CREE Q5 300LM LED 3 Mode Zoomable Headlight - Mod to XM-L2 NW Mule

Maybe. There is a little bit of a "step" in diameter from the middle of the zoom area down into the where the glass sits. If I remember correctly, the 22mm AR lens would fit in through the middle but not down into the lens area. BUT, then you have the the backside of the zoom part which fits inside that +/-22mm area so I guess that brings your diameter down to about 19mm??? As far as reflector depth that may fit, I'm guessing about 15mm from lens to the plastic retainer. There would be another 2 to 3mm depth from top of plastic retainer down to the emitter (bottom of dome).

I see now that my pictures do not clearly show the two parts to the zoom mechanism. Take a look at the pic showing the stock driver; that piece behind the driver is the "back" part of the zoom mechanism which threads inside the outer front part. The front part is shown well in the pic where I am showing the AR coated lens installed with the two o-rings (rear view).

Maybe that info helps? I could tear it down and get you more precise measurements, but that would be awhile. I have a pretty busy weekend ahead.

-Garry

Oh, I should also add that the headstrap on this light is MUCH more comfortable than any other Chinese headlamp! My other ones fit like they are intended for small children rather than adults (and I don't have a big head - my wife sometimes tells me I do, but that's another story :) ). Plenty of room for adjustment on this one and I do like the addition of the strap up over the top of your head as opposed to the ones without (like the Ultrafire UF-H3b headlamp strap).

-Garry

So, it’s not too heavy on the front?
I mean, compared to headlamps with battery pack on the back of your head, this could be a drawback.

Thanks Garry. Thanks for the offer, but no tear down needed. Knowing me, I'll probably buy one irregardless. I only have about 3 real headlamps (not counting el cheapo's) and they are very different from that one. That means I pretty much have to buy one, right?

I like it when mods go smoothly.

It's usually not the case for me.

Nice job, Gary!

I wouldn't say it's heavy. You definitely feel it's there, but it's not bad at all. I just put it on and shook my head up and down and it didn't bother me (nor did it give me a black eye) nor did it rotate in the holder - which by the way also works nicely. It's not extremely tight to rotate the light up or down but also not loose enough to allow the light to move up or down while being knocked around (within reason). One thing I don't like about my UF-H3b is that it is so darn tight in the strap and so darn difficult to rotate the light.

This light, with a battery installed, will also "tailstand" (won't without battery, but why would you care) on the end without the switch.

-Garry

(Glad nobody came around the corner of my cubicle at work seeing me "headbanging" with a headlamp on my head! That might have made for an interesting situation! :) )

Garrybunk wrote:

. . . I just put it on and shook my head up and down . . .

Video, or it didn't happen.

Nice mod GB. 94. Such along time ago.

Ordered…
Because, well, you know, I didn’t yet have a headlamp, at least not a decent one…
I’m so broke right now…
But I might pop in a Nichia, which I’ll order soon.
I will (hopefully) improve the optics, maybe even put in a diffuser.

Well last night I finished my last touches on this headlamp. I spread some JB Weld in the zoom area and clamped the light with the head zoomed all the way back. Now it's nice and solid. I bet I also widened the flood by a few more feet (guessing about 23' wide at 12' back now).

-Garry

I just noticed that this headlamp kind of looks like it's meant to be a clone of the Spark ST6:

There are some obvious differences, but even the headband looks identical!

-Garry

My recreation of the above shot of the Spark with my light (I told you I scuffed up the bezel):

-Garry

I’ve ordered one of these lights and plan to do Garrybunk’s mod on it. :slight_smile:

Been thinking of getting a headlight for awhile and the price is right on this one.

Currently, when I want extra light for close up work I use my Olight S10 in my mouth. A headlight would produce less drool. :wink:

I got this headlamp yesterday. My first headlamp and I wanted to try the mod in the original post! :slight_smile:

First thing I did was replace the driver with a spare 3-mode Nanjg 105c (no strobe modes) I had laying around. My goal was to make a light to use for modding and detailwork up close…. so I can stop using my Olight S10 in my mouth. Since this is meant for up close work, I didn’t need a high-powered light. I removed 4 of the 7135 chips so the final light is around 1.5 amps. I also didn’t bother with upgrading the wiring or springs, though I did use a direct copper star as I had plenty on hand. For the emitter I used an 80 CRI 4000K XML2.

I tried to get the lens out but it seems completely stuck. Pressing it out from the top got nowhere… that sucker aint moving at all! :Sp This leaves me with a few options:

1. Attempt to “press” the existing lens out with a chisel and hammer. Risky as doing so will destroy the lens… but still might not dislodge it.
2. Drill out the edge of the inside of the lens with a power drill making multiple holes along the edge until the hole thing falls out.
3. Leave the current lens as-is.
4. Keep the stock lens but saw off the back of the bezel that holds the lens. This will allow the lens to sit further back giving a wider flood. It will make spot mode less focused, but it wasn’t really focused to begin with after I did the emitter swap. And since this light is meant for up-close work, the focus feature isn’t needed anyways.

Hmm . . . you must have more glue on your lens (or is a tighter press fit), as mine came right out with just slight pressure. What about placing a cloth over the lens and giving it a tap with a hammer?

-Garry

Update: This is now one of my most used lights. I use it all the time, especially as it's now starting to get darker outside earlier. Great for up close hands free work! Everyone should have a floody neutral white headlamp.

-Garry

thanks for the update Garry.

I am still in the process of finding the ideal headlamp. For me it will be a single AA/14500 size one because I find 18650 headlamps just a bit too bulky. But I think a zoomie is what I want, and there are not many AA zoomies around.

Hi Garry.
(sorry for my english, I’m not native)
Do you think is possible to use a AMC7135*6 (NANGJ 105C) driver? What about temperature with your mod?
I want it to be use as headlight for bicycle.
Thanks

Hi Altex, welcome to BLF! I think the 105c should work, but you may have to mess with the center spring in the body where it will make contact with the 105c's center "+" contact (with 105c's spring removed).

Are you looking to use this as a helmet mounted light? This one is found on Ebay and might be a better option since it has a handlebar mount, but I don't know any details on it (i.e. heatsinking, driver size, etc. . .).

-Garry

Hi again Garry, thanks for the link and for the welcome. Yes, I want it to be used on helmet but that one from ebay I think is too heavy for that (it weights 280 gr without battery)