BLF style 18650 1s thrower( poor mans Olight M2X)

Tom_E · 2017-04-27T16:15:06.000Z

You mean the cap on the right? Hard to tell, but looks dangerously close with some solder hanging off. Might be harmless if that end of the cap is going to ground anyway. What we usually do is locate part end close to the ground ring when they go to ground anyway - less risk.

DB_Custom · 2017-04-27T16:39:39.000Z

Tom? Doesn’t that big Toroid look fried? Yikes! Wondering if the driver is any good. Toss it and put an FET in there.

Edit: Nice pictures by the way ARsee.

Tom_E · 2017-04-27T16:44:45.000Z

Oopsie, it looks pretty bad - you're right, looks black and silverish when it should all be copper colored. Don't think I ever had one fail, but if I were to guess, it might look something like this. Suppose that explains that nasty look'n stuff all over the inside of the pill, and also on some of those resistors, like the R130.

I'd have to agree - it's done, take'r out of the oven. Wow, that short did some serious damage.

DB_Custom · 2017-04-27T16:44:51.000Z

ARsee? Can you take a photo of the reflector to pill in the open, from the side, to show where the base is in relation to the wires? Simulate how it would be sitting inside the light, most of the time when the bezel is screwed down snug it presses the reflector onto the wire ends, making a short circuit. If you don’t have any Kapton tape, I’d highly recommend getting some. I bought a roll that’s 2” wide and find myself using it all the time. I cut off a square, lay it over the end of the reflector and press it snug onto the ring that seats on the mcpcb, then fold over opposing edges wrapping it to cover the entire end of the reflector. Then I cut the hole out. In this way, the reflector is insulated from touching those wires. It’s important when screwing the bezel down to hold some pressure onto the lens with your fingers to keep the reflector from spinning, sometimes if the reflector turns it can grind the soldered wire joint through the Kapton tape and short it out anyway.

DB_Custom · 2017-04-27T16:48:39.000Z

The Toroid is a copper wire wrapped around a magnet. The wire has a thin insulation on it that is usually an orangy or bronze looking film. Looks like the entire Toroid heated up and melted all that coating off, spewing it into the driver bay. Bet it smells horrid! :confounded:

ARsee · 2017-04-28T16:43:49.000Z

Sorry for the confusion in my previous post. I don't know the correct terminology yet. I mentioned, resistor. What I was referring too, was the magnet wrapped in copper.

Bare with me. I'm trying to pick up on the correct explanations to avoid confusion.

Dale, I "think" this is the photo you are wanting?

Taking pics with my camera, takes time for perfection. Good, but not perfect.

tim70 · 2017-04-27T18:08:51.000Z

Thank you Mitko for sharing this with us.
Baked swap emitter and driver dedome xml2 u4 od, A6 fet+1 177,250cd 842m @5m
1,376 lumen after 30s no ar len yet, order some yesterday.

DB_Custom · 2017-04-27T18:12:16.000Z

Totally not seeing where it could have shorted.

And that beam profile is awesome!

ARsee · 2017-04-27T20:34:31.000Z

Nice Tim.

That hot spot is KILLER.

Any chance of some beam shots at night, after you get the new AR lens installed?

I'm anxious to see the end results of your upgrades.

I just disassembled mine. It's in the oven now

tim70 · 2017-04-27T18:28:36.000Z

Thank ARsee, sure if I have time!

ARsee · 2017-04-27T20:36:07.000Z

500° for an hour turns out nice.

I baked the pieces standing individually and not assembled. At 30 minutes, I turned them end for end. ( I noticed the difference in color of Tims ).I assume his light was assembled when baked?

I separated my pieces because it allows better heat transfer

tim70 · 2017-04-27T20:14:34.000Z

Looking good ARsee!

Mitko · 2017-04-27T20:19:01.000Z

500° for an hour turns out nice.

Hm, actualy its the best baking i have seen so far - i will bake the next one definately

And that beam profile is awesome!

Yeah and thats the best host part actualy, i had HD2010s but this reflector is great, the beam profile is even better than M2X one

However , ARsee`s driver by default is different from one that i got, also the driver retaining ring too: lets juts hope they dont “upgrade ” the reflector too

Tom_E · 2017-04-27T20:19:49.000Z

That is nice, both Tim and ARsee!

ARsee · 2017-04-27T20:37:12.000Z

I added an assembled image above to show the blend of the pieces ;)

Tom_E · 2017-04-27T20:50:13.000Z

I think that's the color I saw on the proto Q8 prior to it turning lighter, more like copper. Initially under heat, the Q8 turned a darker reddish/brown color like that, then lighter copper reddish/brown, then turns more like a deep gold. I did mine on the gas burner though, so probably much more heat.

ChibiM · 2017-04-27T20:52:20.000Z

I actually like that baked color quite a bit. Much better than the original conditions.

luminarium_iaculator · 2017-04-28T08:02:53.000Z

Don’t get me wrong guys. This hotspot looks nice but IME I think by better centering(lifting reflector slightly more over led) light could/should gain greater candela performance, and of course that will result in smaller hotspot.

giorgoskok · 2017-04-28T08:47:14.000Z

I can’t judge by the picures , but i would guess it’s the opposite thing , reflector needs to go closer to the mcpcb .

Mitko · 2017-04-28T09:56:14.000Z

One would never fix the emitter properly if the emitter is on a 16mm pcb: ever
thats why our BLF fella got only 170k candelas
26+ mm is perfect

Even so its a great result for a 14$ worth flashlight, and its so old style BLF…something that we do miss great time lately