Fenix PD40neo (1st gen PD40 with state-of-the-art technology)

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts Featured Mods
1

Hello together,

I am finally done!

Here it is: the 1st gen Fenix PD40 from 2014 with newest technology, ready for the next 10 years. Retrofit at it’s best.

Called Fenix PD40neo

Like known from Airbus aircraft neo stands for ‘new engine option’. So true in this case :smiley:

  • swap from MT-G2 to XHP70.3 HI N2 E3 (5000 K 80 CRI)
  • 4A 6V boost driver
  • Anduril 2
  • using of 21700 cell
  • original lens, reflector, e-switch

Around 3050 lm and 28 klux (measured with 3.6 V half-empty cell!)


Quick peek into the Anduril UI:

The first thing is a proper adaptor for 21700 cells, since 26650 is slowly phasing out.

This fits the cell tight and nicely, no annoying sounds are heard while using the light.

The LED swap from MT-G2 to XHP70.3 HI wasn’t too difficult, but the gasket was. Since the LED has a different footprint and the reflector has a special design underneath, I have to design a custom one.
With some force and heat opening the head is also not too difficult. The head and also the battery tube are heavily glued.

Then the most difficult part was to swap the driver. I used a Emisar driver with 6V 4A. For me it was important to keep the original switch since it’s feel was extremely great for me, so I modified the original driver and keep also the original layout.

The new driver is working fine!

The handling of one of my all-time favourite lights is absolutely perfect. Good beam, good tint with nice color rendition, high performance even for today’s standards, use of standard 21700 cells and a very good universal beam makes it a good companion for the next 10 years!

Here are some shots (with old driver, but the XHP70.3 LED):

Was a nice mod and I had a lot of fun! :slight_smile:

9 Thanks
2

Great job! It’s fantastic to see you give new life to that old light. That’s a creative approach with the driver. I will remember that for future mods. Swapping out eswitch drivers can be challenging in terms of fitment so that’s a good way to get around the issue.

1 Thank
3

Yeah, but this solutions works only in a few lamps. The 1st gen PD40 has plenty of space for the driver, in most other lamps such a stacking layout would simply not fit or the new driver has to be extremely small. And for the best and most powerful ones, this is not the case.
For e-switch lights it is also crucial in most cases to keep the original layout for keeping the switch (or it will be extremely difficult to integrate the switch properly on the new driver).

For modding, the PD40 is surprisingly one of my best lights I modded so far. It has space, and it’s internal structure is in general pretty simple. Tbh one of the best lights I have from Fenix (and I had some of them).

4

This is a very cool project! It’s nice to see you do a mod!
The original driver is bypassed or not?

5

The original driver does not exist anymore :smiley:
All components except for the switch are desoldered and some traces are cut to avoid any short.

The original PCB is only for keeping the design identical and to make sure the switch can be used.

6

You’re tempting me to try and drop an SBT-90 e-switch driver into a zoomie with a similar method

7

Good idea :+1:t3: