It’s possible, if the stock driver stays. With additional driver space used for a second driver on top, then I think it would be way too little room to add any extra beneath the stock led shelf. This light really screams for a copper insert like bucket did with another light, but it depends on exactly where the pieces of the head come apart. I’m afraid I will ruin it with heat, but that’s about the only way I have, to get it apart to see.
I got the tail cap off, with a little heat, but I can't do anything with the control section. I heated it almost to where the ano was changing color and couldn't budge anything at all. I tried both directions and nothing. I don't know if the control ring will still even work. Glad it's a free light, it may be a rim shot light already. The garbage guys will love it. I haven't gone that route yet, but if I can't strip the ano and I can't get it apart, then it's going to get to be a sore spot with me and I always take care of sore spots. The best burr is one that's not under your saddle...
Did you find any glue on the tailcap threads? I thought many if not all tailcap threads were not glued.
O-L wrote:
. . . The led shelf is about 1/2mm thick. That is just too thin for risking an MT-G2 at any high amperage. The area where the led shelf sits is directly in line where the magnetic ring goes. There is no thickness in the head there. It's thin all the way till you get up to where the fins start. It's thin all the way the other way, to the bottom end of the head. . .
This is a bit of a bummer. Not so concerned about the thin shelf with that big copper base to spread the heat, but the thinness of the shelf perimeter and around it is a bummer.
Could this be why current is dropping? I think RaceR86 tested with the emitter out of the head. So probably not the reason, but it's still a bummer. I guess one may be able to build a copper bridge to the finned area. Still a bummer though.
EDIT: So far Ryansoh3 theory about something in the driver, like the voltage sensor bank, overheating seems like the most plausible reason for the current drop situation.
All that being said, I'm still very greatful for O-L getting us this deal. It's a nice light that I know I will enjoy. I just had high expectations for it being a second version of a tested design. Just thought they would have worked out issues like this by now.
It’s a shame about these issues that people are having with these lights. Mine hasn’t arrived yet so only time will tell if I scored a good one or not.
Aside from that though, I’m more interested in how I can get my hands on that purple Maglite with an MT-G2 in it!!
The TN31's, K40's with the lack of perimeter metal have the same problem. At 6+ amps, that thin ring area heats up quick, big time - they have always been like that. I didn't check the LED shelf thickness though - not sure how that compares with the K40 or TN31's.
I tried my strap wrench's on the mag ring threaded connection to no avail too 
. It worked on the TN31's, but they had good amts of Loctite.
I admit to being too hyped up with the finned head, where it’s actually on the reflector, not on the reflector base where it really needs to be. The ring area does heat up and I’m not sure how well that heat is being dispersed via the fins.
You don’t happen to have any photos of one apart do you? Or anyone else’s photos? It would be nice to see that apart. I’m wanting to see if there’s anything inside that would be killed by heat and where the seam is exactly. I still can’t see the seam, unless it’s under the ring. I am probably going to heat it till it turns color, to see if that will let it come apart. I fear they might have used a permanent locker, or possibly it’s not even threaded, but pressed in?
Yes, got pics, though not great already posted the other day, think on the K50 mod thread - BLF is painfully slowww for me right now...
Post #203 here: https://budgetlightforum.com/t/-/27786
Here's my K40 in pieces:
Bunch more views/details here: http://s1054.photobucket.com/user/TomE2012/library/SupBeam%20K40
TN31 pics here: http://s1054.photobucket.com/user/TomE2012/library/TN31
The pieces look very similar to the TN-31, the magnets in the magnetic control ring might get demagnetized with very high temperatures…
I agree with the high rate of bad issues with these group buys. I’m starting to wonder if the group buys are not worth it in the future at the high risk of receiving crappy junk lights and rejects from those sellers and manufacturers.
Same here, very disappointed with mine, even considering the GB price. So many issues that I did not expect in a non-budget flashlight. So much so that I probably wont be trusting the charging circuitry.
I’ve had many $20 flashlights that arrived with better QC and better design. :weary:
I would not charge any Li-ion in any flashlight. I see so many coming out like that now. "Ease of use", but I do not like the thought of charging them inside the light, where there is no venting. Of course, the shrapnel would be Awesome!
Tom E - thanks for the photos!
You mean like in your cellphone or tablet or laptop?
Don’t have a tablet or laptop. Never will. Tried a tablet, but hated it. Anyhow, I charge my cell phone batteries in a stand alone charger, in the garage. My kindle is what I hate. The battery stinks and it doesn’t take many recharges before it’s junk. I am planning on making an external nimh pack, to replace the stock pack.
…and damn those newfangled horseless carriages!
Well call me crazy, I obtained a few extra hours that needed to be burned and a whole lotta cells to charge…
Popped 4 new ncr18650b EVVA protected cells (3.83v) in the k50, and started to charge them. Started at 1.22A (monitored with an Xtar Vi01) and about 2 hours later I pulled them at 1.08A charge to check and 1 cell was at 4.13v, the other 3 were around 3.92v. I don’t like that at all… Is that really how parallel charging is supposed to work?
You’ve got one of them things too?
I just don't think charging multiple cells inside a flashlight is a great idea. I much prefer a charger where I can easily check each cell and know what is happening.
Regarding Charging
Input : 5V DC Output : 4.2V DC/500MA *4 MAX
Charging time: depend on the capcity of the batteries , Charging time = battery capacity/500mA + 0.5 hour
If you do not use the flashlight for a long time , please take out the batteries from the flashlight ,some poor batteries may leak and damage the flashlight.
If you store the rechargeable batteries for a long time , we suggest you conduct a charging-discharging operation every three month , so as to extend the lifetime of batteries.
Please do not use metal objects to contact the positive and negative electrode of the USB charging line to avoid short circult and damage the charging device.
1: For rechargeable lithium battery, there are inevitable differences in the production process, which determine charge a single lithium battery each time is safest way.
2: For most direct charging flashlights in the market, the batteries are charged in series with a constant voltage of 12.6V, if any one of the three battery break down, this 12.6V constant voltage will be diverted to the remaining two batteries , which may caused cause explosion due to overheating.
3.Supbeam k50 flashlight have figured out a safe a charging solution for direct charging flashlights with innovative design on the circuit, which solve the potential safety problem of traditional direct charging flashlight:
a: On the basis of not changing the structure of the battery carrier to supply power in series, through internal intelligent electronic switches, the flashlight can automatically convert the serial circuit into parallel charging state when a charging process is detected, three batteries will be charged in parallel at constant voltage 4.2V (accuracy of 1%), and single battery at 0.5A constant current.
b: Supbeam k50 have the overheat automatic adjustment function, when it detects that any of the batteries is faulty, it will automatically stop charge the faulty battery .
4, In the structure, Supbeam k50 use a unique suction magnetic charging interface, which will disconnect automatically under external force to ensure safety
Supbeam K50 stays on the cutting edge of technology with the latest Cree XM-L2 LED combined with a safe and very convenient contact-charging method achieved by automatic magnetic force.
The cells are being charged independently and are not connected to each other until you stop charging.
Interesting. I completely missed that, thank you.
So it sounds like it’s working as designed.