Modded Stranger Things torch, AKA the Demogorgon Deleter 9000

G0OSE · 2023-11-10T12:38:23.271Z

Nice job, why not enter it in the OL compo?

Henk4U2 · 2023-11-10T12:49:47.802Z

Maybe it’s not my place to say this, but this reminds me a bit of OL.

@G0OSE I’ve never seen an episode of Stranger Things.

saltyboi6704 · 2023-11-10T13:19:34.429Z

Great suggestion, only just learned about this competition and I feel like I haven’t documented enough so I might need to take it apart for more pictures first lol.

NeutralFan · 2023-11-11T03:17:52.496Z

Nice modding Ray!

I think the Duffers would be proud to have it in 1 of their episodes, although it would need to be 2700K to be period correct.

Hoop · 2023-11-11T03:33:50.235Z

Nice going. Thanks for sharing.

Is there a driver in the switch housing or is this light direct drive? I’ve got one of these with the front parts removed but I am not sure how to go about removing the switch housing without breaking it. I may leave the switch as-is and just glue some components into the head to mod it.

saltyboi6704 · 2023-11-12T13:27:09.131Z

Yes, I’m using the Convoy 6V8A buck driver with 2 26650s in series. I don’t think the XHP70.3 would appreciate 8.4V across it or survive for very long xd.

Hoop · 2023-11-12T14:48:52.048Z

Does the stock light have any driver at all?

saltyboi6704 · 2023-11-12T14:52:03.190Z

Nope, just a reverse clicky mounted to a chunk of plastic with a tab connecting to the battery and LED PCB, and uses the internal resistance of the cells as well as the contact resistance to regulate current…

xevious · 2024-05-06T22:59:00.191Z

Really great work, Salty!

A shame that they didn’t make the head a screw-in component. Looks like this is never meant to be serviced. I don’t have the talent to do what you did, so I think I’m just going to glue a filter on the front to make the beam warmer…

G0OSE · 2024-05-08T18:01:36.808Z

Fantastic work
The reason I think this light has proved so popular is because it’s different (disregarding your mods). Personally I think it’s nice to have something different, why the flashlight world has gone down the road of basically the same shape over and over I have no idea. I mean there are a few choices of course, but most single cell lights are largely the same black boring tube over and over - a bit like cell phones are. Of course in that field they are also getting nostalgic with many wanting to step away from that slab back to older flip phones etc, not just for the shape, but they are fed up with their whole life being tracked by big companies.
Nokia (although not the old Nokia) in this country has quite the following again with their new range. Maybe flashlights could step back too, I have more than enough black tubes with leds in the end.

blwilli · 2024-05-08T20:01:06.349Z

What a brilliant mod! I had been side eyeing that light for a while but knew it would be a very difficult job and I lacked the courage to try. Congrats on the super cool light!

saltyboi6704 · 2024-05-08T20:54:53.031Z

I have a feeling it might be more of the hype from the Stranger Things show it was themed off, the light is just a reproduction Eveready Union Carbide Chrome 2D. (Yes, that was what it was called way back then)

G0OSE · 2024-05-08T22:33:08.789Z

For some for sure, not for me though never seen it lol! I just like the design of the light overall.

Henk4U2 · 2024-05-09T09:28:31.082Z

Of course it is. Like the communicator or the tricorder.

Jehmin · 2024-07-17T13:39:15.842Z

Hello I have a question. I also have this light. I thought it was a good idea to change my existing 2D Cells into a single 18650 with a spacer. Everything seemed to work. About 5 or 10 minutes of run time and the led looks ok but the light doesnt turn on anymore.
Assuming I didnt want to do what you just did as I am not about to machine some brass. I think its super cool. I just cant see myself doing that at this point in time. How you think I c an fix this light while retaining all the original components as possible? I would prefer not to destroy the plastic lens. Do you think there is another way to get in there? Such as removing the button assembly and sliding the entire unit back? does the button assembly pop strait out or is there anything holding it in place?
Thanks for any ideas

Hoop · 2024-07-17T17:04:45.740Z

The LED in your light is likely dead. It is reflowed onto a plain PCB, there is no heatsink, and there is also no driver, the LED is wired in “direct drive” so it cannot handle much power. Using a lifepo4 cell may have worked ok though, such as Vapcell G65.

Removing the window probably cannot be done in a non destructive way. It is press fit into a groove in the side wall of the head and it is in there tight. I removed it by heating up a screw and melting it into the window to get the screw hole started, then heating up the entire window with a torch until it was soft, then prying on the screw with a large pair of pliers. I was not able to remove the window without first heating it up to soften it.

The way to get the switch assembly out is by pressing on the little white tabs which are visible from the inside of the light. These tabs need to be pushed on with a pick or similar tool, then they will unlatch. The switch boot and white retainer can then be removed. Finally there are two small screws to remove, which retain the switch cover. After removing those, the switch housing slides out as a single piece. I don’t know if you would be able to perform the necessary tasks without accessing the various parts from the front of the light after removing the front window.

energizer_stranger_things_light_internals1682×1297 332 KB

Henk4U2 · 2024-07-17T17:08:35.655Z

Wow, some things seem to be designed not to be separated by mankind.

Jehmin · 2024-07-17T18:56:03.771Z

Thank you for the through explanation

saltyboi6704 · 2024-07-18T04:38:39.903Z

Yep, the polycarb lens was likely pressed in with a special die so removal without destroying it is likely impossible. I ended up just gluing a glass lens over the original bezel to fix that issue.

saltyboi6704 · 2024-07-18T04:42:06.864Z

Sounds like you fried through the bond wires in the LED. If you don’t mind gluing a glass lens over the front you can probably reflow a replacement LED onto it, and use a 5ohm resistor in series to be safe.