Newbie question about mode modification.

This question has no doubt been answered many times before but im struggling to find an answer. Im very new to cree lights and to the forum, i bought an ultrafire t6 torch with a pressure switch from ebay, link below, it has 5 modes and as i was wanting to use it for shooting on my rifle i was wondering if there is a way to disable all but the sngle brightest mode so i dont have to cycle through each mode when in use. Please use simple terms as i am not yet familiar with any of the tech that goes with these torches. im happy with the torch but the modes are a little tedious when you only need one…thanks for any help in advance…link to item for specs is here and its the one with the pressure switch i purchased. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UltraFire-CREE-XM-L-T6-LED-Zoomable-Lamp-Flashlight-Torch-Remote-Pressure-Switch-/400383841551?pt=UK_SportsLeisure_Camping_LightsLanternsTorches&var=&hash=item5d38bc950f

Hi mido and welcome to the forum.

I’m assuming you went for the light with a pressurevswitch in the photo as the listing seems to have options. If so, that light is called a c8.

Its possible to make it one mode a couple of ways, depending on the insides and how handy you ate with a soldering iron. :slight_smile:

One option is to remove the driver and wire it direct drive, the exact details of this as I say, depends on the insides. In your intended use, I think this would be perfrctly viable as you’ll be on off pretty quich I assume.

The next option is a one mode driver. This does the same thing but the current to the led is regulated, more sophisticated, arguably better for the emitter.

What type of rifle are you using? Air rifle? Centre fire? Rim fire? Full bore?

If your really unsure, then I for one could modify the light for you or, if there is more you find unsuitable suggest/build something more suited.

Hope all this helps and welcome to the forum from sunny Lancashire :bigsmile:

Thanks for your reply gords it is indeed the one with the pressure switch which i will be using mainly on my .22 air rifle but i will also at some stage be using it on a .22 rimfire and also maybe a 17 hmr but depends on how it performs first as im just getting back into the old lampin…i would be up to try the direct route without using a driver it you think it wouldnt be too detremental to the light, would i get the full brightness the torch is capable of using this method? i can strip it and send you pics of componemnts if you could talk me through it….many thanks again…

It can go two ways, ,brighter or poof :open_mouth: I’m at work at the moment but I’ll get back later on.

That would be great thanks again…

you could probably remove the cap from the driver to disable the modes as well.

i changed the driver on a c8 to fasttech’s 2-mode driver that is a 2-mode driver that always starts in high (and is direct drive in high). but then shortly after i bought other flashlights that i rather use :bigsmile:

Would i need to purchase anything further to remove the cap from the driver, i am happy to remove all modes and just have the bright mode. would it help if i took photos of the module that the led is attached to? unsure how to get into the wiring bit behing the led but i have got to that stage without issue…

Hi oscar, just wondered if you could let me know in very basic form what the procedure would be for removing the cap from the driver to disable its mods, i only need it to have a sngle ode which is the brightest it can be…obviously i dont want it to go pop though….thanks again, i have never dismantled anything like this before, i do have a soldering iron and im willing to have a go…

Hi mido, sorry I didn’t get back last night. It wasn’t a good night for a detailed explanation.

Now, direct drive is certainly one solution but I do have another.

I can post you a c8 pill. ( the bit the led and driver mounts in) if the pill screws home (not all c8s are the same) then I can either point you to the bits for a regulated one mode build or order the bits and build the pill for you.

Now, if you do wish to go direct drive, you basically either strip all components off the driver, bell out the positive and negative points, then connect the original wires to these points, the resistance in the light controls the current. Its sloppy but it works, for a new build, I’m not sure if its the way forward but its an option.

As I say, I have a pill that will work as a thread check, if that fits I know where I can get brass replacement pills that take 17mm drivers and I know where to get 1 mode regulated drivers. They come 2.8a which is fine for an xm-l or the current can be upped by adding chips. I can also fit/supply an xm-l u3 which will be brighter and a known white tint.

Send me a pm if your interested and we can go from there, if its desperate, I can always strip the pill out of my c8 to get you going. :slight_smile:

If you get the driver out, you just use the soldering iron to de-solder the cap. It’s not difficult at all. Post a picture of the driver if you’re unsure :slight_smile:

Thanks oscar, i have had the driver out but am unsure which bits to unsolder and remove, i have tried to post photos but it asks for web links and the photos are on the desktop of my pc not online…i can email you the pics if you want to pm me your email address…

just tried to upload some pics to flicker and see if i can post on here… Lee Myers | Flickr!

Yep, that worked. I can now see your pictures.

Just remove the yellow cap by using the soldering iron, that should be it.

Sorry for sounding stupid oscar but i cant see a yellow cap, have you been able to see the pics i uploaded?

the yellow/brown capacitor is between the red wire and the 6-legged component :slight_smile:

and you think that will disable the modes on the torch and not kill it completely? sorry for all the questions just never done this before and want to make sure im not just gonna kill it…lol…Thanks again…

if you break it, you could always go direct drive :wink:
but yeah, that should disable the memory function.

will try removing the capacitor tomorrow, how do i make it direct drive just in case???

I haven’t done any direct drive mods, but worry about that later, and just remove the cap for a start.