens (and cutting off the ridiculous 'strike bezel' BS on the front).
XR-E by default, driver unknown, sure as host why not.
Although the MCPCB seems to be hiding inside a lot, so putting in a 20mm board 3XP board, maybe a no go.
The stock XR-E reflector is most likely useless.
So much work to make it work.
If it tailstands, but that’s something to always check or get lower boots.
S2 doesn’t seem to have the thread inside a lot, so you may not be able to cut it as much.
At least it may be useful to others I hope, what host they can pick and the pros cons.
What could I use to remove the inner thread? Aluminum/dural head it is. Dremel, drill I have, can get, drill bits but not those you have to eat from side and some grinding ceramic bits for dremel. Need 5mm removed.
It's not necessary to shorten the head, you can always use a round plug on top of/inside the original pill as a spacer so the pill/driver sits in more or less the original location. The spacer required for a TR-801 would of course be much shorter than that for the S2, since the 801 starts out with such a short reflector, much like the S3. Using a spacer in the S2 would mean you're carrying around a much longer flashlight than what's needed to make the insides work, so shortening the head can be thought of as just an optimization, not a requirement.
If you're looking for a light that can be converted with only pliers and a screwdriver I'm afraid you'll end up disappointed. This is not a p60 dropin.
I have the Xiaozhi/D4/X-Power, that’s where it’s going, I’m just thinking of using only 6mm of copper spacer instead of my 11.5mm. Sure I can change the driver spring if necessary and it will work fine but why if I can cut it shorter by 9mm.
I could put there even bigger spacer of 15mm but it gets heavy, I mean really front heavy due to the chunk of copper in there. 6-9mm of copper spacer is ok, that’s fine, 12mm gets heavy, 15mm even more.
I can cut it and file it flat, just dunno if any of the drill/dremel bits will be able to eat aluminum to remove the inner thread to make it flat for double o-rings.
Man thats some awesome work comfychair. You make it look so easy. I don’t have the proper tools to make those cuts and keep everything clean. Otherwise I would tackle this build and make a shorty triple like you mentioned. Looks like a very nice EDC light.
Have you considered cutting and threading for 18350 use? Maybe then cut a second body to use as an extension like an l2m. 18350 for super compact triple or 18650 when needed.
It's just a cheap import drill press ($129-139 at Lowes/HD, maybe even Walmart), a vise, and leftover hardware parts to make some fixturing so I can make more or less concentric cuts with small Dremel end mills. There's all kinds of slack in the spindle, I just have to make some approximations and try to compensate for it. Make small cuts and stop a lot to take measurements. Most of it is done by eye. For instance o-rings can be squashed a lot or a little and still seal, so the ID of the bore in the head isn't super-critical. It just has to work.
Other than the drill press, it's just basic stuff like an old Dremel (with a broken switch) and cordless drill, sandpaper, and hand files (diamond files are amazing, get some). The diamond cutoff wheels are a 10-pack from Fasttech, I think only .025" thick, make awesome cuts on AL and brass/copper. Trying to make these cuts by hand wouldn't be possible, it's the drill press and a solid surface to move the parts around that makes me look good.
I've had the idea of a cut-down 18350 version for a while but I can't do any rethreading, so it would have to be sectioned and then machined for a press fit back together, and that only works with just the right body design where both the join can be hidden AND there's enough wall thickness to accept an inner step on one piece and outer step on the other. I'm still looking...
This is my second time attempting this, last time I had the ENTIRE POST done, hit preview, and it said I was not recognized and not allowed to make new posts, needed to log in first... crossed my fingers and clicked the 'back' button, but no, the whole thing was gone... well...
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AGAIN, the TR-801 pill...
Cut out the entire original shelf, took a little off the top to get a nice flat surface around the perimeter, then cut a counterbore for a new shelf to be pressed in:
HERE IS A CLOSE-UP OF HOW THE COUNTERBORE IS MADE (AGAIN!!!11):
.125" aluminum...
Will it post this time? Only one way to find out, right?
Noooo... if it gets hot, the tooling is worn out. Keeping things sharp plus only making really shallow cuts .003-.005 at a time is the only way to do this. Otherwise it's just incredibly frustrating (and lots of parts get ruined). Yes it takes forever making such small cuts but it's a lot cheaper than a lathe.
It could be even shorter if I could ditch the glass lens but I cut the opening too big back when I first built it, trying to fit the deepest possible reflector (one of these, cut down). There's no o-ring, lens is glued in with clear RTV. So the next version will be ~1.5mm shorter.
Also, it's got one of those giant forward switches in it and the button is shimmed enough to tailstand. And it's still around 1/4" shorter than the S3, an already compact light.
The threads are two different sizes in the tail, or I would. The rear section where the switch retainer screws in is smaller than the tube threads, and I don't have the stuff here to cut new threads. :(
I was told by an expert machinist that a tap and die set is cheap. We used to have a big set around here, but it’s AWOL. Might be worth a shot?
Rufusbduck cut the threads off the tail piece of a AAA MiniMag, rebuilt the tail end with nothing more than a thin copper disc showing on my BBC 261L. He has the original rubber gasket, a nice spring and the original threads, with that copper all that is showing on the outside. Slimmed it down considerably, did it with no more tools than you have.
