Turning a 2D Maglite into a 3up XM-L flooder - Let's change it all up shall we? 1D host, not 2D

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
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I have wanted to do another 3up for a while now, but it seems like I just never get round to do it. There's always something that I don't like about them. Series requires higher voltage, I didn't have a heat sink, I didn't like the last one, etc.

Well I broke down and decided to start one again.

3up1a

I'm concentrating on the head first. I needed a solid heat sink instead of the cobbled up one I did last time, so I went to Speedy Metals and had them slice some 1/4" thick pieces of 2" diameter aluminum. 2" is too big for the head, but at least I can cut it down to fit.

3up1b

I used the dremel tool, to cut down the OD of the heat sink, so it would fit tight into the head and rest on the shelf where the threads start. I will also use a heat sink in the body tube and tie the two together.

3up1c

I decided on TIR optics, because I had them, simple enough... These are 30 degree TIR from CNQG. They are 20mm diameter. I just set them in the head and lined them up by hand. I want to make something to hold them in position.

3up1d

So I decided to use the stock plastic lens and see if I could make a holder out of it. I set it on the optics and screwed down the bezel, while pressing on the lens, to keep it from moving.

3up1e

Once it was tightened down, I traced out the optics, keeping the trace a little small, so I don't take out too much plastic. Once I traced them out, I drilled the centers, so I could have starter holes for the Dremel and I used the dremel to open the holes up. I finished the holes with a round file. They let the optics fit in and hold them by pressing on the outer ring of the optics.

3up1f

The finished holder is white. I did this by using...

ace1

Acetone.

I used a little Acetone on a paper towel and just wiped the plastic lightly on both sides. I repeated that, till the plastic turned white and then I wiped the excess Acetone off. If you use too much it melts the plastic too fast and ruins it.

3up1g

Here's the finished 3up holder and the TIR optics are now held tightly in place. I could always paint the holder another color now. The frosted surface will hold paint much better than before.

I made a little video of the process, that is a little more in depth about how to make this optic holder.

This is just the beginning and I am in no particular hurry to finish it. In fact, I don't even have leds, drivers or battery holders for it yet, so it will be quite a while till I get back at it. I am about through for this year and I am not going to rush into the new year right away. Other issues in life take priority over this stuff, so it will be hit and miss for some time.

12/11/2012 - I decided to change everything up here. I got a couple 1D hosts from Chicago X today and they are so beautiful, I just can't resist, so now I will do this mod with a 1D Host and 3 Nichia 219's with 3 NANJG drivers.

w1

3up2a

I will be using a 4AA battery holder with it. More when I get more...

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12-12-12 I haven't gotten much time to work on flashlights and as long as the cold spell is here, I won't do much more. I have gotten the heat sink together and ready to go. I also got the drivers wired and the leds reflowed.

3up3a

The two piece heat sink is held together with a machine screw. I am debating if I will use a longer one. I think this one is plenty, but there's still about 30mm dead space I have to fill, if I don't make a longer one. I just don't really want to cut the 1-3/8" round stock with a hacksaw and if I do make the longer one, the light will be Very front end heavy.

3up3b

The Nichias reflowed on XP-G stars.

3up3c

The three drivers are done master/slaves and all the wiring is ready to go. Seems funny to see all that wire for just three leds. The drivers were trimmed, so that they will lay flat inside the body tube.

3up3d

Four of rhe 7135 chips were removed from each of the drivers, so the leds will see 1400ma each. I'm not going for a monster, just a nice, fairly bright light with leds that aren't pushed to the max. I've decided that there's enough hot rodders much better than me at that kind of thing and I just want to do lights that are bright, but not pushing the limits.

Hopefully I will get more done this week-end.

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Don't really have much time today, but I did get the sleeve ready. I need to use a sleeve, because I don't have the right diameter Aluminum rod stock, so a copper sheet serves as the sleeve, but the drivers do not fit inside.

sleeve1

So I had to notch the sleeve in three places.

sleeve2

I just used a hacksaw and broke the centers out after. It works...

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reserved

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Nice job on that optic holder! I wish I had the patience to make one of those. I like your idea to keep them in place. Those optics are a real pain to hold into position on the LEDs when screwing down the bezel. Your idea gives it a clean professional look (as always!)

Thanks for the tutorial.

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You're welcome. I find that even when I think I have done something new, 99.9% of the time it has been done already, as with this mod. Once I make something, I usually google it and sure enough it's been done before, many times. Nothing new under the sun as they say. I did the video because, for me, it is easier to understand. I know I can watch a video and do better than with written words.

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THANKS JUSTIN! Thats a neat deal. I have sure never seen it done before!!

I owe you another “Thank You” as well. While working on the lathe today I had faced off a piece of aluminum…. With the material still in the lathe, I needed to really see the placement of jaws on a set of calipers, but with the freshly faced aluminum, it was like looking into a searchlight and the jaws disappeared when I laid them on the material. … SO… I took a magic marker like you did in one of your other videos…painted the material face black… And it worked like a charm to kill the glare!!! THANKS!!!

I’m anxious to see the rest of this mod. Dan.

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Another excellent project, nice work! (x3)

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Yet another great idea from Old Lumens Labs.

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Nice idea. I may borrow it in the future as I have been thinking along the same lines. Like you I'm in no hurry. I should add not in a Mag light though. Looking forward to see the rest of it. Cheers.

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Excellent work, Can’t wait to see the rest.

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Without trying to take the thread off topic, do you know where to get TIR's for XPG's?

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That aluminium heatsink looks a tad bit rough. For better heat transfer, back in the days when I use to use heatsinks for my PC (I watercool my PC these days), I used to lap my heatsink to smooth out the micro ridges and have the heatsink mate better with the CPU. I’m sure you know what I’m referring to, but just in case you don’t, linky here.

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I tell you what Old-Lumens, you are some amazing cross between a professional modder and a brilliant artist. :smiley:

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Yes, I didn’t bother to finish the heat sink just for the photos, but I don’t lap these either.

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Updated the first post.

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Should be great, Justin!

Just a thought here, but 3 x 2.8A Nanjg drivers might be a little overkill for the Nichia 219's. On my 18650 EDC that I converted to Nichia, I put a Nanjg 105c 2.8A in it and it still only pulls 1.6A at the tail and that's with a good Panasonic cell. Might be cheaper to run three 4*7135 or 6*7135 drivers together or use a single 12*7135 driver. Of course if you only have 8*7135 drivers then go right ahead. ;)

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Yes, I only have 2.8a drivers and I plan on taking 7135's off them.

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Updated the OP, with a couple more photos.

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I know you have done the driver before but I'm still lost, and how you manage to solder the little buggers. Nice job.

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Honestly, that makes two of us. I get the shakes every time I go near a driver. I could solder pipe all day, but it’s the tiny stuff that usually bites me in the butt. Especially when trying to make the master/slave mod. Those legs on the 7135 chips are so tiny and trying to solder two wires to one tiny leg on the first one (master), is plain murderous. The connections are delicate, as the legs are so small and the traces on the board can’t take a lot, before they will lift off.

The thread on the drivers is still on the site here, somewhere. Basically, the one micro controller on the master board, now controls PWM to all the 7135 chips on all three boards. The wiring to the LEDs is parallel, but because each led is wired to a board, the amperage is controlled, instead of uncontrolled.

In a regular parallel setup without regulating the amperage, the differences in three LEDs Vf can cause one led to see more amperage than the others (the one with the lowest Vf) and as LEDs heat, Vf lowers, making imbalance even worse, but this way each led still only sees a regulated amperage from the board it is wired to. It keeps parallel LEDs from having the issue of different Vf causing a possible thermal runaway, but still allows for the lower voltage found in a parallel circuit.

The reason I like the circuit is the fact that I don't have to use higher voltage found in series circuits. I like NiMHs and the higher the voltage, the more room I need for NiMHs. It allows me to still do a 1D with three LEDs, using NiMH batteries. With the Nichias only getting 1400ma each, I am still only drawing 4.2 amps from the Eneloops. That's a lot, but still within their ability. It won't run a long time on high, but that's why there's modes. It should run quite a while on low or medium. I am using 4 Eneloops due to the voltage drop that is going to happen from 4.2 amps and with four in series, I should still have good run time, even with the sag. Even at 1v each, I will still be putting 4v to the drivers.

The reasons I don't like it are, the added costs of using 3 drivers and the added risks of having some old fart wire it up wrong or solder things together that shouldn't be, due to the close quarters I'm dealing with. Really, I should farm out this stuff to someone who does this all the time and does it right.

Of course, with all that I don't know about this stuff, I could be just shooting my mouth off and be totally wrong.Tongue Out

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This is turning out real nice! I like how you do the drivers...file them flat and solder the negative rings together - Great solution. Ya know, I still haven't tried the whole master/slave driver thing yet... but the photo's of your work are inspiring me to try. Thanks again for the build post!