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

Jaza · January 6, 2016, 9:32pm

can you direct link those?

X31 · January 6, 2016, 9:48pm

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

Jaza · January 6, 2016, 9:49pm

Is it just plug and play?

X31 · January 6, 2016, 10:31pm

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

interval · January 8, 2016, 9:24pm

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

X31 · January 8, 2016, 9:28pm

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

interval · January 8, 2016, 9:30pm

thanks

X31 · January 10, 2016, 1:13pm

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 :

bugsy36 · January 10, 2016, 1:33pm

Now we are talking!! Thank you!!!

Jaza · January 10, 2016, 2:44pm

Ordered 45 degree model thanks for the info

interval · January 10, 2016, 3:13pm

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

X31 · January 10, 2016, 8:12pm

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

interval · January 21, 2016, 3:25pm

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

polygon · January 24, 2016, 7:10am

I don’t think you can physically get a 100 degree TIR, the specs are for HALF the angle of spread (ie a 20 degree optic will give you a 40 degree cone).

Zanders · January 24, 2016, 9:11am

djozz:

~~X3~~:

djozz:

Thanks for the nice review!

I like the form factor and very clean slim design of the HC30, I hope that they will do a single AA version of this design some day (with less output of course). As always, I will not buy Nitecores because I can not stand cool white leds, even the sometimes used 3C neutral does not do it for me. So the led must be swappable and usually with Nitecore lights that is not possible.

Is it really that hard to swap the emitter in Nitecore products ? I might not keep it if I can’t replace it with a NW one…

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)

I switch the led for a warmer last year, change it for a XM-L2 4D. This is how it looked inside. Maybe you have fixed it by now. There is more pics if some one needs.

Thanks for the review!

Jaza · February 5, 2016, 2:18pm

how you did unscrew the bezel? i can’t get any grip on it.

TheDude · February 5, 2016, 2:20pm

I used the rubberized side of my mouse pad, pressed down across the top of the bezel with my thumb and twisted. I had to replace the driver in my HC30 already. :~

Jaza · February 5, 2016, 3:03pm

It worked thanks.

Only problem is that this is no longer waterproof.

TheDude · February 5, 2016, 3:07pm

. . . Ya, with the bezel and lens removed it would not be waterproof.

martook · February 16, 2016, 8:40pm

Thanks for this little mod, I like it much better without the hot spot! Uncertain which lens I preferred as I can’t identify them (I ordered both 45 and 60 degrees, but the text on the label doesn’t help much - 09 122 18 ; 89 5 73 on this one, whatever lens that is). Still doesn’t feel as wide as the flood on my Fenix HP25, but this will do just fine, and I won’t get neck problems from it…