FS: Homemade Surefire A2 Aviator LED rings (2nd Run) *OPEN*

[Knuckles]

Yep, you bet it is. On the ring I sent you, the black box with 3 legs is a linear voltage regulator. It'll take anything up to 16V and drop it down to 5V. The resistors take care of the rest. Below 5V, it just runs direct-drive right down until 3.2V when the LED's won't light anymore.

The body of your A2 has an even more advanced voltage regulator in it (that's why one end is closed off). It powers the main bulb and will accept 9V or higher as input.

The only thing I really recommend is that you use AW's protected RCR123 cells (black /w silver label) instead of his IMR16340 cells (red). Reason being, the LED ring currently has no way to indicate when the voltage on your li-ions is getting low. It'd be VERY easy to discharge them too far, permanently damaging the cell and making it unsafe to charge/discharge. On protected cells, the circuit will trip, shutting off the cell and preventing damage.

If you're extremely studious about checking your IMR16340 voltage, you might be able to get away with it, but I wouldn't risk it personally.Always use the same two cells, always ensure they go into your light with the same voltage, and recharge them fully at the same time. Don't let them drop below 3.75V resting voltage.

4.2V – 100%
4.1V – 87%
4.0V – 75%
3.9V – 55%
3.8V – 30%
3.6V – 0%

Hope that helps!

Great, thanks! All I use is AW 16340, black with silver label. I thought I would buy the best batteries the first time around.

I think my A2s just became even better now if I can use rechargeables!

[calipsoii]

shomie911, your ring has been shipped!

[shomie911]

shomie911, your ring has been shipped!

Thanks.

Will be writing a review after I receive it and get to put it through its paces.

[Knuckles]

calipsoii,

I received the warm LED ring today!

The soldering looks great, much better than I could do, you don't get paid enough for these! I installed mine and I love it! The color is much warmer than the OEM white LEDs, and is a perfect match for the incan as far as I can tell (slightly warmer than the incan if anything). Also, the output seems a bit dimmer than the OEM white LEDs, and combined with the warmer color it makes for a very pleasant low mode for night time. Very happy. I will certainly buy more from you if I com across another 4-flats A2. I have 3 already and I've been told to collect one of each color but I just find the white/white to be the most practical.

I almost took some fine sandpaper to the LEDs but they are less ringy than the OEM white ring and even the SureFire white LED rings isn't as bad as the colored ones so I'm leaving this one alone. Job well done.

[whitedoom34]

calipsoil,

I'd like one single mode warm white ring. PM me when you are ready for payment!

Thanks

[scout24]

Installed today, FANTASTIC! Warmwhite is the bee's knees... PM sent... THANK YOU!!!

[ninemm]

Hey there,

Now that I finally have an A2 on the way I'd like to get a warm white and a UV set. Are you still thinking that the UV will be coming in around 6/22?

[Nokoff]

will your multi mode version all come on with the incan main as I assume these do?

[calipsoii]

Hey there,

Now that I finally have an A2 on the way I'd like to get a warm white and a UV set. Are you still thinking that the UV will be coming in around 6/22?

Hi ninemm, the UV LED's are already in the mail so they should still arrive around that date. Canada Post is doing less and less mail delivery as their strike heats up, so I'm hopeful they'll still arrive in a decent timeframe.

will your multi mode version all come on with the incan main as I assume these do?

Hi Nokoff! In the multi-mode rings, whichever LED's are lit up when you hit the incan will remain lit, but the other one(s) will not turn on. So if you have it in 1 LED mode, that'll be the one that's lit while the bulb is running.

[Nokoff]

sweet, I like how the multi mode works. I hope I'm not getting ahead of you but I want one once they arrive.
Is 7/1 still on target? ...also do you think a ring with one warm is enough to do light reading by, and would two UV be plenty to work on objects? thanks

[calipsoii]

sweet, I like how the multi mode works. I hope I'm not getting ahead of you but I want one once they arrive.
Is 7/1 still on target? ...also do you think a ring with one warm is enough to do light reading by, and would two UV be plenty to work on objects? thanks

Not my best picture, but I had no problem reading by the light of a single LED. The camera dimmed the 3 LED picture a bit - they're actually brighter than that.


Two UV LED's would fluoresce pretty well in the dark but might be a little underpowered in a well-lit area. If you're going to work with the UV LED's for any length of time, wear eye protection and never look into the emitters.

I'm having some difficulties programming the microcontrollers but I do still hope to have a working prototype by 07/01.

Hope that helps!

[calipsoii]

rdh226 your rings have been shipped!

[jsmitty1967]

Got mine today and I couldn't be happier. Installation took two minutes and all the holes aligned perfectly. Fired it up and wow what a difference! No more blue tint. As others have said the LEDs match the Incan perfectly. Now I have a great Incan with a matching floody low. This is hands down the best A2 mod. Thanks for the ring and the great care in shipping.

[Nokoff]

Thanks for the beamshots, and Sign me up, I'm looking forward to it!

Not my best picture, but I had no problem reading by the light of a single LED. The camera dimmed the 3 LED picture a bit - they're actually brighter than that.


Two UV LED's would fluoresce pretty well in the dark but might be a little underpowered in a well-lit area. If you're going to work with the UV LED's for any length of time, wear eye protection and never look into the emitters.

I'm having some difficulties programming the microcontrollers but I do still hope to have a working prototype by 07/01.

Hope that helps!

[ninemm]

Hey Calipsoii! Thanks for the info on the UV. I think for right now I will just go with one set of warm rings. Please send me your pp once they're ready to ship. Thanks!!

[euscorpius]

Calipsoli did you try to built power led circuit?

[calipsoii]

Calipsoli did you try to built power led circuit?

PM sent

[calipsoii]

3 more rings completed, 3 more PM's sent!

I'm taking a little breather from building these for a few days... maybe a week. Don't worry, I'll be back building them soon, so feel free to post an order if you want one.

Cheers!

[ninemm]

Got my PM. Woohoo. Paypal has been sent. Can't wait to check it out.

[run4jc]

You will love it. It's awesome!

Got my PM. Woohoo. Paypal has been sent. Can't wait to check it out.

[smflorkey]

I would like three rings when they're all available (take a nice rest so you can enjoy building quality you'll be proud to ship):

Shipping: $7
Single mode::
Warm White: $22
Ultraviolet: $28
Two mode: $??
- 1 Deep red
- 2 Warm white

Since we're waiting a week or so for the UV LEDs, another week or so for the 2-mode rings is no big deal. Take your time; have fun; PM the details when you need funds and a shipping address. (I assume an address different than my PP address will be okay.)

Thanks,
Steve

[Knuckles]

Would it be a bad idea to sell of my OEM blue LED ring now that I have one of calipsoii's warm white rings? I will never use it again, it's a useless color for me. I will probably just keep it but I may post a WTS ad for it to fish for interest unless anyone can give me a few good reasons not to sell it.

[calipsoii]

Would it be a bad idea to sell of my OEM blue LED ring now that I have one of calipsoii's warm white rings? I will never use it again, it's a useless color for me. I will probably just keep it but I may post a WTS ad for it to fish for interest unless anyone can give me a few good reasons not to sell it.

Hang onto it. The day may come when you drop your A2 and crack the glass and need to send it back to Surefire for repairs. Plus, who would want an angry-blue ring when there are nicer tints available out there!

[Dioni]

Rings received today morning. Just amazing rings!!!
Very nice product and tint!

Cheers from Brazil,
Dionata!

[notrefined]

I don't have an A2 (yet), but reading this thread is just about pushing me over the fence to get one. Those warm white rings look great!

But the reason I'm posting in your sales thread... since I didn't see anyone else offer (maybe someone did in PM), I'd like to express my appreciation for your hard work by offering to forward a package of springs from McMaster-Carr, so long as you don't need like twenty pounds worth or anything

[Solscud007]

Not my best picture, but I had no problem reading by the light of a single LED. The camera dimmed the 3 LED picture a bit - they're actually brighter than that.


Two UV LED's would fluoresce pretty well in the dark but might be a little underpowered in a well-lit area. If you're going to work with the UV LED's for any length of time, wear eye protection and never look into the emitters.

I'm having some difficulties programming the microcontrollers but I do still hope to have a working prototype by 07/01.

Hope that helps!

Are you using a digital camera on auto? If so it may be the reason you dont see a major difference from 1 and 3 leds. The Auto exposure setting will up the exposure time to compensate for the 1 led.

So if you can set it to manual mode and use the same setting for both pics.

[calipsoii]

Thanks for the offer notrefined! I think I'm going to pass for now though. Speaking with a few people, I guess high-carbon steel is a serious pain in the neck to solder. The last thing I want is people's springs cracking off or something, so I'm going to stick with my little brass tabs for now. They're not pretty but I trust my soldering on them a lot more.

With all the discontinuation sales, never been a better time to buy an A2. Pick one up and see what all the fuss is about.

[Knuckles]

With all the discontinuation sales, never been a better time to buy an A2. Pick one up and see what all the fuss is about.

Already working on acquiring my 4th Aviator, 4-flats style FTW! I also tried your recommendation of the AW black/silver label 16340s in my A2 and it's been a great improvement to my A2 experience. Very happy customer of SureFire, and even happier customer of calipsoii.

[Cypher_Aod]

I just bought an A2-YG in one of the closeout sales yesterday.

it'll take a while to arrive and i'm not even certain my order will go through properly, but if it does i'm almost certainly going to be Ordering one of your UV rings
Can you put me in the queue for the UV leds, or do you have enough incoming that you think that you'll still have stock in about a month?

[calipsoii]

Hi Cypher_Aod,

Congrats on the A2 purchase, hope it makes it's way to you safe and sound. They're a great light and I think you'll really like it.

I ordered a dozen UV LED's, so enough for 4 rings. smflorkey and nokoff look like they'll need 5, so I'll set 3 aside for your ring. Just let me know if/when you want it made.

Edit: whoops! I didn't forget you rdh226, 3 for you as well.

I think I need to start ordering more UV's at a time - I wasn't expecting so many people would want them!