Akoray + XP-G

Aircraft800

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Apr 24, 2007
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1,487
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DFW Texas.
To me, it looks like the XP-G is sitting up too high in the reflector. There is no other explanation for that huge dark spot in the center especially being such a small emitter. There are other members here who have had good success with these emitters. Check out the work done by member nailbender here:
https://www.candlepowerforums.com/threads/239719
 

Larry237

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Jan 18, 2009
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Arvada, Colorado
I have a Nailbender XPG and it has a very large, bright, and smooth spot. I really can't see any holes or noticeable rings. It isn't one of the longest throwers that I have, but the beam appears to be close to my Malkoff M60 in throw distance. Good luck on sorting this problem out.
 

Fallingwater

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Jul 11, 2005
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Trieste, Italy
I get the feeling that many, many cheap lights use lambertian reflector designs that were never updated from the old Luxeon days; indeed, most of the lights that give awful beams with Cree XR-Es improve tremendously with a lambertian LED such as a SSC P4 (and XP-G, presumably, but I never tried that).
In contrast, the stock reflector on my K-106 seems perfectly matched to the XR-E package, and is indeed one of the only two reflectors I've seen that is relatively free of Cree-ring crud (the other being the one on my NDI).

Given that, I wouldn't replace the stock emitter with anything other than another XR-E emitter, and certainly not with a lambertian one such as a XP-G, for fear of getting precisely the awful beams you're getting.

Note that this whole post is based on the idea that the XP-G is a lambertian LED; based on what I've read this seems the case, but I might be wrong. If I am, disregard everything I've said about the XP-G (but the statement about old reflectors and SSC P4s still holds).
 

ma_sha1

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Jan 10, 2009
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3,042
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CT, USA
I've seen the same. On my UF SS C3 mod, the reflector which
gave perfect beam for XRE Q5 (no cree ring) gave me bad donut on XPG R5,

tried several different reflectors, it was the cheapy Nichia led
reflector that finally game me a perfect beam.

The lambertian for XPG theory make sense!
 
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Gryphen

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Dec 15, 2009
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I have a akoray with a burnt out led, do you think an xpg with a collimator and a piece of pvc tubing as a spacer would work.
 

Fallingwater

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Trieste, Italy
Unlikely. Either use a XR-E, or replace the reflector with a suitable one for lambertian LEDs. Then again the K-106 uses its own reflector design, so you'd have to somehow shoehorn another one in.
 

Gryphen

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Dec 15, 2009
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Unlikely. Either use a XR-E, or replace the reflector with a suitable one for lambertian LEDs. Then again the K-106 uses its own reflector design, so you'd have to somehow shoehorn another one in.
Why? the only reason I can think of is the pvc melting or some of the beam being cut off. I don't think it should get that hot, but mine already got hot enough to badly darken the emitter dome, maybe my driver is defective.
 
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Gryphen

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Dec 15, 2009
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I've added ~1mm spacer to my k-106 and now beam looks fine:



I like it most of all my lights ;)
Is the light output a lot better than the xr-e q5?
Does it seem like a lot of light is getting wasted from the spacer?
You put the spacer on top of the plastic ring right?
 
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dmn42

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Jul 7, 2008
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Location
Moscow, Russia
First time I removed stock spacer as it was too thick and head didnt screw fully. I used thin isolating plastik ring from KD. Now i've just put stock spacer back ;)
I'll take beamshots together with stock k-106 if I dont forget to take it home.
 

M52 POWER!

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Feb 8, 2009
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I put a XP-G in my akoray too. The beam is fantastic, it's more of a flood light now but that is perfect for me since I use it for inspections at close range.
 
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