Modding a trustfire X9

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Hi Fella’s & Ladies,

Long time lurker/researcher advice seeker, first time posting… Need some advice, I used to build custom AR-15’s for a tactical shop here in NorCal. One of the flashlight salesman and I hit it off and he gave me a Trustfire X-9! I loved that light and had no issues with it, it was the 4.2 - 8.4 volt model so I ran 18650 and 123 primaries in it. It was my best throwing light to date. All of a sudden it started acting up as in not changing modes then only on/off in med. mode, now only darkness.

If you were to re-build a X-9 which driver and pill would you use, i dont need the blinkies but would still like the option to run 185650’s and or 123’s or the rechargeable rcr123/s @ 3.7 V if possible links to driver and pill would be a GREAT help!!

Thanks all,
Jeepcj

2

Great light! I dedomed mine and it’s a great single-cell thrower. I’m not much of a modder, but good luck getting it running!

3

not sure on the pill size of the x9 but this driver would give you cell flexibility

http://www.fasttech.com/products/0/10001997/1143100-1-2-lithium-2-group-35-mode-28a-led-flashlight-dri

4

I don't have one so I can't offer much advice but I remember when that light was the hot ticket and how badly I wanted one.

5

The driver is 17mm. Should be a snap to fix.

If the LED is at fault, it could be a little more difficult. The problem is the PCB that the LED sits on is off-sized and is almost the size of the lense. Unless you find the same size or you'll have to reflow a new LED onto the PCB.

Good luck.

6

thanks guys keep em coming please….

7

bump up, really need help on this i’ve read oldlumens can really make this light shine (pun intended)!!

8

Jeepcj5,

Based on your requirements, the 17mm driver that can handle 3-8.5v with no flashy modes is a little harder to find. And once you find it you have to make sure it is powering your single LED to the level you want. Hopefully someone will chime in with a link.

You may have to give up the fact you want the option to use 2 rechargeable batteries in your X9. One 18650 has more capacity than two rcr123s anyways so I'm not sure why you like to keep that option unless you like to throw primaries (CR123s) in there when need be. If you do decide to scrap the 2 battery option, there are many drivers with many options available for cheap.

I have confirmed the PCB for the X9 is 30mm x 2mm thick. https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/2658#comment-52708

As for the LED upgrade...unless you can find that same sized PCB, I would just buy a new bare XML2 with the tint you like and reflow it on the original PCB. It should give you more light than the original XML T6 you have in there now. This is assuming your LED is burnt or you want an upgrade.

9

I mod'ed up an X9 a while back, but it was single cell 18650 format. Yours takes 2 18650's? If single cell, I recall it was a pretty easy driver upgrade - the one I did was a KD v2 driver with extra 7135's running 3.74A. Changed the emitter to a U3, reflowed it on to the stock PCMCB/star.

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Bigwood & Tom E.

Thank you guys VERY much for the input! The only reason I considered the 2 CR123’s is because when I first got the light and was running a single 18650 it was pretty bright and threw very well, I had sitting next to my nightstand my trusty 1911 and home defense light a surefire M2 which I have modded with a P60 XML drop in running 2 cr123’s because this light has not been bored out.

I stuck those 2 primaries in the X9 and WOW I could tell the difference in brightness it was amazing, that’s why I chose the primaries as backup. I REALLY like this light and want to make it bullet proof, although it will not be my SHTF bug out bag light it does deserve a home in my F250 4x4 and was just considering if in an emergency I could run 2 cr123’s. I could always carry an extra 18650 or three if need be. I was hoping to make this a super thrower anyone who has this light I’m sure is impressed with the overall quality, to me it is worth fixing and keeping, the cost beats the he!! out of a surefire M3!!! :slight_smile:

Tom, I have moderate soldering skills and have never flowed an emitter onto a board, sounds like it may be a little bit above my skill set :frowning: This flashlight stuff is almost as fun as building and customizing AR-15’s :bigsmile:

11

I reflow in an old frying pan on the gas stove - very costly investment! Actually did maybe 20-30 this way and not one problem. Posted pics a while back.

12

+1 that’s probably your best driver option.

I wish they made that driver in 3.5Amp and 4Amp versions…

13

Jeepcj5,

I forgot to mention that your original X9 may have been underdriven with the one 18650 battery. There were alot of reports of this when the guys here started buying them. Them being driven at 1.5A or 2.0A there abouts, instead of 3A (Cree's suggested max). You'll find alot of the drivers that take 1 or 2 batteries, that the 2 batteries will be brighter than 1.

Here I go again trying to persuade you to use 1 battery. Sorry to beat a dead horse.

The new linear drivers these days can put out as much light or more than when you had 2 of those CR123 batteries using the original driver. So all I'm saying is don't let that stop you to using the one 18650. The driver Tom E is the hot setup. I can guarantee it would be brighter than the original with 2 batteries.

14

I really liked that light, but did it for a fellow BLF'er so I had to give it back . It came out really nice, but at the time, didn't have the meter setup so didn't take throw measurements. Thought I bought a clone of it, a Small Sun (single cell, looks the same) from WallBuys xmas eve special sale, but it's a copy cat in looks, but not near the same quality of the true X9.

Definitely a light worth fixin. If the 7135 piggy-back soldering is beyond you now, I'd look into this driver: v10-2745v or the 3.0A version. Check measurements first, though to be sure it would fit. This will limit it to one battery, but think that's the best way to go.

15

I am currently in the process of fiddling with this flashlight, just waiting for this new nanjg 105c from intl-outdoor with 3.04A to arrive, will also insert a copper slug under the emitter. Together with that driver I ordered XM-L2 T6 so I could try out that combination also!

In this moment I have regular/old Nanjg 105c (2.8A) installed and I can feel a heat of the light beam when in HIGH mode

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My modding is about half done, some important stuff like XM-L2 T6 and new Qlite Nanjg 105c are stuck at stupid HK post office

But here is what I have until now:
I bought some copper rods, 20mm and 25mm, can't have enough copper, right :P



Now, the "pill" is pretty massive but it has a hole in the middle, not too smart solution. That hole is 20mm wide and about 250mm deep to the groove that you can see here:





if I were to fill all that with copper, front side of the flashlight would become pretty heavy and I didn't want that so I cut a smaller ~12mm thick piece of copper for this purpose (better/faster heat extraction from the LED).



All together about 208 grams, could been better...
And here is how it should look like when emitter is installed, ups, forgot to drill holes for wires :)



Hmm, I wonder, how it would look like with XP-G R5, XPG is really small emitter, literally :D



Enough messing around, time to polish this thing (not quite perfect but will be OK)

Annnnd, that about all for now, I have to wait until my Heatsink Silicone Thermal Glue arrives from FT and XML2 and Qlite... I really hate long waiting :/

Just to compare: old unknown driver & old wires and new parts (pictured regular Nanjg 105C that I hooked up for testing):



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Very nice Sirius9. Your not the first one to forget to do something :wink: . I’m looking forward to your next installment.

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WOW Sirius9,
first off THANK YOU very much for taking the time and effort of photo and explanations!!! If I still had my reloading/work bench setup this would be much easier! I am just going to wait till you’ve got yours completed before i move a muscle and purchase parts. I REALLY hope you photo some beamshots!!! Man can you believe the difference in just a 20 gauge wire compared to stock? Sirius9 do you do this on the side? If so what would you charge me for an upgrade like this? Could you please PM me??? LOVE this forum!!!

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I received today my order from intl-outdoor and that means that I now have Qlite driver and XM-L2 T6 emitter :)

So I was wondering what shall I do now, should I try how would new XM-L2 work but the 16 mm
aluminium sinkpad with XM-L2 emitter is also a thinner than genuine sinkpad (not that big issue),
problem was that the reflector is too big for 16mm and has a groove that sits right on the contact
points for + and - pole so I would spend more time ensuring that it wouldn't come to a short circuit,
I would have to make some kind of spacer etc... too complicated.

While I was thinking, flashlight-oholic in me said: "Why don't you just swop the emitters?"

Interesting idea I thought, never done that before, I should probably take a note about emitters
polarity, but, before you know it, he (flashlight-oholic) grabbed high-tech-3-bucks butane torch from DX
and took off both emitters... Yeah, fun first - wory later :P

time to find a new home for those emitters ---> done & done :)

driver? --->check (yeah, I know, my soldering sucks. I was actually proud how nice it turned but then I
just wanted to "touch up" one spot -> messed everything)

of course I replaced those short&tiny wires with 20AWG-ones and squeezed big blob of thermal
paste under the emitter :)

finished product:

Looks nice, performs nice and it was fun to do it but no WOW effect
unfortunately. For testing I used TrustFire flames 2400mAh unprotected 18650 battery, pulls ~2,7A
on HIGH (tailcap), I had in mind to measure emitter amps but remembered that when my soldering
iron was already cold :/

All in all I will have to buy some high discharge batteries like this 30A Sony's and redo the testing
because 2.7A doesn't impress me anymore :P

As per beamshots, that will have to wait because my camera refused to work at night (something
to do with high power consumption of focusing mechanism and old/weak batterys)...

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@sirius9, very nice mods you have there. the brass will really help cooling down.

@jeepcj5, I have my X9 mods with help of local forum fellow. change the driver with SGPCB 5 modes. tested with Panasonic 3400 mAh cell it can draw 4.3 A on highest mode. quite hot but still not a shutting down hot.