starfiretoo
Flashlight Enthusiast
CR2 Ion Emitter Mod
I'm not sure if this has been documented before but I have just changed out the Cree from my HA Black Ion to a P4 XR-E. This probably has been done by only a few pioneering souls and my hats off to them for undertaking such a task. I finally got the nerve to mod this expensive light after carrying it for half a year.
Some like the original emitter from this flashlight as it is soft and floody. I do too. But when the modding urge strikes, a modder gotta do what a modder gotta do. :sigh:
Disassembling the Head
I used a heat gun to help loosen things. Don't think it would come apart without it. (In fact I use my heat gun almost as much as my soldering iron in most mods) Remove the head assembly from the battery holer. Heated the bezel a bit. It came off by unscrewing. An o-ring holds it in tightly. The foam washer came off easily with a bit of heat. The slip ring under that pries off with a jeweler screwdriver. I then heated the head a lot. Using a chop stick, pushing on the emitter dome. The light engine (LE) is not press fitted but has some kind of glue holding the emitter board on and some seeped out forming a wedge between the LE and the reflector assembly. The emitter is now exposed.
Replacing the Emitter and Reassembly
I never removed a Cree emitter off a board from the front before and it is not easy. This is the first time that I practiced on a sacrifice board and it paid off. I ended up damaging the emitters. I used a combination of a 50 watt soldering iron and propane torch to remove the emitter without damaging the board. I decided that I did not want to separate the emitter board from the LE assembly to solder a XR-E emitter on. At this point it is wise to mock up the emitter and LE into the reflector assembly. Cleaning off excess glue around the LE and making sure the retaining ring locks in. I had to wick off excess solder off of the emitter board so the retaining ring would lock in. Once satisfied with the fit it is time to mix up some Artic Silver and glue the emitter in place. I placed the still uncured LE back into the reflector retaining it in and waited until it hardened. I tried soldering the emitter to the board but no luck. Ended up using 30 gauge wire to bridge the ends. Once it tested good by itself it is a matter of popping it back in the reflector assembly and pressing the retaining ring back on. (Have fun). Assembling the front bezel on using some silicone on the o-ring to turn easily. At this point it should look like what you are used to seeing.
Added:
I was having trouble after awhile with the light dimming turning between low and high. Cleaned out with contact cleaner, no change. Let burn in on high for awhile. Looks like the problem cleared :shrug: :rock:While looking into this problem somehow the completed head rolled off the table and fell apart. The retaining ring was not able to engage fully into the reflector assembly (RA). I ended up filing a taper into the ring to match up with the groove in the RA.
I'm not sure if this has been documented before but I have just changed out the Cree from my HA Black Ion to a P4 XR-E. This probably has been done by only a few pioneering souls and my hats off to them for undertaking such a task. I finally got the nerve to mod this expensive light after carrying it for half a year.
Some like the original emitter from this flashlight as it is soft and floody. I do too. But when the modding urge strikes, a modder gotta do what a modder gotta do. :sigh:
Disassembling the Head
I used a heat gun to help loosen things. Don't think it would come apart without it. (In fact I use my heat gun almost as much as my soldering iron in most mods) Remove the head assembly from the battery holer. Heated the bezel a bit. It came off by unscrewing. An o-ring holds it in tightly. The foam washer came off easily with a bit of heat. The slip ring under that pries off with a jeweler screwdriver. I then heated the head a lot. Using a chop stick, pushing on the emitter dome. The light engine (LE) is not press fitted but has some kind of glue holding the emitter board on and some seeped out forming a wedge between the LE and the reflector assembly. The emitter is now exposed.
Replacing the Emitter and Reassembly
I never removed a Cree emitter off a board from the front before and it is not easy. This is the first time that I practiced on a sacrifice board and it paid off. I ended up damaging the emitters. I used a combination of a 50 watt soldering iron and propane torch to remove the emitter without damaging the board. I decided that I did not want to separate the emitter board from the LE assembly to solder a XR-E emitter on. At this point it is wise to mock up the emitter and LE into the reflector assembly. Cleaning off excess glue around the LE and making sure the retaining ring locks in. I had to wick off excess solder off of the emitter board so the retaining ring would lock in. Once satisfied with the fit it is time to mix up some Artic Silver and glue the emitter in place. I placed the still uncured LE back into the reflector retaining it in and waited until it hardened. I tried soldering the emitter to the board but no luck. Ended up using 30 gauge wire to bridge the ends. Once it tested good by itself it is a matter of popping it back in the reflector assembly and pressing the retaining ring back on. (Have fun). Assembling the front bezel on using some silicone on the o-ring to turn easily. At this point it should look like what you are used to seeing.
Added:
I was having trouble after awhile with the light dimming turning between low and high. Cleaned out with contact cleaner, no change. Let burn in on high for awhile. Looks like the problem cleared :shrug: :rock:While looking into this problem somehow the completed head rolled off the table and fell apart. The retaining ring was not able to engage fully into the reflector assembly (RA). I ended up filing a taper into the ring to match up with the groove in the RA.
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