FW3A mod thread. Post yours!

deleted-200707 · 2019-08-26T01:50:48.000Z

fame is flitting?

LedTed · 2019-08-26T02:45:13.000Z

LedTed:

I only hope to add to this thread, not take away from the custom diffusers.

Both the Felix AOD-S and NiteCore NDF25 diffusers fit very, very snugly on the FW3A. They are very useful with candle mode. Of the two, I prefer the AOD-S, as it can be used either tail standing or diffuser down.

Today I got a third diffuser and tried it (with no problems) on the highest candle mode for a half-hour.

The diffuser is a foldable lantern from Towild. It is supposed to be made from food grade silicone. It is slated to fit 25 to 30mm diameter flashlight heads.

In normal use the diffuser did not fall off of my FW3A. It can be used tail or diffuser standing, and in a few depths / steps in either stance.

I saved a little money by getting it from the Aplustore on Amazon. Search, “Diffuser Tip for LED” if interested.

goshdogit · 2019-08-26T03:24:44.000Z

LedTed:

Today I got a third diffuser and tried it (with no problems) on the highest candle mode for a half-hour.

The diffuser is a foldable lantern from Towild.

Thank you for sharing, I hadn’t seen that style before. :+1:

Here’s a link to the TOWILD diffuser on Amazon.

I have been using a spraypaint cap sat upside down on my tailstanding FW3A as a diffuser for candle mode. They come in LOTS of colors. :partying_face:

dragunbayne · 2019-08-26T11:56:44.000Z

BOO5TED:

Oh whale. :cry:

xD and you got it back!

Edit: That diffuser looks cool.

mattlward · 2019-08-26T12:49:48.000Z

Another set of leds installed in another FW3A. I have been looking for the perfect tint with some real output when needed. The 219b’s are about perfect but the output is lacking and she gets really warm. I got in on BlueSwordM’s group buy for SST-20 FD2 4000k leds. I had the stock FW3A with the 4000k SST-20’s and a stock D4V2 with SST-20’s, the D4V2 looks just sickly green and the FW3A looked pretty darn good. This weekend I got the time to swap in a set of FD2’s and they look great and as an added bonus it appears to me that the early stock SST-20’s used this same led! I think someone else somewhere reported the same thought, I would concur 100%.

Now, there may be some better bins of SST-20 4000k, but the question is… will mere mortals ever see those bins? I would still like to get ahold of 3 of the rosey LH351D hi cri leds, but not sure that will happen either.

SKV89 · 2019-08-29T03:43:52.000Z

SKV89:

SKV89:

I received the two FW3A, standard dark gray aluminum and the copper. The copper is drop dead gorgeous! The finish is very shiny, almost mirror like. It is the most beautiful copper light I’ve seen yet. Below are my test results:

Copper SST-20 4000K w/ stock Carclo and glass lens
lumens: 1,974
CCT: 3972
DUV: –0.0012
CRI: 95.2
R9: 83.8
Rf: 93
Rg: 102

Copper SST-20 4000K w/ UCL glass lens
lumens: 2,051
CCT: 3960
DUV: –0.0024
CRI: 95.6
R9: 86.0
Rf: 93
Rg: 103

Gray aluminum with stock non-Carclo optics (no glass lens)
lumens: 1,819
CCT: 3898K
DUV: –0.0025
CRI: 95.8
R9: 86.9
Rf: 93
Rg: 103

Gray aluminum with Carclo 10509 optics (no glass lens)
lumens: 1,767
CCT: 3982K
DUV: –0.0031
CRI: 96.2
R9: 88.6
Rf: 93
Rg: 103

Gray aluminum with Carclo 10509 optics (w/ UCL glass lens)
lumens: 1,802
CCT: 3904K
DUV: –0.0029
CRI: 96.3
R9: 87.7
Rf: 93
Rg: 103

Gray aluminum with Carclo 10509 optics (w/ UCL glass lens) at low output (first blink)
lumens: 99
CCT: 4052K
DUV: 0.0014
CRI: 96.4
R9: 93.4
Rf: 89
Rg: 98

E07 SST-20 4000K FB4 tint bin for comparison:
CCT: 3822K
DUV: 0.0028
CRI: 93.7
R9: 76.5
Rf: 93
Rg: 101

The SST-20 4000k in the FW3A matches the FD2 tint bin. It looks much better than the widely used FB4 tint or 219C 90CRI and high output is almost as good as Cree 5A/5D tint.

Copper version with optic and glass removed on turbo.
CCT: 4556K
DUV: –0.0096
CRI: 95.2

Gray aluminum with optic and glass removed on turbo.
CCT: 4404K
DUV: –0.0109
CRI: 95.7

MF01S with optic and glass removed on turbo
CCT: 4355K
DUV: –0.0096

I have a feeling both of these are FD2 tint bin because from what TA said, there was an extremely limited number of FA3 tint bin on the market in the range of 1,000 pieces only. Fireflies said Luminus recently wanted to make some more FA3 tint bins so there should be more.

Just received the 219C purple version from Illumn. The finish is so beautiful. Perfect gift for the ladies! Here are some measurements:

At turbo using P26A cells with stock carclo and lens:
lumens: 2,180
CCT: 4105K
DUV: 0.0029
CRI: 91.0
R9: 56.4
Rf: 88
Rg: 96

At low output using P26A cells with stock carclo and lens:
lumens: 53
CCT: 3994K
DUV: 0.0033
CRI: 92.9
R9: 68.3
Rf: 88
Rg: 97

It is noticeably more green that the SST-20 4000K version at all levels. With just a slight bit of extra output, I don’t see any reason in buying the 219C version instead of the SST-20. I bought this just for testing since no one posted any test results on the 219C version thus far. Will not get any more 219C version lights unless the manufacturer can source the rosy 4070e bin 219Cs.

contactcr · 2019-08-29T04:24:47.000Z

Was waiting on this report. Guess my LEDs will be replaced as I did the same on one of my Ti models

scosgt · 2019-08-30T17:06:57.000Z

mattlward:

Another set of leds installed in another FW3A. I have been looking for the perfect tint with some real output when needed. The 219b’s are about perfect but the output is lacking and she gets really warm. I got in on BlueSwordM’s group buy for SST-20 FD2 4000k leds. I had the stock FW3A with the 4000k SST-20’s and a stock D4V2 with SST-20’s, the D4V2 looks just sickly green and the FW3A looked pretty darn good. This weekend I got the time to swap in a set of FD2’s and they look great and as an added bonus it appears to me that the early stock SST-20’s used this same led! I think someone else somewhere reported the same thought, I would concur 100%.

Now, there may be some better bins of SST-20 4000k, but the question is… will mere mortals ever see those bins? I would still like to get ahold of 3 of the rosey LH351D hi cri leds, but not sure that will happen either.

Is the board glued? I took the bezel off mine and I don’t see any screws to hold it down.

contactcr · 2019-08-30T17:14:30.000Z

The thermal paste creates a suction plus the wires are so short there is no slack in them. It’s not glued though.

TeeDubya · 2019-08-30T21:18:40.000Z

Some changes on the FW3Cu and fun photographing it with stuff.

2 day patina, Georgia peach.

Clip & button etch. Was trying to go for an organic looking natural design to go with the copper.

Some metal finish applied called ‘brass black’ to darken patina.

After some carry time and frosted 10509 optics installed.

timbo114 · 2019-08-30T22:06:01.000Z

I really dig that textured button. Did you add a solder swirl on that button or did you chemically remove material?

TeeDubya · 2019-08-30T23:01:00.000Z

timbo114:

I really dig that textured button. Did you add a solder swirl on that button or did you chemically remove material?

TY. It’s all etched with a tiny bit of 800-1200 grit wet/dry work and a little polishing. If you do it in several layers you can create more depth and shadowing in the look of the design than there is.

Cereal_killer · 2019-08-31T05:25:57.000Z

Hand [mechanically] etched or acid etched? Great work!

f0xx · 2019-08-31T06:03:40.000Z

Cereal_killer:

Hand [mechanically] etched or acid etched? Great work!

Looks like acid/chemical to me

TeeDubya · 2019-08-31T18:51:01.000Z

Cereal_killer:

Hand [mechanically] etched or acid etched? Great work!

Ferric Chloride! TY! The clip is softer steel so it will etch quicker. I sealed the button off (underside) on some electrical tape and sealed the edge with fingernail polish so the tolerances for fit/use weren’t etched at all. I also left the bend and hole of the clip out of the FC other than a quick dip for color.

chops728 · 2019-09-01T13:30:56.000Z

Not much of a Mod—- I changed out the XPL-1A to Samsung 4k —- Very nice tint now — Surprising the Lumintop Optic works well with these LEDs— Seems to be more Floody with less artifacts — I have the same LEDs in a S2+ with the 511 optic to compare

I also had to get rid of that shiny clip from the Vipon buy light — I bead blasted the Clip and Button (better) — I’m thinking about Blueing the clip but the button is aluminum so that’s a no go—- I like the Heated look also

RazielSerafine · 2019-09-01T14:34:02.000Z

chops728:

but the button is aluminum so that’s a no go

It isn’t, it’s steel, if they didn’t change that. Otherwise TeeDubya couldn’t have etched it.

KawiBoy1428 · 2019-09-01T15:04:30.000Z

[quote=chops728]
Not much of a Mod—- I changed out the XPL-1A to Samsung 4k —- Very nice tint now — Surprising the Lumintop Optic works well with these LEDs— Seems to be more Floody with less artifacts — I have the same LEDs in a S2+ with the 511 optic to compare

I also had to get rid of that shiny clip from the Vipon buy light — I bead blasted the Clip and Button (better) — I’m thinking about Blueing the clip but the button is aluminum so that’s a no go—- I like the Heated look also

The button is stainless steel and can be colored with heat….so can the clip…

chops728 · 2019-09-01T15:20:07.000Z

Ok good to know—- I just checked the clip is magnetic —- KawiBoy1428 what clip is that

KawiBoy1428 · 2019-09-01T15:38:12.000Z

chops728:

Ok good to know—- I just checked the clip is magnetic —- KawiBoy1428 what clip is that

The original black clip….bead blasted and heated with a oxy/acetylene torch….