What did you mod today?

[Flashy_Mike]

@Flashy Mike

Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop

That’s what my 7x SRK did a couple of minutes ago.

Did some crash testing with this light. Mounted a FET+1 on the empty stock PCB, springs have been brigded earlier, the traces on the tail PCB have been strengthened. There were 6 fake XM-L on the MCPCB and 1 spare Cree XM-L2, since one of the fakes died earlier.

Measured 18 Amps for more than 4000 lumens with old Keeppower 2900 protected, and then I tried my new 30Q. Was able to measure 26 Amps but this might have been a little to much …

After less than 10 seconds all LEDs died. Actually I am not surprised, I expected something like this. New Cree LEDs are on the way.

New LEDs arrived, reflowed 7 genuine XM-L2. Very bright, none of the LEDs popped up to now, but it’s pulling only 24 Amperes out of brand new Samsung 30Q button top. FET+1, thick/double wires, all springs bypassed - shouldn’t it be more Amps? I wonder if the cells are genuine.

[djozz]

@Thorfire

@djozz

Nice thread-subject pd68, indeed I do mods that I do not bother making a thread about, but have nice enough ideas to report somewhere.

I modded one of these AA zoomies yesterday with a 6-chip AK-47-C1 and dedomed XP-E2 Torch. It lights up but everything went wrong, total failure, bad output. What went mainly wrong is that I sanded down the 17mm AK-47-C1 driver to 15mm (3 chips stacked for 2100mA) but not enough, pressed it in anyway with a vice and lots of force and then the aluminium of the pill was stretched out so that the pill did not srew in the batterytube anymore. Then I sanded the threads of the pill down to compensate for that but it still did not screw in, then I forced it in, ugly, ugly, ugly. On top of that in the end the current appeared just 1.2A, even on an Efest IMR 14500, and the light was even dimmer than that. I have another one of these flashlights, will do a proper mod on that one and report, it is a nice host, with some work it can become a great EDC :-)

Nice flashlight, same good as our one new released flashlight TK4A Amazon.com,

???that sounds like a inappropriate plug of your new flashlight??? That light has nothing in common with that cheap AA zoomie in the picture, it is even not a zoomie.

[Tom_E]

@Flashy Mike

@Flashy Mike

Pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop-pop That’s what my 7x SRK did a couple of minutes ago. Did some crash testing with this light. Mounted a FET+1 on the empty stock PCB, springs have been brigded earlier, the traces on the tail PCB have been strengthened. There were 6 fake XM-L on the MCPCB and 1 spare Cree XM-L2, since one of the fakes died earlier. Measured 18 Amps for more than 4000 lumens with old Keeppower 2900 protected, and then I tried my new 30Q. Was able to measure 26 Amps but this might have been a little to much … After less than 10 seconds all LEDs died. Actually I am not surprised, I expected something like this. New Cree LEDs are on the way.

New LEDs arrived, reflowed 7 genuine XM-L2. Very bright, none of the LEDs popped up to now, but it’s pulling only 24 Amperes out of brand new Samsung 30Q button top. FET+1, thick/double wires, all springs bypassed - shouldn’t it be more Amps? I wonder if the cells are genuine.

Ahh, are you using the stock cheap MCPCB? Yikes! Living dangerously with good XM-L2's. There's some significant points of loss's in these cheap SRK clones. Many we can fix, but I suspect some not so easy, I've been finding. I beef up the traces, or reduce/eliminate them on the tail PCB, then there's the bridge from the batt+ contact to the LED side of the driver -- not sure that's good. In single cell lights, you can run heavy gauge wire from the driver spring bypass direct thru the driver board, but not so easy in a SRK. Then there's that stock MCPCB - oh boy... I'm also not confident with the the connection of the tail PCB to the housing - actual conductive contact could be suspect, cheap screws - no brass or copper there, maybe limited contact surface.

Could be one of these things, or a combo of small loss's over them all. Doubt it's the cells.

[Flashy_Mike]

@Tom E

Ahh, are you using the stock cheap MCPCB? Yikes! Living dangerously with good XM-L2’s. There’s some significant points of loss’s in these cheap SRK clones. Many we can fix, but I suspect some not so easy, I’ve been finding. I beef up the traces, or reduce/eliminate them on the tail PCB, then there’s the bridge from the batt+ contact to the LED side of the driver — not sure that’s good. In single cell lights, you can run heavy gauge wire from the driver spring bypass direct thru the driver board, but not so easy in a SRK. Then there’s that stock MCPCB - oh boy… I’m also not confident with the the connection of the tail PCB to the housing - actual conductive contact could be suspect, cheap screws - no brass or copper there, maybe limited contact surface.

Could be one of these things, or a combo of small loss’s over them all. Doubt it’s the cells.

Are there better MCPCBs for sale anywhere?

Yes, I’m using the stock MCPCB, but it’s not that bad, rather thick. Even no copper plate below (too careless, I know), don’t have any yet, but the housing gets very hot quickly, so heat dissipation should not be that bad either. I did most of the things you proposed, even managed to lead batt+ through the driver board with a very fat cable (1 more ampere). Haven’t done this with batt- yet, but here are more stock lead throughs. What’s still missing is a better connection of tail PCB to the housing, should have removed the anodization there. Will do it when I have to repair the spring bypasses one day, I don’t want to open it too often since one of the screw threads in the housing is already damaged.

I’m using the cheap XM-L2 U2 3D from fasttech, the warm tint is very nice, althought I’m not sure if all LEDs really have the same bin. Replaced the stock lens with a coated one. I’m using my own firmware with optional stepless ramping.

Anyway, I fell in love with this light, with 30Q it delivers about 6500 lumens at start, with older Keeppower protected still 5500 lumens. Not bad for a 20$ light and 30$ modding parts.

Btw., thanks for your idea of doing a wire loop at the tail PCB in order to measure current with a clamp meter easily.

[giorgoskok]

There isn’t a one piece mcpcb.
You have to get 10mm xml2 mxpcb for each led .

[djozz]

@giorgoskok

There isn’t a one piece mcpcb.
You have to get 10mm xml2 mxpcb for each led .

A one-piece 45mm copper core quad DTP PCB can be made for under 10 dollar each, minimum amount 100 pieces. I don’t know yet what board the Q8 will come with, but once 500+ Q8’s are around it may be feasable to have an extra board made for it.

[giorgoskok]

@djozz

@giorgoskok

There isn’t a one piece mcpcb.
You have to get 10mm xml2 mxpcb for each led .

A one-piece 45mm copper core quad DTP PCB can be made for under 10 dollar each, minimum amount 100 pieces. I don’t know yet what board the Q8 will come with, but once 500+ Q8’s are around it may be feasable to have an extra board made for it.

I think Mike has a 7xXML2 SRK from his post

[Timblandluo]

my cool mod with DNA Chip:Lost Vape Skar DNA75 Vape Box mod

[djozz]

@giorgoskok

@djozz

@giorgoskok

There isn’t a one piece mcpcb.
You have to get 10mm xml2 mxpcb for each led .

A one-piece 45mm copper core quad DTP PCB can be made for under 10 dollar each, minimum amount 100 pieces. I don’t know yet what board the Q8 will come with, but once 500+ Q8’s are around it may be feasable to have an extra board made for it.

I think Mike has a 7xXML2 SRK from his post

THe 7xSRK is quite common (and looks nicely symmetrical ) so that may be a candidate too for a custom board, I expect that if someone goes for having one made, he/she will sell out. But 800 or so dollar is a risky investment for a hobby of course.

[Flashy_Mike]

@djozz

A one-piece 45mm copper core quad DTP PCB can be made for under 10 dollar each, minimum amount 100 pieces.

I’m looking forward to have 100 SRKs on my desk …

[Flashy_Mike]

@giorgoskok

There isn’t a one piece mcpcb.
You have to get 10mm xml2 mxpcb for each led .

Too much work for two left hands. And it doesn’t meet my idea of doing the cheapest possible mod.

[Tom_E]

@Flashy Mike

@giorgoskok

There isn’t a one piece mcpcb. You have to get 10mm xml2 mxpcb for each led .

Too much work for two left hands. And it doesn’t meet my idea of doing the cheapest possible mod.

I've done a couple of 7X lights, the J18, not an SRK yet (I have a 7X SRK still to do). I was able to use 16mm copper boards. I go with the biggest you can fit. We can get 14mm TPAD's now if 16's don't make it. It's good to hear you are getting the heat out, but definite amps and output loss's from the non DTP alum MCPCB - going thru thin traces rather than copper wires has to have loss's.

I also did a 5X SRK with 16mm copper MCPCB's - no problem at all, but with some trimmed. MY 5X SRK does over 6,000 lumens using XM-L2 U3 3D's I believe.

The wiring is "fun" for sure...

[MRsDNF]

Your lights need worming Tom.

[Flashy_Mike]

@Tom E

I’ve done a couple of 7X lights, the J18, not an SRK yet (I have a 7X SRK still to do). I was able to use 16mm copper boards. I go with the biggest you can fit. We can get 14mm TPAD’s now if 16’s don’t make it. It’s good to hear you are getting the heat out, but definite amps and output loss’s from the non DTP alum MCPCB - going thru thin traces rather than copper wires has to have loss’s.

Nice pictures!
I’m confident if I’m going to glue 7 LED boards to the heat sink at least 3 of the LEDs will be smudged afterwards. But perhaps I’ll give it a try. New SRK is on the way …

@Tom E

It’s good to hear you are getting the heat out

I’m prettty sure the LEDs won’t hit their expected life time of 50,000 hours. Let’s see if they survive the weekend …

[Tom_E]

@MRsDNF

Your lights need worming Tom.

Wait til you see my 16X XHP50 . It's a long term project based on the S88

I got a custom plate machined by a machinist @work to match what I drew above. 16 mm's will mostly fit in this one - the head is so freak'n big, but 14's probably for the outer LED's. With a LDO, SIR400DP, Narsil on a Attiny85, 16X XHP50's in the K2 bin from Cutter (not ordered yet) what do you think the lumens will be?

Ok, can't do a measurement at 30 secs, maybe after 5 secs? Bout 20 secs, think I might be get'n the blues...

[giorgoskok]

What about …. 30k lumens ?

But not with a single fet!

Edit :
Thought #2 : Cells should be the issue , not the fet… Hmmm

[Tom_E]

Have you seen the specs on the SIR400DP? Pretty hot, better than the SIR800DP. I got a couple of the 400's, probably will order a couple more.

Yea, cells - 2S3P setup but I'm sure not enough... Hop'n 30K min - could go higher.

The S88 head size is in the ballpark of the Shocker, BOSS1, TN42, etc... Thermally there's problems - driver mounts from the top, not the bottom, so, the LED assembly can't be permanent - clearly not a single piece design, more like a COURUI D01 plate without the threading... Ugh.

[pilotdog68]

“Long term project” because you’ll have to take out a second mortgage to afford all those emitters.

[Tom_E]

@pilotdog68

“Long term project” because you’ll have to take out a second mortgage to afford all those emitters.

Yes! Did a bunch of prep work, custom alum plate made, and now? Committing to $200 in LED's is the toughest step to take it seems like. But wow, those K2 bin XHP50's: https://www.cutter.com.au/proddetail.php?prod=cut2350. I'm literally drooling. The K2 bin isn't even in the data sheets. The CRI is poor but not a bad tint.

Ohhhh - just checked they got only qty 20 remaining! Ordered All Qty 20!! $184 USD shipped... Ouch! Bout $20 US shipped so $1 a piece for shipping, ~$9 USD per piece shipped. Gotta work late tonight - need the extra cash . I get paid by the hour...

Maybe a little cheaper from Hank but he doesn't have K2 bins.

K, I wiped out Cutter of those, DHL shipping - pretty quick once they go... Now gotta get goin on the driver... Got a ton of TPAD 14's but might need more 16's - I'll double check measurements.

[djozz]

Keep us posted, Tom ! Does your pipe-dream handle 30klumens?