Excellent result upgrading MXDL 3W to SSC

selfbuilt

Flashaholic
Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
7,005
Location
Canada
Recently upgraded the $6.50 "Davida" MXDL 3W from Kai with a SSC U-bin, with fantastic results.

As you'll see on the runtime graphs below, overall output was nearly tripled with no effect on runtime (i.e. from the dark blue line to the pink line). Output is now within spitting distance of a P1DCE on medium (primary).

Davida10.gif

Results are with my home-made lightmeter and milk carton box. Relative output values are typically fairly close to the numbers from Quickbeam's FR.com.

Beam quality is excellent with unmoded reflector. Here's a representative beamshot:
MXDL-SSC is on the left, P1DCE is on the right (on hi), both on AW protected RCR
Davida9.jpg


Full details on how I did the mod (with more beamshots, etc.) are available in the custom & modified section:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/posts/1928024

Enjoy!
 
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selfbuilt

Flashaholic
Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
7,005
Location
Canada
Thanks for the kind words.

The light gets warm very quickly in the hand, faster than it did before (at least I know the thermal transfer is working well!). :)

But for the run time tests, I kept a fan blowing on it the whole time. Light tint seemed constant during the run, no immediate evidence of emitter overheating so far.
 

selfbuilt

Flashaholic
Joined
May 27, 2006
Messages
7,005
Location
Canada
Hi nano ... frankly, it's a real pain getting the reflector out (if you plan to keep it, that is). I nearly damaged it the first time I tried, as there are a lot screw threads in the head that prevent it coming out smoothly - needs a fair amount of brute force on the lens to push it out (i.e. doesn't unscrew, or at least mine wouldn't). From my approximate estimate with it mounted, the McR18 looks like it should be a good fit.
 
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