EagleTac M3C4 (XM-L v1 - old school) - mod can't go any further...for now

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

I have been trying to sell this light for a while, but there has been no takers on it.

So, I thought I may as well try to mod it to the light that I want. The plan was to see if I can resistor mod it and then replace the XM-L of unknown bin and tint (except it’s cool white) into an XP-L U5 7A3 (80+ CRI, 3000K). All was going to plan until I got the following:

I believe it’s an aluminium retainer ring which the reflector screws onto. I think it can also be unscrewed, but I am not 100% sure. The other thought I had just now, looking at the picture, is similar to my first mod, which was the Catapult v1. The plastic insulator just needs to be popped off, allowing access to the LED???

Hmmm…

Will have lunch now and munch it over. :slight_smile:

Ohh, I’ll take pictures of the driver if I can unsolder the LED. I cannot see any resistors in there for me to resistor mod or do any sort of current modding, but I’m hoping to get people’s help on that one if I am able to get the LED out first.

2

Drill 2 small holes on opposite sides so you can use snap ring pliers to unscrew it.

3

Crap. It’s a bare emitter.

I don’t have a spare bare emitter and also, I have never tried soldering a bare emitter onto wires before.

It is moddable, but I don’t have the tools to make it happen. If I were to mod it, I think the way to do it is to cut out that LED shelf, solder in a new one that will accommodate an MCPCB. The head does get hot, but it does take a while to get it hot when on maximum. The thermal path, at stock, isn’t the best IMO.

4

Dude think about it, that’s the best possible thermal part.

Using an MCPCB means there is another junction (with a mcpcb base it goes LED>MCPCB>pill>body, as is it goes LED>pill>body). Just dedome and be happy. If you’ve never reflowed that’s not the one to start with, it takes special solder and a technique to solder to aluminum.

5

Actually, I wasn’t going for extra throw on this one. The goal was for something brighter and in a warm to neutral tint. :slight_smile:

I might still give this a crack though. Need to find myself a cheap XM-L2 T6 3C/4C in either bare emitter or aluminium star first.

6

Check Old Lumen’s fine video on YouTube for a reflow demonstration. And yes, practice on a cheaper light before trying with the M3C4

BTW, I also have a M3C4 and it’s awesome. I would just replace the LED, no need for resistor mod.

7

What is the substance near where the thermal pad sits? Is it possible that the emitter is glued to the aluminum pill and not soldered?

8

I have lots of XML-T6 3c leds if your after one or two Rod.

9

Good eye, that would make his job easier.

If it where my light I would remove the pill and drill a small hole in the center there and swedge in a small copper slug to solder the emitter directly to.

10

Will check it out.

It’s thermal glue that’s holding the emitter in place. Then you have the wires from the driver soldered into the emitter from the bottom (no pic, sorry). I think it’s possible to simply unsolder the wires and push the emitter out. I don’t have any Fujik available and was a bit worried about using thermal paste (Arctic Silver 5) plus superglue, but after reading this thread , I should be good to go with that plan.

I might take up that offer. I’ll let you know. Thanks!

11

That’s a really neat design, thanks for posting! I wonder if ET uses the same sort of heatsink in some of their other lights?

Speaking of which, is the emitter sitting on a very slight pedestal? If you have a friend with a lathe, it might be possible to shave that area flat to allow for a regular mpcb or sinkpad instead depending on how much clearance you have against the reflector.

12

hmm… two batteries… MT-G2 mod?