there's also V54 (Wayne): P60 thread. Those are some of the brightest. But runtime will decline with higher current, so choose what's important for your use... super bright ↔︎ long runtimes. Or maybe a happy medium
I usually make my own now. Mountain Electronics can provide most of the components for DIY. around $12.
re. LED: what I prefer now is either a de-domed XM-L or domed XP-G2 at ~3 amps. Both of these provide descent throw, which is what I like.
It's not efficient to use Alkaline cells for over a 1 amp application... they don't perform well in high amperage requirements. Best to use something like Energizer ultimate lithium or Nice cells when at higher amperage. But the light takes (3) AA's in series and my drop-in was ~1.7A, so no issues running Alkaline.
I like single mode because it's just simpler when using it diving. Other people may prefer multiple modes - that would require twisting the light on-off-on to cycle through modes.
re. heat... dive lights have an advantage over land based lights because we take them underwater. As long as there is a descent heatsink from the drop-in to the light head then the colder water can conduct heat away and reduce LED Tj (temperature junction) keeping the emitter nice and bright.
Water removes heat generated from the flashlight quicker than air. How many times better does water conduct heat away than air? ~20 times? And water being more dense can absorb more heat. Water is approx. 770 times more dense than air.
How much space between the p60 and the head? Depending on whether you use sheet copper or pipe coupling you can get from .5mm to 1mm thickness(1-2mm fill). I’d reccommend using slightly thicker than you need and gluing that into the head with AS epoxy and reaming it back out to press fit with a drill and W/D 220-600. Add AS compound if you want even better transfer.
How is the quality on the pill threads from RMM? I’ve had some from KD and DX that were very poorly mated.
This is the outer most o-ring. holds the glass in place.
I.D. (inner diameter) = 26.9mm (1.060'')
O.D. (outer diameter) = 32.72mm (1.288'')
width/thickness = 2.79mm (0.11'')
these are my measurements, so may not be exact, but it's close.
Usually I use the tin foil wrap method. To hold the wraps together I'll tape the P60 module with a small piece of CU tape. Then the P60 can go back in.
I think I like some method like this better than using Arctic Silver compound or Fujik, because if the P60 dies it can be replaced rather quickly.
I find that this light in the unmodified version makes a good backup dive light as well.
It’s more like a light sabre but diving at night in limited visibility (local conditions here) the works well as a backup and for signaling. I use rechargeable batteries for my main dive light but for a backup I also prefer regular batteries since they last a long time and has a gradual discharge curve (I don’t check my backup batteries often and like to know they will work when needed).
I need a solution to fuse together the P60's negative outer spring to the aluminum piece on the other end. The people at JB weld say that regular JB weld is NOT conductive. I'm thinking of something like JB weld that I can smear on both ends and when I put it back together they will become permanently connected.
This is just to make the light that much more dependable. Any good ideas?
Hey gcbryan,
Reliability is a good thing. I did a little diving in Oregon... gives meaning to "braille dive".
If your light ever craps out what do you think about an XP-G2 drop-in replacement? Maybe 2.5-3.0 amps, maybe de-domed? that would be a Jedi sabre, you think?
I use a solid copper spacer in P60s instead of that awful spring. Gives better heat transfer and better ground connection and still allows easy disassembly, all at the same time.
Height of the spacer is cut to be just tall enough that when the light's screwed together, the spacer is clamped down tight before the head/bezel bottoms out against the body, so that max pressure is applied to the spacer. It's just copper pipe, slit lengthwise so it's a tight fit inside the ID of the head.
On your light with a much bigger ID in the head the spacer will never be able to be spread enough to contact the inside and still land on the bottom of the reflector. Skip the lengthwise slit and leave it round, maybe pinch the top edge inwards a bit so it's tight(-ish) on the OD of the pill instead.
Make as many spacers as needed to bridge the gap if it’s large, solder them together, then use Arctic Silver Thermal Adhesive to bond copper to aluminum with electrical conductivity.
If you could get the spring stuck onto the right hand piece then attach the pill, slide that through the head from the right, and thread the p60 reflector on from the left last.
Ok I like the Arctic Alumina Adhesive idea, which I can buy @ mtnelectronics. Or 18sixfifty's idea above... It's quick and may be a great solution. I'll have to try it. If it doesn't work as expected I'll have to look at the other ideas.
The negative spring reaches and touches the aluminum (AL) piece when you put it all back together. But if I made it permanently attached to the AL piece, then the light will be more reliable.
yeah I cheated and called all you Smart Tech. builders in here. thanks for all the responses.
go to bed already I even PM'ed Old-Lumens - I guess he's asleep.
this shows how the pieces go together
I even PM'ed Old-Lumens - I guess he's asleep.