dano
Flashlight Enthusiast
I was a bit bored, today, so I found my old Streamlight 20XP and brainstormed.
I went to the local Hobbytown and bought a cheapy 3000MAH NiMH 6 cell pack, and with some contorting made it into a 5 cell stick. After cleaning the terminals and a little bright red shrink wrap it was good-to-go for the 20XP.
Then I thought about a lamp option. I had an old out-of-focus 35X lamp. Using a dremel, I ground the ceramic potting compound and removed the lamp. I tried a few different lamps, but settled on the original 35X lamp. I repotted it, BUT adjusted the focus. This lamp is beyond bright with proper focus. If SL would take the time to focus their lamps in the reflectors, it would make a huge difference in light performance for the SL-series of lights.
Minor flubs: the shrinkwrap was a bit too think for the battery stick, and rubs the inside of the light body. Not a huge issue as it does fit. At least the stick doesn't rattle. I used a hi-temp ceramic putty from Arcticsilver (bought at Fry's) to re-pot the lamp. It's non conductive and the website didn't give me a heat rating. So far, it's worked o.k. I'd like to find some of the real ceramic potting stuff (and it was mentioned here; just have to do a search). Also, the 20XP is a plastic bodied light. Not sure what the sustained heat from the 35X lamp will do to it (I already put a UCL lens in the light).
Runtime, estimated, should be about about an hour, probably slightly less. I haven't checked for fear of meltdown. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif
Not including the wait for the putty to set, the whole ordeal took about an hour, of which I watched the Tuttels make a bad-arse bike for the I, Robot movie.
--dan
I went to the local Hobbytown and bought a cheapy 3000MAH NiMH 6 cell pack, and with some contorting made it into a 5 cell stick. After cleaning the terminals and a little bright red shrink wrap it was good-to-go for the 20XP.
Then I thought about a lamp option. I had an old out-of-focus 35X lamp. Using a dremel, I ground the ceramic potting compound and removed the lamp. I tried a few different lamps, but settled on the original 35X lamp. I repotted it, BUT adjusted the focus. This lamp is beyond bright with proper focus. If SL would take the time to focus their lamps in the reflectors, it would make a huge difference in light performance for the SL-series of lights.
Minor flubs: the shrinkwrap was a bit too think for the battery stick, and rubs the inside of the light body. Not a huge issue as it does fit. At least the stick doesn't rattle. I used a hi-temp ceramic putty from Arcticsilver (bought at Fry's) to re-pot the lamp. It's non conductive and the website didn't give me a heat rating. So far, it's worked o.k. I'd like to find some of the real ceramic potting stuff (and it was mentioned here; just have to do a search). Also, the 20XP is a plastic bodied light. Not sure what the sustained heat from the 35X lamp will do to it (I already put a UCL lens in the light).
Runtime, estimated, should be about about an hour, probably slightly less. I haven't checked for fear of meltdown. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/buttrock.gif
Not including the wait for the putty to set, the whole ordeal took about an hour, of which I watched the Tuttels make a bad-arse bike for the I, Robot movie.
--dan
