I finally built a tint-mixed triple in a Convoy S6 host that I have wanted for some time. I had the parts from RMM lying around for nearly a year!
I love the resultant beam tint - to me, seems very pure neutral white. I don’t have CRI measuring equipment, but the tint-mixed, wider spectrum light does seem to result in impressive color rendering- at least to my eyes. I realize I could be fooled into thinking the CRI of the mixed tint system has improved relative to same-tint LEDs. However, I also have a hard time telling the beam difference between the triple tint mixed S6 build and a triple Nichia 219B 90+ CRI I have built in the past using an S2 host.
In the mixed tint S6 build, I chose the following LEDs, available at the time of order:
XP-G2 Q2 7C4 (90+ CRI)
XP-G2 R5 3C
XP-G2 S2 1D
The combined mixed-tint using the above LEDs results in a target mixed tint of about 5000K. The resultant tint calculation for the 3 mixed LEDs was determined by using the approach described by ToyKeeper in Post #2193 of the following link:
I used RMM’s FET + 7135 Driver (MTN17DD) flashed with (then) standard firmware with turbo timer of 120 seconds. Also used in this build is RMM’s Copper Spacer for the S2/S6. I bypassed the springs on both the clicky switch and on the driver. For some reason, I could not extract the switch from the S6 tailcap. The retaining ring seemed to be stripped in place out of the box. I luckily had a spare S3 host lying around from a previous build and was able to use the already-spring-bypassed S3 tailcap on the S6.
Presently, this is my favorite EDC torch. It has great tint and really good modes.
I now have parts on order to build a tint-mixed triple using the short 18350 version of the S2+ host with associated copper spacer. I’ll be using an updated 17mm Driver available via RMM (MTN17DDm-NUV) flashed with Toykeeper’s BLF A6 firmware using a 30 sec turbo timer. The LEDs I have on order that were available to target a resultant ~5000K beam are:
XP-L HI U3 3000K 80+ CRI
XP-L HI V2 1A
XP-L HI V2 3D
I’m really looking forward to this S2+ triple tint mix build as a more compact, lighter version of the above tint-mixed S6 triple. I realize this will heat up pretty fast and drain an 18350 quickly in turbo mode, but I don’t expect to use Turbo mode except for short bursts.
Beautiful work, gotta love a bit of wood.
Don’t know if it counts as a mod, but this is a little 18350 handbag light I recently made for my Mum.
I cheat and use veneer on mine.
Me neither. I have a mahogany 2 x 14500 and am setting up a lacewood one and an oak one. I’ve found that using the largest 2-flute drill bit that will fit(1/2” for 14500 and 5/8” for 18650)with a tape wrap spins truer than the tape wrapped carriage bolt in the drill press. With softer woods the wood tube swells when it gets infused with epoxy to strengthen it. Harder woods like oak, walnut, and maple are more dimensional stable, tougher too, of course. I still haven’t had a chance to try bead blasting one yet.
I managed to dedome one of them somehow during assembly. Makes for an even tighter spot, a little green though. People who like clean copper avert your eyes lol. Just quick, dirty, cheap, and functional.
The flashlight comes stock with a tiny plastic reflector, generic led, and a plastic pill.
Nice, sounds just like a girl I once knew.
There is something strangely satisfying making a silk purse from a sows ear. Is the side switch stock?
I did something similar with a cheap 2 x AA C3 copy . Nice body but rubbish inside (sounds just like another………nevermind).
I knew I wasn’t going to use the extension tube so I cut off the male thread and used it as a retaining ring for the pill. It’s now a nice little 14500 EDC light.
Yep, stock clicky side switch, decent feel to it. They aren’t doing much on AA, roughly 200lm iirc. Just a light to toss around and not worry about breaking.
That’s really cool with the chopped thread for a retaining ring.
I wish I had one for you. The two old ones are 3 maybe 4 years old. No idea where they came from. I found an old discontinued product page on either Home Depot or Sears about a year ago. I tried finding that again a couple weeks ago and couldn’t find anything.
The new one I got in a Kershaw knife + flashlight package deal off eBay thanks to raccoon city. It has better finish and switch, but pretty much the same as the others. http://m.ebay.com/itm/262304463828
I had a pretty productive afternoon, spend it on my bench :
I swapped the stock XP-G2 of my Olight I3S for a nice high CRI Nichia 219B (stolen from my BLF 348) which make it a nice little EDC.
I made an illuminated blue tailcap for my blue S2+, which is still waiting for his triple 219C btw, took me like 2 hours fiddling with resistors to get both good illumination AND modes working forward and backward on my BLF 17DD driver…
Then, I made an S2 with 700mA driver (105C with only 2*7135) with the fabulous 3535 generic UV emitter bought from led4power, plus the tinted glass…man does it puts some UV light ! Pics are coming, this is incredible !
Aaannnd finally, I made a bench light with an active cooler from a computer, an XM-L2 4C on noctigon, a 3A driver from ebay (Russian seller, don’t remember his name) and a 12V power supply. I’ll make some pics too, along xith an empty beans can it make a nice working lamp !
- added 4 more AMC chips, measured amps to led after every new chip
all good & working
gunked MCU side (where I soldered 4 additional AMC’s) with fujik thermal silicone glue,
I figured it might help with potential heat equalization…
assembled everything and it only works in max mode!!! what the!
disassembled, removed fujik glue (painstaking toothpick work), tested it outside of the flashlight and it works, ok,
put it back inside the flashlight and again, only max mode!!!
unsoldered the led (XPL HI) hooked up with crocodile clips my testing triple XPG2 -> 3 modes work again, as they should (driver inside the flashlight)
but when I connect LED inside the flashlight I only get max mode.
Why does the LED when installed only works in max mode but outside the flashlight works as intended (3 modes), I guess it has something to do with negative connection that goes from the battery true flashlights body to the driver, maybe something on the driver is touching flashlights body and it shouldn’t…
After 4 hours of tinkering I give up…
Yep, sometimes the ledge the driver sits on is a bit wide, the negative lead touches right there at the pcb where it sits on the ledge in the light. Be sure it’s away from that ledge or file out a section for clearance.
I just finished swapping the driver in a dark gray Courui. XML2 (?) and Mountain SRK 7135 V2. Now it has seven modes. Excellent spot beam. Very impressive. I didn’t care much for this light overall but now it’s great. Like it very much. Nothing very special about this mod. Switch wires to sw+ and sw~~. L+ and L~~. Done. …although it does take quite a bit of sanding/filing to get from 46mm down to fit. About 1/8 inch or to the perferated holes. Nice driver. Smooth transition, hold button from off for turbo (7), good moon, even spacing, hold button down while on to reverse, single press forward. Major improvement. No need for pics. Standard Courui and MTN driver.
+1
Same thing happened to me. I assumed it was a dud driver but on close inspection realised that I had stripped too much insulation from one of the LED wires and it was shorting against the edge of the star.
Is that a self-made light? Got any pictures?
