As requested, 3 XM-L Driver/Emitter module DIY

Awesome, can’t wait to get mine :slight_smile: Is mine the old version or the new one?

“More/Better Protection added for reverse battery and Inputs/Outputs”

Is the momentary switch still pull-down (negative) only? I would assume so, but I just wanted to check :wink:

Is scaru’s the 33.4mm version?

Yours is the new version. Momentary is still pull-down only, but it’s much better protected. Accidental connections to LED+ or BATTERY+ will not cause damage to the module.

No, his is the original 35mm version. Anyone who has a 35mm version, however, can swap it out with me for no charge other than shipping. If he (or anyone else who has the blue 35mm version) wants to swap to the new better protected 33.6mm version, they can contact me via PM and I’ll arrange the swap.

Also, the official spec from the circuit board shop is 33.6mm +/- 0.3mm, so max possible diameter is 33.9mm

PPtk

Yup, mine is the new version :slight_smile: Got it in the mail today. It’s amazing how much bigger it looks in pictures :wink: I might have it wired up and running tonight.

I got the module all together using PCC’s heatsink and bezel. This thing is impressive.

It certainly generates some heat, and the heat regulation is fantastic (first regulated light I’ve owned). I first bolted the board down to the heatsink without any thermal paste, and on high it would ramp down and then cycle between high and low every few seconds (I assume that’s the Danger! heat warning. I tossed some thermal grease on, and now it doesn’t cycle. As I type this I have it tail standing on high, and I can see it regulating the heat by slightly adjusting the output. I just reached over and nearly burnt my hand on the bezel :slight_smile: I say nearly, because it will never get hot enough to burn.

As for the output, I can’t say I was expecting much compared to my previously built triple XM-L. And without even heading outside, I can tell it certainly won’t out throw my other triple. That one cheats though as it has Regina reflectors, which for their size have some great throw. I did order an extra optic though as I’m going to try to sand it down and polish it so that it doesn’t diffuse the light.

I know, I know — this post is worthless without pictures. It’s late, and posting pictures always takes me too long (I don’t know how you guys that do extensive reviews do it), but I will try to get some up before the weekend is over. I should have taken pictures during the build, because I kind of like what I did converting the switch over to momentary ground with power always going to the module.

Wow Jonny - You were anxious :slight_smile: Very impressive that you’ve already got it installed and working!

The ramp down and then switch between high and low that you saw is exactly as you expected… Things start heating up, so the module beings to ramp down brightness to compensate, but then it quickly realizes that it’s efforts are not having nearly enough effect on temperature and it drops off hard to protect itself. The programming is designed to always favor protection over brightness, and it’s doing exactly what it should. Without thermal interface material (grease, paste, gel, etc), the temperature will rise EXTREMELY rapidly (it’s generating 35ish watts!) and there is no way that slowly ramping down will be able to protect it from overheating. Good heatsinking and good thermal interface material are absolute necessities for anything that generates 35 watts of heat over only 1.37 square inches. You did get to see how well its able to protect itself though - The thermal limiting works very well, and because of that, it’s very difficult to actually damage one of these.

Out throwing three well driven regina reflectored XML’s, you’re right, not going to happen - but, once you take it outside, I’m quite confident that you’re going to love the beam pattern of this thing. It’s really quite beautiful - It throws, but it’s got a hotspot that smoothly rolls off into a wall of very usable spill. Can’t wait to see pictures of your monster :slight_smile:

PPtk

With the fins cut into the bezel a bit of air flow should help with the cooling.

Well damn. In the process of disassembling the light to take pictures, I managed to fry the.module. sending it back to PPtk for a postmortem.

You aren't the first one to have fried the module. I killed my first one and my second one is in questionable condition.

I don’t like hearing that you’ve done it too, but i don’t feel completely incompetent now :wink:

Or we both are completely incompetent. :P

Here are some pictures….

What did you guys do to fry them? :D

Reversed the polarity on my first one. At least that is what the post mortem said. :P

I got one of mine together today. These little things are very bright. They also get hot very fast. I put a fan pointing straight on it at about 10mph and it still would not cool. My big light bar will cool with just a few mph on it. I may offer these housings for sale at a later date after I get my light bars going.


Sweet housings!

Yes they are. I was lucky enough to have one in my hands, and it’s beautifully done. It was only a loaner though, for testing. I’ve been (and will continue to) begging him to make me a few :slight_smile:

The housing is very compact and expertly machined.

If those housings are for vehicular use (as I think) why not going for longitudinal fins instead of radial? The air flow from forward motion would cool them better, at least I'm prone to think so...

You would need a mill not a lathe to do that.