The L2 has proven itself nicely in the host category IMHO.
The L6 is finally available as a host as of this morning as is the long awaited L6 smooth reflector (limited quantity). :money_mouth_face:
With both of the original threads having over 4600 posts combined I thought it was time for a thread dedicated to the custom builds based on these two lights.
The L2 and L6 share similar good looks and even a few parts so there is some interchangeability between the two.
I’ve seen a lot of excellent L2 builds and a growing number of L6 builds.
I’m hoping this thread can be a showcase for these builds and a place to come for ideas and answers if you’re ready to start building/modding your own.
Please share your L2 and L6 build and modding experience, tips, tricks and photos here!
What have you done to your L2 or L6?
What kind of numbers are you getting from your builds?
Update 2016-12-05
The previously sold out L6 smooth reflector is available once again.
The purchase link above will take you right to it.
Update 2017-04-06
The short tube is available now. Purchase link posted above with all the other links. This tube will fit both the L2 and L6 and is meant for single 26650 builds, 2 cell 26350 builds and will probably fit 26700 cells though I can’t guarantee that. It is slightly longer than the older single cell tube to better accommodate more cell variations.
Sweet! Just in time to get busy on the clear L6 I recently got.
I sold my modified black L6 with the de-domed XP-G2 emitter, it’s 439Kcd was needed in Greece.
My XHP-35 L2 and the ready and willing clear L6 are still holding down the fort here, with some plans for the clear L6 that will require me to have time at the lathe to pull off. Let’s just say it should be a nice thrower in the end.
Well I already made a thread for this L2 mod, but I figure I’ll post a link here.
7x dedomed XPL, ~8500 lumens, 145Kcd. Doesn’t use the stock reflector of course, but the host is super solid quality and I wouldn’t want anything less for this mod.
Also, I replaced the forward clicky with the reverse clicky from an ultrafire F13. The F13 clicky pcb is bigger and just fits in the tail cap, but I had to file down the section near the soldered switch contact to make sure it didn’t make contact with the tail cap body and bypass the switch. Also, the button was a little short so I put a folded piece of cardboard on top of the button and it works great.
Hmmm might be awhile to post what I have already done to them….but here we go with the most recent…and one of my favorite builds!! :heart_eyes:
L6 Bare Aluminum - LD-2 Linear Driver set-up at 2S 12amps. Dual button functionality, tail cap moves thru the 3 levels and has memory, and the e-switch has 3 levels with momentary off. I LOVE IT!
The XHP70 P2 1C emitter was chosen for it’s Brutal output what else! :+1: A custom hand made driver adapter using (2) 17-20mm brass adapter rings a couple copper crush rings, and the stock brass retainer ring to encase every thing together and sink the driver. Polished every thing up for some inner bling!! Tested 12.01 amps on the money from the Linear driver till the batteries are Dead dead dead, which isn’t long!! Finishing it off with one of the Prototype Smooth reflectors!
This has got to be one of the most gorgeous lights I own, thanks to Jared and Simon, thank you guy’s!! :+1:
@EasyB and anyone else who has a second thought about posting something you’ve already posted about an L2 or L6 build/mod by all means please link it here or re-post away.
I wan’t this to be a collection of knowledge based on L2 and L6 builds. Successes of course, but also failures, crash and burn attempts, problems, fixes, etc…
We all have plenty to learn from each other.
I can barely use a soldering iron…yet I have learned so much from the BLF community that to my amazement I can answer some questions and at times even offer sound advice. :laughing:
That is all thanks to the BLF community and the many helpful, experienced and skilled members here that embraced my thirst for knowledge and taught me.
This experience has led me on a journey I never thought I’d have.
I still don’t know exactly where it will lead but I REALLY am enjoying the ride and not continuing seems as crazy as if two years ago you told me I’d be doing this!
Since i have 2 SMO reflectors currently and several L6s one i modded with a sliced XHP70 driven at 6.5 amps( using the default driver), when fixed properly it would give 140k cds and about 4k lumens, its quite usable outdoors too using 2 good 5k mah batteries
The second one( for me its the L6 as it should be) is a single cell one , equipped with a DDed W2 emitter and driven by a FED DD driver with a modified momentary JonnyC firmware- 1900 lumens and 325mcds
Currently working on a dual 26350 setup plus a suitable driver, same emitter
This mod of L6 is maybe the best 2016 mod for me, the BLFest thrower ever prolly, quite easy to carry too
Olight m3x driver works like a champ in that host btw :), Also M22 one too( with some modding)- yet it aint a cheap modding, i have those as spares and leftovers
XHP35 needs lots of amps to reach W2 performance, prolly above 3, at 1.5 amps its throw is like 50% of the W2 one( about 180k cds)
When you do build your XHP35 compare the beam size and out put to the W2 not just the throw, (measured by a meter) would like to hear your professional opinion on it in a real outside side by side test, would be really curious about your findings…specially at 3+ amps :+1:
Sure but i have to build the driver first… casue i am using a 1.5amp non el switch driver for the tests and the difference is huge , not in XHP35 favour ofc
Another problem is that XHP35 runs hella hot at 3 amps, even at the test bench( cooled with a huge Cu heatsink, plus i aint sure how it will work on a long term base and real conditions…those are 4 xpe2 cores, 3 amps are kinda high for them
Yet, as XPL HI i have found that a dedomed E2 1A performs 20%( at least) better than HI versions but its a fresh dedome and i still have too low exp and did only few tests so far
I have some 30mm Texas Avenger drivers on order, Gonna see what it does to an otherwise stock L6 with 3A tint with Narsil running everything once they come in.
Can’t wait to finally be able to try Narsil out for myself.
I will have some extras as well to see once they are built if all goes well.
I'm still wait'n on proper LDO's to arrive. Now that I know the e-switch PCB can accommodate LED's, and I have a transparent e-switch cover (came with the clear ano L6), no-brainer to enable the indicator LED support in Narsil, but the problem in the L6 (any 2S+ light), i need to use the external voltage dividers and with triple channel, I'm out of I/O ports once again . So, something has to go - either drop the indicator LED or drop the 7135 bank... I believe the R1 or R2 value needs to be about 36K, or 360K, so I got the 360K and 47K installed already.
Also wondering if a UCLp will be an improvement to the stock L6 AR lens - maybe Dale tried, might order 1 to try.
I have gotten a couple of the UCLp for the L6/L2, but don’t remember the effect. Will have to revisit…
Edit: Big Surprise! Simon’s AR coated glass actually bests the UCLp lens! Not by a whole lot, and both have substantial losses as compared to testing with no lens at all, but still!
L6, clear, stock. Red Efest 3000mAh ells rested at 4.12V after testing.
I’m sure. I didn’t want to see the UCLp upset so I checked, jaw dropped, I checked again and then did the modified L6, same thing. I have all the cells on the charger and will test again at maximum output.
You know what this means, right? My modified L6 showed 7245 lumens before, with the UCLp on board… that means with the stock glass it’ll be higher, and I can’t wait to see what it shows with nothing in front of it other than the glass shelf in my light box.
In all fairness, Chris’s UCL glass lenses have higher transmittance than the acrylic lens, if only by that last 1% or so. Seems Simon found an AR coating that rivals the UCL legend.
Interesting results. Thanks Dale! Yea, would be interesting to see the beast L6 you got there tweaked for a little more. I've seen more bad AR's then good, I think I've only seen the UCLp's beat them, but probbaly just in more budget lights.
I have one XHP70 P2 1C on a 20mm sitting around here, from back when Richard had them in stock - should have bought 1-2 more. Wonder if/when he's getting more - been meaning to ask him.
I dug out a stock L6 lens from my box where I put them when I get UCLp lenses in as replacements. It’s been my practice to place the blue protective film on the stock lens and write the lights brand and model number and the date on this film, for reference. When I removed the film from my L6 stock glass, (replaced July 1, 2016) it pulled a lot of the AR coating off the glass, ruining it.
So, while the coating might have nice translucence it is more easily damaged.
That said, I pulled fresh charged Efest Red 3000mAh 26650’s off the charger at 4.21V and did a replay on the tests, using the UCLp from my black L6 and the stock glass lens from my Clear L6. The results have me thinking I made a mistake on the first go round, much as I tried to get it right and double/triple checked. Oh well, I can only report what I just saw.
Clear L6, in stock trim.
No lens 4226.25
Stock lens 3815.7
UCLp lens 4081.35
Lest y’all think I’m nuts (can’t blame you, I do) the glass lens has sanded and radiused edges, and of course it’s glass, making it easy to see the difference from the Acrylic lens with laser cut edges that show microscopic ridges. Very easy to tell them apart.
Cells from the modified L6 are still charging.
Edit: The only way I can see that there could be such variation is in the order of testing, cells dropping after getting hit with the 4000 lumen first and ensuing test. I tested this time with the UCLp first, no lens second, and stock glass lens third. First time it was stock glass, UCLp, then no lens.
. So, something has to go - either drop the indicator LED or drop the 7135 bank... I believe the R1 or R2 value needs to be about 36K, or 360K, so I got the 360K and 47K installed already.