Is Removing reflector the easiet way to give you flood ?

lightwonder · 2019-05-30T19:05:19.000Z

Relampago · 2019-05-30T19:09:25.000Z

heh.

emarkd · 2019-05-30T19:23:42.000Z

Reflectors are sometimes (often?) used to hold down the mcpcb, since they kinda float in there. So I wouldn’t remove the reflector unless you know that mcpcb is going to stay firmly seated against the shelf. Instead try a diffuser material. DC Fix is very popular. In a pinch I’ve seen folks just cover their glass with tape - seems to work and definitely qualifies as “easy” I think.

lightwonder · 2019-05-30T19:33:36.000Z

Does a light being potted make it any better when removing a refelctor

blind-eye · 2019-05-30T19:38:08.000Z

emarkd:

Reflectors are sometimes (often?) used to hold down the mcpcb, since they kinda float in there. So I wouldn’t remove the reflector unless you know that mcpcb is going to stay firmly seated against the shelf. Instead try a diffuser material. DC Fix is very popular. In a pinch I’ve seen folks just cover their glass with tape - seems to work and definitely qualifies as “easy” I think.

I don’t think the Convoy S2+ mcpcb uses the reflector for support does it? I have one in mind that I’m thinking about turning into a mule now…

lightwonder · 2019-05-30T19:47:08.000Z

Hi there what does mule mean

blind-eye · 2019-05-30T19:47:59.000Z

lightwonder:

Hi there what does mule mean

A flashlight without a reflector.

xevious · 2019-05-30T19:49:46.000Z

In a sense, yes and no, depending upon the depth of the reflector. Ever heard of a “mule”? It’s a light with LED’s exposed up front with no optics. Just a frosted lens for diffusion of light. If your reflector is deep, you’re going to get some more spill with less throw, but you’ll have an ugly beam with no smooth edges.

chops728 · 2019-05-30T19:51:40.000Z

There are several materials you can put over the lens to get more flood—- Boaz sells DC Fix and other films that work quite well

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DavidEF · 2019-05-30T20:17:10.000Z

Only removing the reflector does not make a good flood light. You should do as others have said already: use diffuser material over the lens.

Firelight2 · 2019-05-30T20:48:32.000Z

Just removing the reflector on a typical flashlight won’t increase flood at all. All the reflector does is direct light that would otherwise hit the inside of the bezel and be wasted out the front in tight beam. Remove the reflector and you’re left with a much dimmer light that’s all flood and no hotspot. But the flood is probably the same brightness as the spill with reflector on.

To increase flood, you can do the following:

Remove the reflector AND move the LEDs closer to the lens. This prevents the sides of the bezel from absorbing the spill. It gives you a much wider floodbeam. You can do this by putting a spacer made from bare stars below the main star. or
Remove a TIR optic. TIR optics can direct the floodbeam forward in addition to the reflected light. Unlike a conventional reflector, removing a TIR optic might give you a wider flood as-is. or
Install multiple emitters with floody TIR optics. Multi-emitter lights produce more lumens and tend to be the best flooders.
Install a frosted lens or diffusion film. This breaks up the hotspot and gives you a floodier beam.