THE NOISY CRICKET - my attempt at a 'pocket rocket'
For Christmas, I bought myself my first 'proper' light. (Yeah, it's an LED LENSER, sorry)
Prior to this, I'd been buying cheap(er) lights from places like Maplin, and then I'd modify them to an 'acceptable' performance level myself.
So I finally picked this light, based on it's size, the fact that I like the variable focus, and that it looked like it had good modding potential.
Anyway, while the stock output of 140lm was good (for a 1xAA light), I really wanted a light that I could EDC that was not too large, but would output at least 5-600lm on 'turbo'.
So, I decided to modify it by adding a Lipo battery, and direct drive (with a small 'protection' circuit like you get for protected 18650's etc as the only current limiter).
The light:
The modifed tailcap to work with my Lipo system:
I've removed the 1.5V to 3V boost circuit, and used a Lipo battery from an old RC toy helicopter. It's soldered to a 2-pin connector for charging, and it's 'press-fit' into the back of the screw-in pill:
This is the charging and negative contact connector, next to the top two battery contacts:
The little metal tab is the top of the lipo-protection circuit's negative contact, just wedged between the battery and the inside wall of the pill:
Another macro of the battery bent to fit into the pill:
View from tailcap end, with battery/pill inserted:
The LED is mounted on a copper pcb, which sits on a raised pillar, so the TIR+lens can move back and forth to focus:
Nice to see that the LED is directly bonded to the copper, for direct thermal transfer:
A final shot of the XPE-2, with everything re-assembled:
BEAMSHOT TIME!
It was a really foggy night, so the beam profile was very visible.
Flood beam profile:
Throw beam profile:
Me vs The Moon:
The current draw at tail is approximately 1.4A on full battery, but the LiPo is only 200mAh, and it's not designed for high current draws, so it only lasts a couple of minutes, and can't push any more than 1.4A anyway.
Judging by this graph, I should be getting around 350lm at turn-on, then about 300lm for a few minutes:
My plan is to replace the LED with an XPG-2, and use a 14500 battery with a variable brightness driver to give up to 3A to a dedomed XPG-2, giving an adjustable output up to a 'turbo mode' output of 800lm 
(according to this graph, with the same beam profile. (A dedomed XPG is roughly the same die size as a domed XPE).
My thanks to 'Match' for his useful data!
Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed reading!
I don’t think it is a safe practice to bend a battery to fit.
- Welcome, fellow teen!
- thats one hella first post
- bending lithium batteries ain’t too smart IMO
- If you are going to pull 3a out of a 14500, you need a high drain battery, efest is a good brand.
- take a look at some of the DIY diver threads, (search “oshpark projects” to find a list), that way you can get modes back
- that sig line of yours won’t go over too well. everyone here has good things to say about SB (moderator)
+1
You can actually see that the photons are both particles and waves ….
…
…
(wink)
I hope you’re wearing eye protection and gloves using this though.
And I hope you ‘oogled ’ — heck, LMGTFY: bending lipo battery - Google Search
Hi. This post piqued my interest as it is rare to see someone on this forum messing with a Led Lenser. Thanks for sharing. As others have said, the cell bashing is best avoided and I don’t think the moderator deserves to be executed 
s your garden needs a rotavator!
Great first post and welcome to BLF!
Hope the protection circuit prevents the cell from being over-discharged.
Neat mod…not one I would have thought to do
Keep up the great work though
Welcome to BLF!
…don’t put that thing in your mouth, eh?
Or any other place that would, you know, cause damage?
What is the mAh rating of the battery pack you put in your build?
Gotta say “ouch” on the lenser though…
hehe…like this
I’ll add this to the thread too…just because 
Hey There!
[quote=musicmagic] # thats one hella first post [/quote]
Thank you.
[quote=musicmagic] # bending lithium batteries ain't too smart IMO [/quote]
Well, I haven't bent it that much, and the type of cell I've used is a 'pouch cell', which has the lithium polymer sheet folded in layers. When I bend it, the layers just shift and 'slide across' to bend. (Sort of like bending a pad of paper)
[quote=musicmagic] # If you are going to pull 3a out of a 14500, you need a high drain battery, efest is a good brand. [/quote]
I've chosen these:
I can't hyperlink, so: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00I463IOC/
[quote=musicmagic] # take a look at some of the DIY diver threads, (search "oshpark projects" to find a list), that way you can get modes back [/quote]
I'll go with this: http://intl-outdoor.com/amc71358-5mode-circuit-board-nanjg-105c-304a-p-667.html
with the third star selected, for a H-M-L mode config. I'll trim some material off the edge to fit (the stock driver board for the LL is 16mm)
[quote=musicmagic] # that sig line of yours won't go over too well. everyone here has good things to say about SB (moderator) [/quote]
My apologies, my attempt at a joke. 
I've been lurking around BLF for a few months before joining, and the mods here are great. No offence meant. The new sig should be to your agreement.
Also, I've just placed an order (via a friend - my 18th birthday present :party: ) for an XP-G2 and the parts I mention above, so I'll have to wait a few weeks for it to ship to finish it.
P.S: That order also included: a Convoy M1 + dedomed XM-l2 on Noctigon + a 5° TIR, and a Convoy L4 + (I'll dedome it) MT-G2 on Noctigon + Efest 18350s. So you can expect quite a few lumen-filled bulid logs from me over the next few weeks! 
It's a pleasure to have you onboard, agnelucio!
Armpit? 
About 200mAh. Not much, but enough to tide me over until I get some proper ones.
Yeah, I’ll agree it is somewhat overpriced, but it (along with all the other stuff I’m ordering) was bought with birthday money (18th - yay!), so I had the temporary luxury of having actual money.
I will say that the design and machining is VERY good on it, though that still doesn’t justify it’s large price.
Nice mod, as said it is nice to see a Led Lenser modded for a change :-)
Welcome to BLF!
Thanks! Apparently, someone round here’s a very subtle fan of resident evil. I still can’t figure out who it is.
I presume she’s the moderator for all of BLF? 
Thanks! Trust me, I leave NOTHING un-modded! I genuinely can’t think of an item of technology in my house that I haven’t modified/hacked in some way. It’s just my way of life. 8)
I’ve seen some of your projects/mods/reviews before now. Really good stuff!
In photos, I am wearing gloves, but I’m fairly sure it’s safe enough for now, as I have quite a lot of experience with LiPos (RC vehicles is also a hobby of mine), and I made sure that it wasn’t punctured or ballooning in any way.