I like mine, I wanted to see the guts but im no modder and wouldn’t know what to do. Thanks for tearing it apart, maybe someday I’ll put a better emmiter in but not for a long time. It’s a great light sucks you can’t use it for a bit now though.
Remember guys - "it's only a flashlight, it's only a flashlight..."
Besides which, I paid for it, with my money, it wasn't a gift or a free review sample, and if I'd felt like it I could have opened the box, taken it out, laid it on the ground and smashed it with a sledgehammer. And then posted pics of the destruction. So, compared to that, I think I was remarkably self controlled. This was purchased from the very beginning with the intent of using it as a glorified expensive host, really. It was always going to get torn apart and hacked into something, hopefully, better than what it was.
well said, you paid the dollars, as far as I’m concerned its up to you what you do, as you say its a tool, its there to be used or abused as you see fit.
Whats the other option? buy it, turn it on for a few minutes then put it away? I cant see that myself. 
It needs an mtg2 with a “real driver” at 5A :bigsmile:
J) thrower, become flood monster, I like it, I like it a lot. J)
Change that to 9A, and I'll agree... I think.
9a de domed….
damm the dome is big on the mtg2
There’s enough space in there for 20 or more xml2 just need a different battery setup.
So I guess at least we know to heat the bolts if we want to take them out, are the tailcap screws held in with loctite?
Would be pointless to try and change the boot if they are.
Is that black plate covering driver aluminum as well?
7 XP-G2s will fit into a 1/2" footprint (stock reflector opening size) in a 2-3-2 layout.
Driver cover plate black ano aluminum, identical to the switch cover plate in the rear, except for the silkscreened polarity markings. Screws in the rear cover are identical to the driver plate screws - except, for some strange reason, at the rear there is no red loctite. I guess that's all the evidence you need that the loctite is just a punitive anti-tamper function, and nothing more.
Enough heat to release red loctite will ruin the anodizing. On bigger bolts, you can force it apart, but on these tiny things there's no way other than to shear them off and drill new holes. Also, after the screw heads come off the loctite between the ID of the holes in the cover plate and the stub of the broken screw still holds everything together tight, you have to drill the stubs off with the cover still in place. After that it comes apart easy.
Thanks for the info. Shame they had to use red loctite.
Always wanted to test this...
YES, JB Weld is a good enough thermal conductor to reflow with the board still glued into the pill. Took no longer to heat up than doing it with just a bare board.
So... I have my pile of dead video cards & 56k modems ready for a scavenger hunt. What needs to be done to tweak the driver? 
This copper MCPCB is a joke... center pad no continuity with the backing. lol
Thanks for the look at the guts.
The anti-modder approach is useless; how will they handle warranty repairs?
Now if only you had a press and tools to bump that square up just enough… Filling with solder may be good enough too. Hopefully solder will not stick between pad and contacts. If it works you have the new DIY sinkpad 
New XM-L2 works on the hacked board. Tested but not installed yet, got all the new holes drilled and threaded, working on wiring now...
You might as well just bought a TN31 XM-L2 U2 and been done with it.
I still say it’s one heck of a flashlight as is.
I like Solarforce. Like I said, I would have bought this even if it came with no innards as a bare host.
Having spent most of my life working in auto dealerships I have to ask, are you one of those people who takes their car in to the shop when the tire pressure warning light on the dash comes on instead of, you know, checking the tire pressure? Or that the cig lighter fuse is blown instead of just replacing the fuse and telling the rugrats to stop stuffing pennies into the lighter sockets?
No I’m not. I used to make car parts for your info smart guy. You remind me of one of those guys that likes to tinker even when something is running perfectly fine. I have worked with lots of those folks. I don’t buy flashlights to work on them. If that’s your cup of tea then go ahead and buy all the high $ lights you want and fix the way you like them. I just buy them the way I like em and work on other stuff that is more important.