Hello, I have another update on this project and I really thought this time it will be completed &with all the tests. But sometimes things go different than one want :~ …and now it just needs more time. Okay now what was done successfully:
Made a custom copper heatsink - it is much more massive than the default one, the heat transfer contact with the body tube is 3 times more than before (I slightly increased the total height and also removed some anodizing inside the tube, for better heat transfer)
I really wanted the led to be directly bonded to copper heatsink but didn’t wanted to solder cables to those tiny pads on top of led base, so I did it similar way how lambda is mounting the leds to heatsinks, thanks for inspiration! (or I think I saw it there)
Soldering the led was very easy as both parts fit very well, first presoldering the middle part with tiny layer and then add the led and cables:
…and after all this was finished, I was not carefull and scratched the emitter badly :cry: It still works but it really needs to be replaced. I changed my default t6-3c led for u2-1c and unfortunatelly had only 1, so now it has to wait till I get the new one. I should be more carefull until finish, I know……
I know how you feel about damaging the emitter. I managed to just touch one with the soldering iron leaving a small black spot on it. luckily it scraped of and seems to be ok. Looking forward to the completion of this.
I have read about some guys here that had success with polishing out scratches in the dome of an XM-L with a q-tip and plastic polish. May be worth a try.
Thank you for this advice, it worked! It is indeed possible to remove scratches from led dome with wet q-tip mounted in micro drill, however must be done slightly and q-tip must be always wet. I had not plastic polish so I used a tooth paste and even with it the dome now looks much better! For the Cyclone I’ll go with new emitter as I already ordered one, but certainly will not throw this one away and will use it in other flashlight.
Was it expensive for you to get the extension made?
I was just thinking to myself it would be really nice if the whole middle section was 1 piece/tube, then maybe strip the anodizing and polish it all up or paid the head and tail and have gold/silver.
No no, it was not expensive, extension tube was made for about $10. With more pieces at once the price could be better, but I was glad the man was willing to made me only 1.
I didn’t updated the first post yet, but if someone like the extension tube just machined without anodizing, this could be the price + shipping. Without anodizing, I’m able to get even 1 piece only.
Btw. you posted in earlier post that you like the flashlight with silver tube, as on picture - I still didn’t painted mine because I’m liking it silver too
that’s really impressive work, especially on the direct mount LED. Did you mill the post hole in the star? The battery holder is a very neat piece of work too, well done!
Well I thought this was the easiest way of how to bond led directly to copper and still be able to use it in c88 I drilled the hole with micro-drill in the star first and then used mini-files to finish the rectangle shape. I wish I had the milling maschine
The battery holder - I’m sure it will be able to give 3.5+ amps as it is, with default springs used, but maybe I would think of upgrade it later with copper parts, or at least with better copper springs to lover overall resistance - does anybody know where to get thin copper plate and gold plated springs in size close to original ones?
How about this copper foil - this is 5mil I used for wrapping P60 drop-ins. And what about these golden springs? Or these might be better. I can't comment on the spring sizes though.
Garry I was thinking I’ll do all the tests at once after the flashlight is completed, so far I was able to supress my curiosity, but now as you asked… you convinced me
I still have the scratched emitter mounted, so I’ll wire it with default 3mode nanjg driver and test runtime with 6 eneloops in the holder on high 2.8amp. Just apms&runtime test.
Thank you for ebay-link to copper plates!! I have those springs from CQG and they are very strong, not good to use in batt.holder, but those from manafont looks promising.
Here are first results of the diy 6xAA battery holder. I have to say first the conditions how it was done to avoid confusion
- batteries are new eneloops 2000mAh, charged about 3 weeks ago, it’s their 2. discharge cycle
- I’m using default 3mode nanjg 2.8A driver
- wires were soldered to driver and led, others were connected only with clips, and all connections were too long!!!
driver~~led about 0.5m, batt.holder~~>driver about 2m together with dmm
Clips and long wires are not good here and I didn’t realized that it will cause a problem to reach 2.8amp, so I started just around 2.4A
(when all was ready I was lazy to go and reconnect everything with shorter wires, so went with 2.4amp as start, also must note that the holder is able to give 2.8amp without problem as I shortly tested before)
Important points are:
- total consumed energy was 3366mAh, (1683mAh per battery) than the led started blink
- 60min the current remained more than 2.1amp, which is 750+ lm for xml-u2
- 1:20 >1.5amp, which is 600+ lm
- 1:35 >0.75amp, still 300+ lm
After the led started blink I set medium level and it was running another 30min, than the eneloops were ready to charger
Nice testing. You certainly put a lot of work into this. Thank your for sharing your idea with us it is a good idea since there is very few 6*AA lights out there with proper LED+Driver+reviews/tests. TY
Hmm. . . runtime doesn't seem all that different than 3 Eneloops measured by _the_ in his review. I know _the_'s current draw was only 1.78A though, so perhaps that's the key. You're getting higher output with about the same runtime. I was hoping to see more runtime myself.
Well, if he’d replace driver with something near 1.78A (5 AMC7135’s would be closest, with 1.75 - 1.9A depending on whether they are 350mA or 380mA binned ones), he’d get double the runtime :Р
(or I think I saw it there)
