I'm waiting for some thermal paste to come in so once I get that in I'm going to repaste the floaty shim and put in a dedomed XP-G2 R5-1A, and see if it dies.
When I put on a tiny dab of thermal paste, smear it thoroughly across both mating surfaces with a credit card edge to get rid of any extra, push them together, wiggle them around and pull them apart — I ’m always amazed how much of the total surface area obviously never even made contact.
These things aren’t near flat at the level needed to get a lot of metal-to-metal contact for heat transfer.
Remembering that thermal paste is somewhat better than an airgap — but not a whole heck of a lot better — and the goal is maximum metal to metal contact,
I wish I knew how to make this better. I guess the CPUs are “lapped” with finer and finer abrasive powder to get them close to perfect contact with heat sinks.
Messy operation, I guess.
guitar89 - you probably need to raise it. Depth of the LED is important for focusing. With the LED set further down, when you pull out the head for zooming, you probably go past the focus point now, and reduced the width in flood mode. Copper shim or disc would be the best option, but you could take on old aluminum MCPCB, sand off the top side layer and use that as a filler, copper MCPCB better. On all my better zoomie mods, I drill/tap holes and screw down the MCPCB - did this on 2 ZeusRay's - very secure, good heat conductance.
well, I don’t like the idea of stacking shimmer/filler because means there is at least 2 gaps to filled with ! means heat dissipation is quite…. not ideal.
The Flood width is quite good for me (better than some X-RE flood) Just I need to do something about securing the LED MCPCB and controlling zoom range.
Just got one, and yes it’’s a TurdRay, floater MPCB and all. Worked for 30s then it only lights up at sub lumen level. Dispute incoming Dealmetic 
Bezels very tight, needed to be sunk into rubber mat then body twisted to get them open.
No holes in the pill for removing it.
Lifted out one brown thing and it appears to be a solid pill without an extra aluminum shim.
Both emitters are really bad.
When the zoom is used the image of the emitter is a field of reddish purple splotches.
I guess they found a new way to make these things cheap.
I asked as a new topic: Does anyone recognize this emitter?
thats no good!
I took my other floaty shim unit and threw in a sacrificial XP-G2 and put thermal paste in the fat hole and on both sides of the shim and all modes working fine after 20min!
In other words, Zeusray is no longer recommended?
What’s next best thing under $10?
I just got in the $8 Zoomie from BangGood recommended/listed earlier (banggood.com-Zoom). Really like the better focus (the zoomed in dye image is about exactly 1/2 in width and height from a ZeusRay -- this BG zoomie has a wider lens), and the flood width is very slightly bigger tham my ZeusRay's. The zoom slider works pretty well - smooth, 2 o-rings.The pill is huge in height, takes a 20mm driver, but sorry to say it's a hollow pill. Threads seems ok, overall size is bigger - it's a bigger zoomie than a ZeusRay for sure. For me, it's somewhat usable - I got BLF OSHPark 20mm DD drivers, and trying to figure out how to handle the hollow pill. Will probably reflow a copper disc to the bottom of the MCPCB, (the 3/4" copper disc is slightly smaller than the pill inside opening) and then maybe use a thick layer of JB Weld under that to secure it, and add make a heat sink bond to the outer shell of the pill. I got a XM-L2 U2 2A laying around to use -- it had some damage to the top surface of the silicone, so I'm doing a 1/2 dome cut on it -- hoping tint doesn't go too yellow, maybe get a little more throw out of it.
It's not a bad light for the $$$, but I measured bout 400 lumens or so stock, so nothing that great. I would not recommend it stock, for sure, and the hollow pill makes a mod more challenging, maybe...
In my opinion, you can get away with the hollow pill if you keep amps somewhat modest (2.4 - 3A, higher for short runs), use a copper MCPCB and thermal epoxy or JB Weld to seal it on the edges. Probably could even do a thick layer of JB Weld without the copper disc I plan on using. I've done a couple quick/dirty hollow pill zoomies with just thermal epoxy for the MCPCB - didn't come out so bad at all, but if I were to do more, I'd use comfy's highly recommended JB Weld.
I think we need to track down that one guy who is, or was, at DealMetic
—- the who made the effort and did get it right — and set him up in business.
If they haven’t had him shot for breaking the rules, he’s a national treasure.
Otherwise — well, if you follow the MTBR bike light forums they see the same pattern.
Someone over there recently tracked down the original factory that made the one reliable good well-heatsinked “Yinging” bike light
and got a commitment for a group pre-order through one of the big websites, took names, and maybe they’re going to get a good batch.
It seems it’s a batch business, you won’t ever get the same thing consistently.
So let’s see what we got here. Others will chime in as they get lights in soon I hope.
I’m going to run the lights I got yesterday for a while.
My guess is they are going to be OK for a while — slightly warmer emitter, maybe slightly less overdriven
(and the first one was pretty extreme at high, got hot fast)
For the ordinary user, this may be an improvement (not quite as hot so fast, and warmer, possibly better color (just don’t use the exact focused zoom, as most won’t do anyhow)
For people who want to replace driver and emitter, no problem — the depth seems to be right and the pill’s solid.
Just my take, on two samples, the first day of use —- I can’t think they won’t keep fiddling with what they sell, the Chinese Lottery is everywhere these days.
But hey, we knew something had to replace capitalism and socialism.
Russia got kleptocracy. China, well it’s hard to tell. But from the way it looks to me, now
we know what Marx didn’t — the ultimate stage of political development is: the lottery.
Looks exactly like the light I’ve ordered from Tmart on Black Friday for $3.99. Unfortunately it didn’t come.
But if it’s so bad in stock form maybe it’s better it didn’t. I’m not ready for moding. At least not such extensive.
Hi all sorry if I missed a lot of posts but I did read about Kaisers and Hank amongst others getting poor quality issues on Zuessray and this was his response: , sorry for the late reply,
just back yesterday.
the complaint already find out the reason, the supplier of had change the internal parts without notice,
and the change will effect the led.
had change all item back to the old model parts design, it should be no problem now.
the new C8 i had got the latest model which is testing.
if there is no delay, first lots of good for finial test and modify will come no later than next week.
So hopefully the issue is resolved maybe they will replace the subpar ones everyone recived I’ll try to pop back in kinda tied up with final dr. Clearances for surgery next week .
Hi,
I’m a newbie, and sorry about my english. I’ve been reading about Zeusray and am very interested with it. I would like to know, is there any supplier that has a good quality one, just like the first batch Hank has?
Thank you
You would have to solder in the driver, but yes
Can’t really compare them…not the same thing or design
Zeusray is a zoomy, convoy S2/S2+ is a fixed reflector
Zoomies are usually a mix of both worlds…jack of all trades, masters of none…you can drive em pretty hard and make alot of light but the flood won’t be the same as a fixed reflector light, and throw, it does good at throw but you loose the spill in some throwers.
Get both…zoomies are good for some things but I like the slim design of the Convoy S2/S2+ as my EDC…fits much better in a pocket even though the Zeusray would fit just fine
I got 2 lights a couple of days ago — one ordered from the usual DealMetic site and the other ordered from
“MeanWell” — which appears to be the same company using the same website but with higher prices
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free-Shipping-New-2014-CREE-XM-L-L2-2000Lm-Zoomable-led-mini-Flashlight-Focus-Torch-B6/2012732101.html
The 2 lights are near as I can tell identical:
— they got the solid pill back like with the original setup. That’s the important part.
I’d say keep watching them carefully.
We know the China Lottery is a very powerful force with this one.
—- The 2 lights I got have no little holes in the rim of the pill, so it will take more work to unscrew the pill.
—— presuming it comes out with a little tapping or by drilling holes to twist it out with, no worries.
(Maybe someone else will get to that before I do)
— they use a warmer-white LED, likely cheaper. I’d say that’s
—- OK for non-flashololic users who will use it as it comes — it’s still plenty bright, maybe better color than the original bluish white
—- OK for flashaholics, because we’ll be replacing the emitters
(That LED has been identified with pictures at Recognize this emitter (zoom focus) pattern? Splotchy red-purple (warmer, cheaper XM-L2) )
— I’m not sure whether the driver is different (might be different rate of PWM in the low brightness, but my cheap camera could be confused too)
—- That too I think is OK for non-flashoholics using the stock light, and
—- OK for flashoholics, because we’ll be replacing the drivers
I think the important story here is
— DealMetic came advertising a cheap light at a cheap price
— Someone at DealMetic listened to people at BLF who told them how to make it much, much better
— They came back with a much better light, using good parts well made
The usual “China” story is someone there copying a well-designed and well-built but expensive product from elsewhere,
and then slowly degrading the quality as the popularity goes up, til they sell a whole lot of cheap crap and the idea dies.
The new China story here is:
— someone in China found good advice free from BLF enthusiasts
— someone listened and found a way to improve on that advice, in China (the unique, solid, thick, excellent pill, aka “solid pillow hole”
— they produced their own well-designed, well-built, and inexpensive light
Then the old story took over — someone in the chain started degrading the product.
(We don’t know where or how it happened or who knew
—— someone screwed up the cutter depth on the pill;
—— someone hid the problem with a shim but failed to heatsink it
—— the batch sold through and failed terribly)
Now we have, at least for the time being, the good pill back, I think — looks like it just eyeballing behind the emitter.
We have cheaper emitters but tolerable, good enough I think, and most of us swap those anyhow.
I hope someone takes a new light apart and measures the thickness of the metal behind the emitter — is it still the same thickness?
“Trust, but verify” — R. Reagan, movie actor and politician
Wish you a smooth operation.
Good Day Paulus1971, 
Welcome to BLF.
MeanWell have them but at a much higher price of U$13.49 (see Hank's posts).
Dealmetic are now saying that they again stock the good one, ie:
Zeusray U$7.99 (Track:$1.99) Soild Pillow Hole 2000Lm Zoomable CREE XM-L L2 LED Flashlight Torch (FL05518) | Dealmetic
http://www.dealmetic.com/product.asp?ID=FL05518
Best Regards,
George