Eagletac D25C Ti Pocket Rocket Build, XP-L HI + FET+1

When I first saw the D25C Ti it looked just like nice compact clicky but didn’t realize the huge modding potential of this little light until I had it in my hands. Being the older 2014 model I got the XP-G version for $40 which is a steal for a titanium light (2015 model is $70).

(This is the first impressions I posted in the other thread I’ll just copy it here again)

Stock as is, it throws better than anything in this size and the construction is among the best I’ve seen. Threads are really smooth and the clip sits firmly in place. I expected it to be dim but little light is bright, even with a CR123! It also comes with AR lens and GITD switch boot.

And the best part? The bezel can be easily unscrewed to access the 17.75mm reflector and LED which is mounted on a 14mm standard aluminium mcpcb with a very nice XP centering ring. Pill is made from brass and it is press fit. Driver diameter room measures 17.3mm so it’s perfect to fit a FET+1 in there. But wait, there’s more: tailcap unscrews even without having to remove the pocket clip, it has a (possibly) silver coated spring and a small switch the size of an Omtem, easy replacement there.

Today all the parts arrived and the build is done:

-Trimmed 16mm noctigon into 14mm to fit in brass pill (press fit to head)
-FET+1 with 6-mode FW,
-Spring bypass
-XP-L HI V2 1A, I just love that pure cool white tint.


Stock mcpcb


Stock driver


Stock driver uses a 17mm contact board, soldered to a retaining ring and the driver itself is 16mm with a potentiometer on it. I wonder what’s that for. Noctigon has been trimmed 16->14mm with a dremel.


Everything put together and the front looks nice and clean.


Copper braid spring bypass


Not as clean as I’d like because the solder overflown a bit when attaching the brass contact.


A ceiling-shot

The result is an insanely bright compact pocket rocket that throws almost like my Convoy M2, the 18mm reflector in this light works wonderfully with the XP-L HI and the beam is nice with no artifacts. With an Efest 16340 V2 it draws 4.3A and gets hot in less than 10 seconds in turbo. UI has been infinitely improved with the removal of strobe and a much lower moonlight mode, and well spaced mid and high with the FET+1 from MTN. Next step will be heat treating, but I’m afraid to ruin the beautiful shiny finish of the polished titanium.

I could say this mod is partly inspired by Vihn but being a BLF’er one has to follow the DIY spirit, making it bright without breaking the budget! Will try to bring you some beamshots, I’m having a short trip in the following days!

Some numbers with my cheap meter:
-Sinner Ti, 3A Qlite + Triple XP-G2 S4 2B, Efest 18350: 7,200cd 3.0A
-Zebralight SC52, Windyfire 14500: 5,400cd 1.85A
–47 Quark Ti AA, 3A Qlite + XP-L V3 2B, Windyfire 14500: 19,000cd 3.02A
-Eagletac D25C Ti, FET+1 + XP-L HI V2 1A, Efest 16340: 25,700cd 4.3A

Interestingly, current draw with the much cheaper 14500 windyfire is 4.8A vs efest 16340 V2 4.3A.

How long can you run it on high before it gets too hot?

Do you have it set for auto step-down?

Sadly this driver was meant for another light so it has no stepdown, and it gets too hot to touch in about 20 seconds!

But I think for this 16340 there is no need, after 10 seconds the battery is already run down to ~3.9V and it only draws 3A. If it ever gets burnt I already have some FET+1 A6 FW waiting to be used :bigsmile: One thing I know for sure it will not be the LED that dies first.

Nice little hot rod mod.

Nice build!! The interior looks quite spacious, could be a good potential to put in a full sized triple osram/xpl or a super mini thrower with a dedomed XPE2

Gotta get one of these hosts…

Great mod! I have one of these D25C Ti 2014 lights and modded it with a 3700K 80CRI XM-L2, it is my second-nicest EDC. But even though the UI has a great high and great low low, the mode-group changing by unscrewing the head never grew on me, so I may do a similar mod that you did here :-)

Hello

Any chance you could explain how I take the lens off my d25 c ti? Does the piece with the brass screwthreads unscrew from the titanium and allow access? Any help appreciated. Thanks.

The brass pill is press fit into the head and can’t be removed, you take off the lens and reflector by unscrewing the bezel, its not glued but requires some force.

Oh what fun! I’m going to have to look through my Eagletacs. I know I swapped a Nichia into one of them when I I was just learning to mod, but I can do even better now.

Thanks. All new to me. I figured out how to get into the head. Is the lens press fit? And does the cone thingie underneath hold it in place? So tap gently on lens to remove, or do you pull out the cone from the other end first? Any of you pros do videos on Youtube to show how these things are done? Thanks again.

Once you unscrew the bezel, just tap the lens and it will fall off. The cone thing is the reflector, that one is press fit into the head. You must use a very thin razor and gently pry it out from the edge, be careful not to touch it or it will be permanently ruined. After removing the reflector you gain access to the LED.

Are you going to do a led swap or a complete mod?

Actually, my goal was much more mundane- I purchased a modded light, gave it a quick rinse to clean it upon receiving, and noticed some moisture inside the lens. I managed to get inside, as I said, and dried it off by wedging a tissue through the little cone (reflector). That said, it would be fun to learn how to do these things myself. The light has a great little driver made I guess by “toykeeper”- you can move both up and down light levels using the reverse clicky. Thanks again.