Probably not 0:)
I could see it getting onto 2 stars and positive or negative.
3 stars? Nope, not without some hidden trace underneath it.
Which you could do by removing the paint off of some traces.
Might be useful for those who want groups but do not like to switch groups with a main button. Or those lazy to solder, but then you need to solder the driver in anyway lol.
As a human being I'd say this dipswitch mod is clearly a unhealthy sign of not being able to make up your mind (about anything probably), as a modder: I love it! 
Once the mask is scraped off the traces that lead from the vias to the stars, the legs land nearly perfectly on all 3. The two outer legs have to be splayed outwards just a tiny bit.
Bend the inner set of legs straight down and the outer legs completely under, tin the legs & the traces on the board, remove the spring for clearance, solder legs to traces, fold switch body down flat and solder outer legs to ground plane.
I only destroyed one switch figuring out it couldn't be done reflow-style with hot air on an assembled board, the MCU is directly opposite the switch and I couldn't get enough heat where it needed to be without overheating something else.
This is not a plain 105C or Qlite, it's NLITE. The stars are much more useful. :)
I’ve spent $2 on the carlco optic and it arrived. There’s no turning back now! 
Could someone provide me with a measurement of the overall height of the carlco and noctigon triple? Figured I would get a head start on the pill and modifications to the mini mag.
Edit: thank you comfychair!
"Stack height of the Carclo + 3XP is .308", or 7.8mm"
Well looking at the various pill designs if I hollow out the head a bit and cut off some of the threads inside I can get about 22mm of total space. 8mm for the 3up and optic, 3mm minimum for the driver… Is 11mm of copper/copper shot/lead going to be enough heatsink to run this thing on an IMR?
L2m Shorty, copper pill, Triple XP-G2 running 3.73A at the tail on an Efest IMR18350V2, 1131 lumens measured in a lightbox out the front. Copper pill is a solid 3 oz. of copper.
I’ll take that, all day long.
Dale - you should be able to get 1,100 lumens or so on a XM-L2 U2/copper star in a P60 host at 3.85A I would think, so it's nice but nothing much over a single XM-L2. I know I get about 1,200 lumens in C8's with XM-L2 U2's at 3.85A. Each XP-G2 gets about 1.25A, but of course triple XM-L2's would fair better, so loss can be attributed to the XM-L2 vs. XP-G2. Wonder if anything more can be tweaked out of it - your tailcap is low resistance modded? Wonder how the optic's loss compares to an AR lens' loss -- ohhh - just saw on the IS listing for the Carlco it shows 87% efifciency or so, maybe lower than a reflector/AR lens combo.
Yes Tom, but…it’s the L2m Shorty, with a McClicky switch and an Efest IMR18350V2. Will get a reading using an AW IMR18350 this morning. 
Well there must be something seriously wrong with the single XML2s I've built, 'cause the triples are easily noticeably brighter, and you know how much of a difference there needs to be before it's a visible difference. :p
Pulled 1162 lumens at 30 seconds on an AW IMR18350 in the L2m shorty. 1176 lumens at start. Not bad for a tiny light, not bad at all.
Does it matter, really, what else “might” do those numbers? This was my very first triple build, even re-flowed the emitters… had fun doing it, it looks awesome and blows people’s minds with it’s size/power ratio. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
Edit: It’s actually 100-200 lumens brighter than any single cell XM-L2 light I’ve built, stacking chips on the 105c driver til the cell maxed out.
That lower Vf must really help allow more current to be drawn from the cells.
Yes, compared to single emitters with high Vf for sure.
Got my X-Power host from FT today. It is a Convoy S6 host complete with box. It is slightly different in details compared to my older FF Xiaozhi but the internals that are included seem better and hassle free hopefully. Unlike the Xiaozhi which tested me quite a bit to get done properly.
Finish is nice, flawless, if it is anodized or not I cannot tell on any flashlight.
Since it’s a cheap Chinese flashlight any anodization on these lights is always something of an unexpected bonus if it really does resits scratching a little better than simple paint.
Still waiting on those Noctigons from IO! |(
Got my later order from IO today, the earlier Noctigon order, still not here.
Eeeerggrhhh.
Now I have everything for 2 lights, just not the Noctigons because the post is doing who knows what with them.
The replies from IO are priceless as well. Be it eBay I would already have it refunded without even asking for a refund. 38 days, Noctigons still enroute or lost.
The Convoy S6 should be HAIII according to FT. And as it came with the stock refloctor it probably does not fit protected batteries, because the reflector is deeped than my already quite deep Xiaozhi reflector.
Yes, my last order was shipped out on 10/28, arrived today.
Measure the S6 battery tube from front face to rear face, it's almost exactly 70mm. You'll need to leave more of a gap between the pill and the front of the tube to fit the longer cells (and/or use a flat, single-sided driver). I've chopped up five S6s now, they're built with the front of the tube touching the rear of the pill and that leaves just enough room for a 65-66mm unprotected cell.
What did you build?
I’m thinking of making 2 and selling one since I don’t need two most likely.
So a triple Nichia 219 light might be for sell later.
Xiaozhi has tons of space inside as long as you don’t mess it up like they probably did with the stock S6 that has longer reflector than Xiaozhi and might not take protected batteries in that case. While making a triple there is obviously tons of space so 70mm battery space is what I aim for.
Let me measure some things for comparison.
| Xiaozhi | S6 | |
| body | 69.60mm | 70.05mm |
| battery | 18.95mm | 19.05mm |
| head | 43.40mm | 43.00mm |
| head thread | 12.20mm | 16.80mm |
| tail | 27.10mm | 27.05mm |
| pill depth | 6.15mm/3.05mm | 6.55mm/1.70mm |
| refector | 16.60mm | 19.90mm/18.40mm |
| total length | 115mm | 117mm |
…
S6 has deeper space for switch boot so will tailstand more easily without worries. S6 has counter threaded brass switch thingy so it will not loosen when unscrewing the tail. Not that it happens on my Xiaozhi but it’s a nice addition.
S6 has dimensions that by default make it longer and take up more internal space.
Nearly 1.80mm on reflector, 1.35mm on driver, tail is less deep and to fit the battery they made the body longer.
Too bad the thread is not as deep on S6 as is on Xiaozhi. Ordered X-Power but we already “know” that they get it all from one place that makes Convoy lights anyway.
The flashlight host is nice and complete, just too bad that with the stock things it might be a little tight for protected batteries indeed.
S6 will need a bigger copper spacer, I guess 9mm of copper, at least the triple will have some heft behind it.
The Nichias on my CPU heatsink are making the heatsink HOT and not even running on full power, just 10.00V in series, makes 3.33V per one, unknown current. 70x70x43mm copper core CPU heatsink. It does cool down and it’s not burning hot but it’s uncomfortably hot when it’s ON.
I think the lights will appreciate any added copper to them.
Oh I almost forgot, the Noctigons arrived today after 40days and a later order from IO arriving much sooner in a regular xmas 3 weeks time instead of those nearly 6 weeks.
They look awesome.
The S6 is then a redesign of Xiaozhi and it’s not made the most clever way to fit protected 70mm batteries.
What hosts are compatible with 70mm batteries?
Too bad people don’t write on FT or review here as much, I might repost those dimensions there myself.
What host has the deepest threads toward the front in the head?
I hoped this host would be more similar to my Xiaozhi that has them cut generously forward.
S6 doesn't need a spacer, it needs to be shortened. :)
Take off the pill threads at the front end so it screws in far enough to seat the TIR against the lens. Then shorten the head by whatever amount will give you the desired battery space.
You post way too much XD I will check it thanks.
And what do you call that aluminum on the pill? I call that a spacer 
Except I make them from copper.
Yes I did already take the threads off from the pill, I think that’s much easier and useful to minify than making a ring on the outside of the spacer. But I’ve seen you did that too on some other pics.
Do not use a glass lens with these!! Do not use a lens. Not even a good AR lens. It alters the beam when the lens is in contact with the front of the TIR. If there's an air gap between them it's fine, but not if they're touching. Do not ask me why or how, but it does.
Why would you even use a lens?
I just use an o-ring to seal it. Or the RTV silicone if you prefer it.
Using double lenses causes trouble, light refracts.
It can be anything added on those Carclo, plastic or glass, anything.
And it also generates more light loss.
I see no advantages to using a glass lens other than it may be more scratch resistant than the special lens plastic Carclo lens.
I knew there would be a slight loss in light OTF, acceptable for the extra protection, and losses minimized by choosing a nice double-sided AR lens. What I didn't know was how much it would alter the optics of the TIR. It effectively works as if the TIR were thicker, and changes the pattern/spot size dramatically.
The S6 assembles fine without the lens, o-ring sealed direct to the front of the TIR. I'm glad now I didn't open the bezel ID which would have compromised/eliminated the stock o-ring groove. I did have to remove around one more full thread from the front end of the pills to compensate for the missing lens, but there's still 3 full threads left which is plenty.
Also some of my earlier TIR spot pattern comparisons are INVALID, on some sets there were two or more lights with some using a lens and some not. (some sets were shot with all the different optics on the same light, all with no lens, those are sill OK)