Blaster II Mod

[Otokoyama]

It has been noted in other threads that trying to reflect the light escaping 30mm optics seems to make a difference.

I took an old smooth PT reflector and noted the glove-like fit on the 30mm optics (pic 1). I cut it and reshaped the back to be flush with the optics (pic 2), plus slightly chamfered the inside edge that contacts the optics near the emitter hole. I took out the retaining O-ring from the Blaster II bezel (pic 3), dropped the modified PT reflector in, and encircled it with Blu-TacK to keep it in place (pic 4). Make sure that the reflector does not interfere with the Luxeon board or screws.

Is it brighter? Seems to be, though I have no way to measure.

 

[Deleted member 684]

Looks like a PT Tec40 reflector. Can you confirm? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[Otokoyama]

PT Tec40, Tec20, Solo, or Vor tec ... all the same. I switched all of my PT reflectors to the faceted ones a few years ago, so have a number of spare smooth ones.

As a possible way to make the 30mm keep more light internally, I tried Testor Chrome Spray Enamel on a scrap of clear acrylic. Although the paint surface was quite reflective, the inside (looking through the acrylic from the unpainted side) was a barely reflective dull gray.

BTW, this is not to imply that the Blaster II is actually in need of any mods, but it provided a vehicle to attempt enhancing the 30mm optics.

 

[IsaacHayes]

Could you possibly get pics of with and without reflector?
Doesn't even have to be side by side, but at least at same distance / batteries... I'm quite qurious as to the improvement...

 

[Aeryk]

Someone on the Darksbane forums mentioned putting reflective tape around the optics, said it had a similar effect, Im ordering one so I will have to try it out /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Aeryk

 

[Deleted member 684]

Yeah, beam shots would be good, just remember to use the same settings too. If your camera allows you to set aperature size, iso and stuff, set it to F2.8, ISO 50, shutter speed 1 second.

 

[Otokoyama]

Beam shots taken at 8' with camera at 1/30 sec F2.5 pointing at 8 1/2 x 11 sheet with printed grid. Used this setting to avoid blowing out hotspot. (Hard to judge overall beam with hotspot overexposed.) My Blaster II has a faint greenish tint; this picture greatly overemphasizes this. The red line is a laser level.

Upper left (UL) is 30mm optics with reflector. Upper right (UR) is 30mm only. Lower left (LL) is UL minus UR with gamma adjusted and luminance extracted to show difference. Lower right is UR minus UL with gamma similarly adjusted; almost a negative of LL.

Obviously I wasn't pointing at exactly the same spot, but my interpretation is that with the reflector the hotspot and especially the rest of the beam (about 2' radius) are slightly brighter. Without reflector, there seems to be a slightly brighter ring at the far fringe of the beam.

For long lasting light usable at typical flashlight ranges, the Blaster is difficult to beat.