I was recently jus given a Police Security Cavalier Penlight!! The cool thing is everything jus unscrews there is no glue or adhesive used!! So my question is….Can I swap the current pcb board/emitter with the same size of board but with a cree xp-e2 660nm photo red led?? Would it be jus that simple?? N would it be the same amount of lumens as the white light?? Hi:100Lm Low:45Lm If anyone knows or has done this MOD I’d really fancy ur knowledge and input please and Thank you!!!
I do own several C8 flashlights, yet no one is “just” white. So I do understand your wish. But a fair warning is in order, though I’m not familiar with that specific brand/model.
Even if the mayor parts of your light can easily be unscrewed or opened, does not mean you can start swapping any part you like. That depends on their size, build, et cetera. However there is one thing I can predict. Suppose the moddability of this light is great or perfect, and you succeed in swapping the white led/ledboard with a red led/ledboard, it almost certainly will NOT have the same output as the white light.
First of all: red emitters are not very efficient in transforming energy into light. Secondly: even if instruments show there is as much red light as there was white light, you would not perceive it that way. Because the sensitivity of the human eye for red light is poor. So forget an easy swap that lets you see as far with red light as you did with white light.
Last remark: what you’re asking for is not an easy job, but different colored leds can be a lot of fun.
IIRC, Sofirn redesigned the driver for the C01R, but I don’t remember why. Was it the characteristics of the XP-E2 (e.g. more current?), or were there other reasons?
Just memory (no link): the C01R had another driver to match the low Vf of the red led.
Convoy sells a dedicated driver for a red led (Vf: 2.0V-2.5V).
On the subject of the low perceived output of the 660nm led: this LINK
though the outputs will surely change, I encourage you to do the swap and find out for yourself
you can buy this 660nm LED already reflowed onto 10mm mcpcb and solder it into your light, will need some supplies… the process looks like this
I use tacky flux to help unsolder and resolder the red and black wires
and thermal paste on the shelf
.
Let us know what happens… and how you like it 