So even with off centered emitters it’s a bit tighter beam than with the cute-3. That’s what I expected to see since they are effectively ~3-4 mm deeper(focusing of the “tir” effect stops where the parabolic surface ends).
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
So even with off centered emitters it’s a bit tighter beam than with the cute-3. That’s what I expected to see since they are effectively ~3-4 mm deeper(focusing of the “tir” effect stops where the parabolic surface ends).
TIRs tend to have larger hot spots than equivalent width reflectors because they capture some of the light that would be spill and focus it into the beam. So you lose spill width and gain in hot spot size.
Its not really a reflector by itself more like a twisty c8 triple. Looks like it could make a good host. Around $21 shipped with seller discount. I wanna get one eventually and see what db can do with it
2/9 Fox Co (2009-2015) Semper Fi 0311/0331 Rifleman/Machine Gunner
Blf has changed a lot since I've been here. Lots of snow flakes and easily offended over nothing. When the forum use to be great and people joked around and could take a joke. It's a forum it's not that serious. Let's make BLF great again!
So even with off centered emitters it’s a bit tighter beam than with the cute-3. That’s what I expected to see since they are effectively ~3-4 mm deeper(focusing of the “tir” effect stops where the parabolic surface ends).
TIRs tend to have larger hot spots than equivalent width reflectors because they capture some of the light that would be spill and focus it into the beam. So you lose spill width and gain in hot spot size.
For mtb I certainly appreciate the smoother overall beam from a tir. My curiousity compels me to compare them and sometimes I want something more in the center.
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
So I’ve actually made a triple reflector setup in an X6 using the Noctigon mcpcb. I used the ET D25A reflectors from KD with just a touch of file work on the rim flanges to make them mate and center over the LEDs. I’ll get a pic posted when I can but it’s a great beam. Reflector area is nearly 100% maximized while not having overlapping reflector wells which lead to the dreaded (at least for me) flower pedal spill beams.
Oh.. I did have to put an additional spacer underneath the copper adapter that was made for the ledil optic. But that was easy too..
So even with off centered emitters it’s a bit tighter beam than with the cute-3. That’s what I expected to see since they are effectively ~3-4 mm deeper(focusing of the “tir” effect stops where the parabolic surface ends).
TIRs tend to have larger hot spots than equivalent width reflectors because they capture some of the light that would be spill and focus it into the beam. So you lose spill width and gain in hot spot size.
For mtb I certainly appreciate the smoother overall beam from a tir. My curiousity compels me to compare them and sometimes I want something more in the center.
Not trying to dissuade you at all; the reflector beam is nice and better for some applications. But a reflector should throw only a bit better than a TIR. I measured the throw of an XPL HI in a narrow TIR and the SMO S2 reflector and the TIR measured about 87% of the SMO reflector intensity. The honeycomb pattern on the CUTE-3 SS also decreases throw by about 10% compared to a polished version.
Regarding the Ledil cute-3 SS that we usually use with this mcpb, can anyone look up the data sheet and tell me the pcd or the diameter of the inner holes? Is is diameter 17 3*120 degrees? Having trouble opening up PDF on my phone sorry. Help appreciated so I can ask another manufacturer what their triple pcd is.
The spacing for the emitter holes for the 40 mm reflector means that the pcb will have to be wider and therefore further forward, so you’ll have to make some sort of pill so that the emitters have proper thermal contact. Other than that and it almost definitely ending up head heavy, it sounds good.
Regarding the Ledil cute-3 SS that we usually use with this mcpb, can anyone look up the data sheet and tell me the pcd or the diameter of the inner holes? Is is diameter 17 3*120 degrees? Having trouble nopening up PDF on my phone sorry. Help appreciated so I can ask another manufacturer what their triple pcd is.
Yes, it’s 17 × 3*120 with 4.4 ID holes. Same size pcb would work with emitter foot prints nearer the edge. I think the 40 mm was made for an mcpcb using P4 emitters.
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Both the 35 and 40 mm reflectors I purchased from KD arrived and are solid aluminum with emitter holes 3 × 120 on a 15mm circle. The 40 fits my convoy C8(old style w/separate pill) perfectly.
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
I got the 3 from KaiDomain this past weekend, was out of state for a wedding but will be looking at them this week hopefully. They appear well made, at least…
The 40 fits perfectly in a C8 but the 35 won’t fit into the bezel of an X6(neither alu nor SS) without some filing of the reflector lip. Both take the standard SRK metric screw in the center. The emitter holes in the 40 are large enough for an MT-G2 while those in the 35 fit XM size LEDs.
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
It doesn’t take long to Dremel off 120 degree tangents so that they center. What requires more time is making up buss rings that fit between the reflector and the 3 mcpcb’s or dremeling space for wires into the back of the reflector. An fr4 board with heat pad slots would be better. A single board is possible for XM pads since the space between the +/- pads is greater than the minimum slot size. For XP’s it would take two separate boards, one with the + pads and the other with the – pads. Both very simple since they’re only copper and no traces, just 3 stop masks and a wire via in each one with the ID of the outer one exceeding the OD of the inner one by the width of the XP heat pad. A copper ring replaces the heat pad and spaces the boards correctly. None of these options is as simple as a DTP copper board with the LEDs on 7.5 mm radius but that’s not likely to happen.
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Been working on the host a bit. Not done but making progress
Here you can see the bottoms of the 3 -16mm sinkpads. I used the reflector as a jig and used JB weld to join them. It doesn’t stick to ziplock bags so you can peel of the new triple mcpcb once it’s cured(yes, some sanding is required).
In this pic you can see the brass buss bar(triangle) for Led- and the small brass bit that covers the Led+ solder pads as well as the notches in the bottom of the reflector for the wires.
The spacer is similar to the one I made for an SRK clone, a 2mm thick disc brazed to a fitted copper cylinder only this one has a 1/4” thick aluminum disc inserted to add some buffering since it’s a smaller host.
The tapped center hole is so that I can attach it to the stock aluminum pill and assemble the light engine outside of the host.
—
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Stock MCPCB
Noctigon vs Stock MCPCB
I have tried two different triple reflectors :
Fasttech (left) Kaidomain (right)
The layout and spacing of the emitter holes are almost identical, height is also nearly the same the KD one being 1mm taller.
Fasttech
Kaidomain
Here are some beam shots :
X6 Triple reflector with XP-G2 S4 3D (left) X6 LEDIL CUTE-3-SS with Nichia 219C D320 5000K (right)
The current triple spacer 8.6mm height for the X6 works fine with the reflector.
Neither of the reflectors are a perfect fit for the NOCTIGON XP32, depending on your OCD level it might be fine, to me they are to much off center
So even with off centered emitters it’s a bit tighter beam than with the cute-3. That’s what I expected to see since they are effectively ~3-4 mm deeper(focusing of the “tir” effect stops where the parabolic surface ends).
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
I got the fast tech one in the mail, now I just need to find a MCPCB board to match it.
TIRs tend to have larger hot spots than equivalent width reflectors because they capture some of the light that would be spill and focus it into the beam. So you lose spill width and gain in hot spot size.
Its not really a reflector by itself more like a twisty c8 triple. Looks like it could make a good host. Around $21 shipped with seller discount. I wanna get one eventually and see what db can do with it
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/32338093102.html
2/9 Fox Co (2009-2015) Semper Fi 0311/0331 Rifleman/Machine Gunner
Blf has changed a lot since I've been here. Lots of snow flakes and easily offended over nothing. When the forum use to be great and people joked around and could take a joke. It's a forum it's not that serious. Let's make BLF great again!
For mtb I certainly appreciate the smoother overall beam from a tir. My curiousity compels me to compare them and sometimes I want something more in the center.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
So I’ve actually made a triple reflector setup in an X6 using the Noctigon mcpcb. I used the ET D25A reflectors from KD with just a touch of file work on the rim flanges to make them mate and center over the LEDs. I’ll get a pic posted when I can but it’s a great beam. Reflector area is nearly 100% maximized while not having overlapping reflector wells which lead to the dreaded (at least for me) flower pedal spill beams.
Oh.. I did have to put an additional spacer underneath the copper adapter that was made for the ledil optic. But that was easy too..
https://fundrazr.com/osturaband
No affiliation, just a fan.
Not trying to dissuade you at all; the reflector beam is nice and better for some applications. But a reflector should throw only a bit better than a TIR. I measured the throw of an XPL HI in a narrow TIR and the SMO S2 reflector and the TIR measured about 87% of the SMO reflector intensity. The honeycomb pattern on the CUTE-3 SS also decreases throw by about 10% compared to a polished version.
Regarding the Ledil cute-3 SS that we usually use with this mcpb, can anyone look up the data sheet and tell me the pcd or the diameter of the inner holes? Is is diameter 17 3*120 degrees? Having trouble opening up PDF on my phone sorry. Help appreciated so I can ask another manufacturer what their triple pcd is.
The spacing for the emitter holes for the 40 mm reflector means that the pcb will have to be wider and therefore further forward, so you’ll have to make some sort of pill so that the emitters have proper thermal contact. Other than that and it almost definitely ending up head heavy, it sounds good.
I have too many hobbies.
I found some other reflectors so need the pcd to contact the manufacturer and check what their pcd is rather than buy and test
Yes, it’s 17 × 3*120 with 4.4 ID holes. Same size pcb would work with emitter foot prints nearer the edge. I think the 40 mm was made for an mcpcb using P4 emitters.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
Thanks. Manufacturer contacted. They are plastic but will see what they respond
Both the 35 and 40 mm reflectors I purchased from KD arrived and are solid aluminum with emitter holes 3 × 120 on a 15mm circle. The 40 fits my convoy C8(old style w/separate pill) perfectly.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
I got the 3 from KaiDomain this past weekend, was out of state for a wedding but will be looking at them this week hopefully. They appear well made, at least…
Nice and solid with reflectors pretty much the full depth. ~13mm for the 35 and ~19mm for the 40 vs ~11mm for the cute-3.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
The 40 fits perfectly in a C8 but the 35 won’t fit into the bezel of an X6(neither alu nor SS) without some filing of the reflector lip. Both take the standard SRK metric screw in the center. The emitter holes in the 40 are large enough for an MT-G2 while those in the 35 fit XM size LEDs.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
It doesn’t take long to Dremel off 120 degree tangents so that they center. What requires more time is making up buss rings that fit between the reflector and the 3 mcpcb’s or dremeling space for wires into the back of the reflector. An fr4 board with heat pad slots would be better. A single board is possible for XM pads since the space between the +/- pads is greater than the minimum slot size. For XP’s it would take two separate boards, one with the + pads and the other with the – pads. Both very simple since they’re only copper and no traces, just 3 stop masks and a wire via in each one with the ID of the outer one exceeding the OD of the inner one by the width of the XP heat pad. A copper ring replaces the heat pad and spaces the boards correctly. None of these options is as simple as a DTP copper board with the LEDs on 7.5 mm radius but that’s not likely to happen.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
Thin fr4 board with heat pad hole + milled cu plate with hill that will fill this hole is best desicion for small quantity dtp multi-leds pcb IMO.
Low-cost copper pills, spacers, optics, drop-ins.
I agree although it might take a thicker board to get 2 oz copper. With solid pours that might not matter.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
Been working on the host a bit. Not done but making progress
Here you can see the bottoms of the 3 -16mm sinkpads. I used the reflector as a jig and used JB weld to join them. It doesn’t stick to ziplock bags so you can peel of the new triple mcpcb once it’s cured(yes, some sanding is required).
In this pic you can see the brass buss bar(triangle) for Led- and the small brass bit that covers the Led+ solder pads as well as the notches in the bottom of the reflector for the wires.
The spacer is similar to the one I made for an SRK clone, a 2mm thick disc brazed to a fitted copper cylinder only this one has a 1/4” thick aluminum disc inserted to add some buffering since it’s a smaller host.
The tapped center hole is so that I can attach it to the stock aluminum pill and assemble the light engine outside of the host.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
The wood tube looks nice.
About 5 coats of epoxy nice? They’re very thin coats sanded in between usually with a few days cure time between.
Three Tanna leaves to give him life, nine to give him movement. But what if he eats the whole bag?
Scott
That is looking amazing Rbd.
djozz quotes, "it came with chinese lettering that is chinese to me".
"My man mousehole needs one too"
old4570 said "I'm not an expert , so don't suffer from any such technical restrictions".
Old-Lumens. Highly admired and cherished member of Budget Light Forum. 11.5.2011 - 20.12.16. RIP.
Wow, wood worthy wood.
Just a bit of alliteration for you at the end of a long day.
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