I did it! 9470 Lux from a LxIII - now 11200 Lux

Beretta1526

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EDIT: See new post further down... I'm going to call it "Silver Bullet".

Well I did it. I've been talking about doing it for a while now. I finally did my first mod.

Mag-Lite 3D running a Luxeon III (SWAM bin) DD off 3D's.

So I follow the insructions from Charlie (in the bathroom where it's pitch dark) and use my new LM631 and got the 3 separate readings:

9350 Lux
9280 Lux
9310 Lux

How 'bout that. I like Direct Drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinser2.gif

EDIT: I did another reading this morning, while taking a couple pics...

9470 Lux - /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Here's the pics:

The business end

slug.jpg


Closeup of the emitter (I know, needs improvement)

s-emitter.jpg


beam shot from 1 meter

beam.jpg


The meter reading

meter.jpg


SPECIAL THANKS go to MrBulk, Hotbeam, Dat2Zip, and McGizmo for their advise and help.
 

MR Bulk

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Re: I did it! 9300+ Lux from a LxIII !!!

Hey hay! Congrats, dood! We want pics!
 

McGizmo

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Re: I did it! 9300+ Lux from a LxIII !!!

I should have known that "Charlie mode" included a stint in the bath room with the lights out! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

LightScene

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Re: I did it! 9300+ Lux from a LxIII !!!

Cool!
Did you happen to measure the current?
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 9300+ Lux from a LxIII !!!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Well in all fairness, "Charlie mode" could quite possibly have been the closet or the back bedroom but the bathroom was the most convenient.

Of course you know my wife was knocking on the door not 2 minutes after I went in asking what I'm doing in there. When I told her, she muttered something under her breath (unintelligible through the door) and went back to the other room.
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 9300+ Lux from a LxIII !!!

No current readings yet. I'm going to take a reading at the Lx as soon as I put new batt's in my DMM -- First I have to find it, then I have to figure out what it eats.
 

TheFire

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Re: I did it! 9470 Lux from a LxIII - Pics added

Very nice! Welcome to the club... once you start modding, you're really not going to stop...
 

LEDmodMan

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Re: I did it! 9470 Lux from a LxIII - Pics added

Yet another 3W DD in a 3D mag. Nice work! Those hotlips are really good heatsinks. What do you think of that light output? Isn't it impressive? I still have a hard time believing it myself, so much light coming out of that little 3W.

If this LED lumen output continues to increase like it has the last year or so, incandescents are going down!!! And soon... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

Just got done with another one, same configuration but black body and shorter leads. It's noticably brighter than the other one. I did the short stint in the can with the new light and got:

11200 Lux
11180 Lux
11190 Lux

I took a couple pics, but I've got to get to bed...
 

MR Bulk

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

Take pics and then go to bed? What kinda routine izzat???!!!

Congrats. I think the slight lux reading differences between lights is due more to variance between individual emitters, plus EXACT focusing of the Mag reflectors, and the big plus...these things seem to get BRIGHTER for a time, right after being fired up at the beginnings of their lives! I kid you not! Try using the first one for a day or two, then take nother reading -- I kid you not...
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

I get up at 05:45 and I'm lucky to be able to stay up past 23:30. I guess I'm a weenie.

Now how 'bout that... I get 9820 out of the first one today and 1115 from the one I built last night. Very cool. I think the heat sink and the bond to the heat sink affects the output greatly. The one I did last night was super bright and then dimmed down. I lifted the emitter and slathered a little more AA-E under it and cured it. The brightness didn't dim a bit after that.

Emitter close-up

emitter2.jpg


Meter

meter2.jpg


I have 2 more heatsinks on the way and 2 2D Mags stripped and soldered ready to rock-n-roll. I'm doing a 5W U3U HD in one and a 5W (unknown bin - on its way) SE in the other. Both of these will be DD from 6 AA's in the 6AA to 2D holder. I've got a half a case of RedCells ready to burn up.
 

milkyspit

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

Congrats Beretta! Looks like some great mods you're doing over there. Now I know who to call for advice when I decide to mod my first Mag 2D. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

I wish I had the battery holders, once I get the next round of heat sinks, I will be able to do those 2D mods.
 

milkyspit

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

Beretta, what did you have to do to the reflector... is it as simple as removing the cam, or did you have to cut the opening wider? What tool(s) did you use for the job? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 

ResQTech

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

Do you just bend the leads of the emmiter up when you solder them?
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

[ QUOTE ]
milkyspit said:
Beretta, what did you have to do to the reflector... is it as simple as removing the cam, or did you have to cut the opening wider? What tool(s) did you use for the job? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

I decapitated it with a hacksaw blade...
 

Beretta1526

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

[ QUOTE ]
MTFD17 said:
Do you just bend the leads of the emmiter up when you solder them?

[/ QUOTE ]

It's important that neither of the leads (well, really just the +) touches the heatsink. I carefully bent them up ever so slightly.
 

hotbeam

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Re: I did it! 11200 Lux from a LxIII - new

Good job Berretta! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif Using lots of epoxy I see.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

emitter2.jpg
 
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