Hello Friends! I have converted the XINTD X3 from xml2 to xpl hi. This is my first experience with the xpl so I’m not sure how to focus to get the best beam. I used a centering ring from an XML light. I filed down the bottom so the die from the xpl slides slightly up into the center cylinder to keep it centered. The reflector is sitting about .035 inches above the mcpcb. Should that be lower?
Also, the center cylinder is quite tall. Would I get a better beam if I filed it down so the emitter is closer to the opening? Maybe I don’t want the cylinder there at all?
I’m looking for a bright beam with lots of throw. I’ve posted pics and compared it to the beam of my Blf d80. You can see that it is a small beam, but if you look close you can see that there is a bright ring around the darker center. I wonder if this is from the hight of the opening in the spacer and if I can increase the brightness with better focusing?
Given the ‘dead’ hotspot center I think there’s a little more to be had, but you are close to optimum now. It’s easy to fabricate a card-stock paper shim to add distance; just keep adding layers till you get it right. Measure your shimming then fabricate a more permanent one. Going shorter is cut-and-try. If you go too far, just shim it back to perfect. Keep runtimes short till you have a permanent spacer in there.
I had some trouble with this because it looks much different when I put it back together with the “real” spacer. The centering ring I am using has a deep opening and it affects the beam quite a bit. Can you tell what I am talking about with the spacer I am using? Most spacers just hold the reflector, but this one is raised a bit up into the reflector. It makes the beam tighter but I’m thinking it might only do so by blocking lumens. I would think this would be desired to some extent, but not if it is blocking light that could be headed toward the reflector and out the front to make a brighter hot spot.
Can you see the artifacts around the hot spot in the form of squares? It’s hard to tell in the picture, but as I see it, there are reflections around the hotspot that are not rings. I might just ditch this cylindrical centering ring and just adjust the reflector up and down as you suggest.
First, I’ll try to get some more beam shots using the lower levels. It might reveal more that way.
A lot of guessing I guess? It might be time to get a lux meter.
How far is the flashlight from the wall in your comparison beam shot?
I think you have it optimized now, bet that dark spot is not visible at 30 ft?
Your light is a thrower and now you have added an emitter made to throw, so it is not going to look perfect up close.
With an Orange peel reflector it will look better, but then you lose the throw.
The lights are four feet from the wall in that photo and the X3 is brighter than what the picture represents. It throws great and I am pleased with it! But… Next chance I get ill do some better comparisons with the reflector at different hights. Wish there were a way for me to test the result of lowering the spacer opening though. It’s hard to tell from the pic I posted but the opening to the emitter is pretty deep. The opening is almost 1mm up into the reflector.
, with reflectors that are more flat at the bottom led doesn’t have to be raised, I think!