I built an Interesting Thing!
I was waiting for you to some tint mixing... How do you like it? And how does it blend behind the various TIR optics?
I think it needs a wider spread, but all I have is some ~3000k XT-Es. They're mentioned in the other S6 build thread:
So maybe one 7xx XT-E, one 3D, one 1A?
But as it is now, it's odd, but I can't make out any 'color' in the output at all, not like when all 3 are the same (brownish-red is always easy to pick up on with the 3Ds, the blue-green with the 1As, etc.). The actual combined color temp with these three wouldn't put it in the 'neutral' range, so I don't really know how to describe it.
The further away the various emitters are temperature wise , the easier it will be to notice the difference at the outer edge of the spill... At least with reflectors...
Tints tend to mix well in general though. Floody TIR optics will probably mix better.
So far the most noticeable spill difference I have seen is in my Lustefire 3XU2, the spill/ large "clover blades" makes it easy to notice... Despite that, it was easily worth it.. Ill be mixing various stuff in these in the future.. For those who are into various NW tints. The selection of XP-G2s are somewhat limited. Tint mixing opens up a lot of options. :) ^^
I only notice any difference between LEDs at ridiculously close range and on the lower levels, it's just too bright on high anyway. Hard to notice the tints when your eyes close involuntarily. :D
:bigsmile:
UPDATE/ERROR/CORRECTION: Upon looking through my assortment of assembled boards, I found one fewer with 2Bs and one more with 1As than there should have been - so these pics are comparing the 6000k 2Bs, instead of the 7000k 1As.
1A 2B vs. Tri-Mix™
3D vs. Tri-Mix™
1A 2B vs. 3D
Oh I see what you did there maybe?
You cut down the threads from the pill so it can sit more to the front?
I’m keeping as much of those as possible, because that’s the only contact area to transfer the heat to the light’s body.
That’s why you don’t need so big spacers, you just use the pill as a spacer by cutting down it’s threads.
Interesting to see how different people have the same ideas but take different approach to implement them.
Finally 
I’ve been thinking about this too, but rather with something like a sky ray king or some other big light that can take XM-Ls. There is not many options with XP-Gs, harder to get.
Cool, neutral, warm tint combo.
There's a correction in post #386 - the 3x 1A light turned out to actually be 3x 2Bs.
Can the mixed-tint light hold its own against the Holy Grail of tint snobbery...?
no :-)
there is not enough red in any of the three emitters of the triple
You would need a warm tinted XP-G2. I have an 5A4 which is still a neutral one, that is reddish, you could use that one to get more red :bigsmile:
But the variations in tint even for a single bin may be that other 5A4s may not be reddish.
I would stay away from 1As.
2Bs are nice, so a 2B, 3C/D, 5A4 or some warmer combo.
It will still not have as much red as Nichias even with triple reddish 5A4s!
From Crees, they always have bue, often green, but rarely any red. So to boost the light output quality you need to boost the reds.
1A, blue + green, no red, cyan tinted
2B, blue + green, almost no red, “cold white” tinted just not so much cyan and more neutral
3C/D, less blue, green, a little red, yellowish
5A4, blue ok, green maybe a little less, red a little more, reddish
Nichias I have are neutral white but tend to be a little to the yellow.
Will see how the other from a different batch turn out.
Or, screw it and use photoshop to balance the colors
I'm pretty sure I've seen a triple build here on BLF where someone used a single cell boost driver that allowed to connect the LEDs in series and supply 500mA or so to each, does anyone know if I'm actually insane or if that thread exists? :D
Would there be any benefit to that? Compared to a 1.5A linear driver and LEDs in parallel, the boost driver would suck more out of the cell to get the same light output.
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Thoughts/predictions? :)
If its an efficient (and buck-boost) one, it would draw less. Other than that.. no real benefit. I was just looking for a driver that could do something like that, but I cant find one and neither did I find said thread.^^
Prediction: Kinda neutral but bad CRI.
If it were a buck/boost the buck part would never get used, what with a 4.2v input and 9v output. And to boost the voltage up above the input, the only way to do that is by drawing more current from the battery. XPG2's Vf at 500mA is under 3v (the same whether it's 500mA @ 9v or 1500mA @ 3v), so regulated output all the way till the cell is flat isn't an issue.
I just stumbled over this thread last night, helluva thread !
Lots of flashlight porn and useful stuff in written here. :cowboy_hat_face:
But there is still one question left, after reading this thread thrice:
How can a install a 20mm triple carclo optic in a p60 head (solarforce) without the glass lens installed ?
With a thick o-ring ?
Kaidomain has 3xnichia and offers optics, series or parallel, by default.
Either different optics with the right OD to fit the bigger head, or make an adapter out of aluminum plate. Make it P60 sized on the OD, and a 19mm hole in the middle with a 20mm step cut in the backside to locate around the OD of the 20mm optics. Or just keep the glass lens and live with whatever it does to the beam profile.
Lots of places have offered for a long time triples on 20mm aluminum boards.
Thank you comfychair!
I emailed Hank @ IO already and asked him if the 35mm triple optic will fit the noctigon board too.
I could sand it down with elbow grease then.
The adapter ring is another possibility, since I’m lacking tools I would missuse some metal ring/plate I buy at the hardware store, already did some researches on this one too.
I had hoped that there is some kind of well known solution, since there are so much p60 triples floating around.
But I guess modding is always diy and improvisation.
A lot to learn and a long way to go.
High cri at this price?