I'm A Little Grumpy - Different McR20 Surfaces

I put together my second goldserve SSC flupic LE in an A2 tonight and was puzzled why they had such different beams. I took ~.010 off one reflector and ~.020 off the other, but didn't think that could make so much difference. The 020 has this big, sloppy spot.

Finally realized that the reflector surface on the two was quite different. I don't know how I never realized this before, but there you go. This sort of thing (even if it's my inattention that's the thing) can have repercussions beyond the obvious. For instance, I remembered being a little disappointed in a PD that Scott (milkyspit) did a LED swap on for me. It had originally been a R/O and I ran it with a diffusion lens, so never paid any attention to the beam. Scott swapped in a SV1H Lux1, which I thought would be an interesting combo with the PD voltage, and got back this big sloppy spot. Ran to check, and yep, it has the heavy texture reflector, and its beam looks like the 020 modded one. So it's the reflector, not Scott's workmanship at "fault." My other Al PD LuxIII has the smoother surface and a nice defined spot. The difference at working distance is very noticeable, especially with the SSC.

So, question: If I buy a new McR20, in either original or "S" version, can it be said in advance which surface it will have? The heavy ones seem to be older, but it could be random, so way for me to tell.

I was under the impression that the difference between Luxeon and Seoul is a 0.030" height change.

The copper spacers on the Shoppe are 0.030" copper discs.

If indeed you need to take 0.030 and you only took 0.020 the 10 thous can make a significant impact on the beam.

-Wayne


PS I don't recall if that difference (0.030") was relative to a Joker Luxeon or regular Luxeon and a Seoul P4.

Hi Wayne,

The reason I only took off .010 on the first one was I got tired of filing, and it looked fine. I figured I'd live with it awhile. I took .020 off the second one because I know you're "supposed" to take off .030, but since the first one worked well, I figured I'd work up to it. My feeling is that something needs to be taken off, but to the eye it might not matter much as long as you're in the ballpark. Or, just because it's hypothetically right to go .030 doesn't necessarily mean a particular user wouldn't prefer something else.

I'm confident that the difference in beams is due to the reflector as they're very obviously different side by side, and the beam difference is consistent across different LEDs.

Bob,
I don't know how they do the orange peel but I am under the impression that it is basically a spray gun in hand and the surface will vary from part to part and certainly run to run. Variations will result. :shrug:

Problem basically solved - took the "LOP" from the PD and shortened it .015 and mated it with the flupic SSC and it now matches more or less the controlled spot of the original one. Matching SSCs The shortened "MOP" went in a PD I use a diffusion lens with so the weird ring that resulted (I assume) from the shortened reflector doesn't matter.

All's well that ends well, but I should pick up a new McR20 just to be safe I suppose, and an "S" just to see what .030 looks like.