domes, dings and dammits!

Just got back to making some new drop-ins. Long story short I managed to kill three existing drop-ins, shorted out an XML Mule, a HiCRI Cree Mule and a Lumens Factory XPG. So, I test the LF drop-in, LED good driver dead, NP pull driver and replace w/ Ill Supp driver. Great now lets try the Carclo optics Craig sent me. 1st try w/ my HiCRI XPG mule…… SH#T knocked the dome off!!! LED is dead!!! &@#$. Well I’ll try another mule w/ a nice WW XRE, ^$#$&*(!!! knocked off another dome!!! Well, not so bad, it still works and now it throws like crazy. Time to toss the Carclo into a dark empty box and leave it there…… Meanwhile a new N219 drop-in is shaping up and a driver test of the XML mule shows good. Time for more epoxy and solder!!

Some days I think I would be better off simply burning myself with the iron once, then putting everything away.

Less frustrating (and destructive) that way...

I know the feeling. I’ve had the Midas touch lately… everything turning to .

Those Nichia domes come off if you look at them wrong.

Rich

I do not like the Carlco optics at all. I use the ones from CNQG because I have killed a couple of LEDs trying to use the Carlco. I have found that the only way I can use the Carlco is to set in on the led and silicone it to the base, so it does not move during final assembly.

We all have days like that, but we just don't tell anyone...Wink

wired a switch wrong and i fried a 1 mode 7135 1.4A driver last night…magic smoke. then nicked a dome on xp-e with the iron. tried to dedome it…failed. quit and went to bed.

This is one club I wish I was not in. Hi fellow members.

All modders have “war stories”, my latest just came in a pile all at once. BTW, the de-domed XRE has amazing throw so I’m going to convert it to DD [if I manage to not kill it first!].

This thread made me think of this:

i love this place

Ooh. If it helps at all, I recently killed my Maratac AAA Cu performing an emitter swap (leads shorted on reflector) :cry:

Thats a nice light Slim, hope you have another emitter to replace the dead one. BTW, what part of the “Pine Tree State” are you from? I’m near Augusta.

have some mainahs in one place
edit: im near augusta too, a little west of it

Quite a few Mainers for such a small place. I’m just a little south of Freeport/L.L. Bean City for non-Mainahs.

Unfortunately I killed the Cu’s driver, which, after the copper body, was the 2nd best part of the light. Perfectly flat and current regulated 2-modes. This driver has to be for sale somewhere, it’s by Lumintop…

Is that by way of the B.F.I. ?