Teardown - ThorFire Sensor Head Light (3AAA)

Flashlight Modding and DIY Parts
1

Got one of these for $4.02 after reading this deal alert (Post 1167) by tru3s1lv3r.

That beamshot above from the product page doesn't seem realistic. Maybe for the 18650 version, but I still doubt it. I got the 3AAA version and the output is nothing close to that and the beam profile is throwy (small tight hot spot).

It's not a bad light. The Head and Pill are aluminum, but the rest is plastic. . It needs a floodier beam as the output really only makes it useful for closeup stuff. Only mod I have done to it so far is swapping in a Nichia 219C D280 5000. It increased output, CRI, and helped make the beam profile a little less throwy. Think I will eventually throw in a TIR to make is more floody. The reflector is nice if you like a throwy beam profile, but the lens is plastic. The "XPE" is on a mcpcb labeled LatticeBright.

Anyway, here are a few shots for anyone wondering what is inside. You have to remove 4 screws from the back to open up. The bill unscrew from the back (has some weak glue between it and the plastic. That is all you have to do to access everything.

Driver, motion detector back and front. It's direct drive. The resistors marked "2R0" control current to the LED. They are parallel for a combined resistance of 1 ohm. If one wanted to increase output, the skinny LED leads should also be replaced with thicker wires.

2

For $4 I guess it’s as expected.
Shame Thorfire will weaken it’s reputation with products like this.
Does it even say Thorfire anywhere on the light?
If not, that’s probably best.

Recently I saw a thread here where they were asking for testers of a headlamp,
and it was a light commonly sold as Boruit brand.
This looks like another mash-up of that rebranding idea.

I thought well of many of their lights, but these recent headlamp offerings are very telling
of the direction they are headed.

As with another headlamp they were selling, the photo of the light in use is a of a completely different light. In that photo the light worn had a red LED on the battery pack, but the light sold does not.

3

Thanks for the info ImA4Wheelr. :+1:

4

I also got one for 4 bucks. Def worth the price if the head strap wasnt so tight. I have a small head and its crazy uncomfortable after only a few seconds. Not sure what they were thinking.