Nitecore HC30 1x18650 battery,Cree XM-L2 LED,Headlamp REVIEW

I bought a second-hand HC50 a while ago with the intention of swapping the led to a warm high CRI one, and I have not found a way to get into the ledboard part. My current idea is that the last part of the assembly is that the lens is glued in (with no option to get behind it to even start trying to pry it out)

Very well done review, thank you for all your work. This has helped with decision. :wink:

The surprising part of the HC30 is not stated Low Voltage Protection...but if I remember it starts stepping down (Not sure have not had time to work with mine yet)

Djozz - I think all of the manufacturers are going to go back to a AA/14500 offering. I know that one competing manufacturer has just made one and that another is considering so Nitecore hopefully will follow suit. They can still get 500-600+ lumens out of a 14500 nowadays.

BTW...these dogbone headlamps are relatively easy to mod...LED's and/or drivers

This became my edc also. Very compact designed. Bought a few for my coworkers also.

I'm using the skill hunt head bands with it. I leave the headband on it the whole time now.

would like to see a group buy with these type of lights . looking for more similar lights.

great review

Hi, I just swapped the stock reflector of my freshly unpacked HC30 with a 60 degrees TIR optic.
It’s now a useful headlamp for close up tasks !

Where did you get that TIR?

I bought it from FastTech, along with some 10, 25 and 45 degrees ones.
I’ve tested them in multiple lights and found that 45° is really useful indoor !

can you direct link those?

60 degree
45 degree
25 degree
10 degree

Oh, just for the info you have to slightly grind the outside of the optic to make it fit the HC30 bezel

Is it just plug and play?

Like I said, you just have to slightly grind the outside (less than a mm on the diameter)

Congratulations, you can make a review of how you did with pictures and some beanshots?
thanks
greeting

Yeah I may do that this week-end…I’ll make an update

thanks

So, you just unscrew the bezel, then drop the o-ting, glass and reflector :

Stock reflector vs TIR :

You have to slightly areduce the TIR diamter by filing it :

You then just drop the TIR and put the o-ring, then the bezel :

Stock beam at 15cm and 1m :

Now we are talking!! Thank you!!!

Ordered 45 degree model thanks for the info

Thank you
the higher degrees more open?
the spot fades with more or less degree?

Yes, the higher degree provides the more spill (more opened beam).
The spot is quite inexistent with those type of optic

anyone knows a 100 degrees TIR optic mod for the HC30?
Shop?
thanks.