Cree-ifying a Fenix L1S

[Fallingwater]

I have a L1S I haven't been using for a while, as the Cree lights have made it obsolete.

I'm about to transplant a Q5 Cree emitter in another flashlight, however, which will leave me with its original P4 Cree to play with.
I'm thinking of removing the Luxeon from the L1S and soldering in the Cree.

Several questions arise:
1) How do I take the L1S's head apart?
2) How do I cut/drill the reflector to size while ensuring the reflective stuff on its inner side doesn't all flake off?
3) Are P4 Crees acceptable drop-in replacements for Luxeons, or are there voltage differences?
4) Is it possible to get the bare Cree emitter off the star-shaped pad? It'd never fit in the L1S with it.
5) Would a SSC emitter be easier to transplant in the L1S? I could order one along with the Q5 Cree...
6) Generally speaking, is this mod worth it?

Thanks

 

[selfbuilt]

You might have more luck if you move this thread to the Homemade and Modified lights forum.

I'd recommend using a Seoul SSC instead of a Cree for a luxeon emitter swap (since they have similar emitter form factors and work well with exisiting luxeon reflectors without mod).

Biggest issue with L1S is if you can get the head open. I ruined one L1T this way, and had to give up on another L1S before damaging it. Depends on how much loctite Fenix used on yours, but boiling/freezing of the head is most likely required (and even then may not work).

The modder's forum has a few threads on this if you do a search there.

 

[Fallingwater]

Right. I keep forgetting there are more boards than the 3-4 I usually visit.

Could this thread be moved in the mod board? Pretty please?

Also: would liberal application of loctite solvent help?

If I can't get the head apart in any feasible way I'll probably just cut it open at the reflector, and then reseal it with some thin plastic tubing or something. It'd be a pity, but a modded L1S with a cut head that gets used beats an unmodded one that sits in the drawer.

How did you ruin yours exactly?

 

[Fallingwater]

Bump.
Still looking for a way to crack open the head.
I searched a bit, but didn't come up with anything conclusive.
Any ideas? Thanks.

 

[Upplyst]

Use a steady hand or a strap wrench and needle nose pliers. It might help to pre-heat the head to soften up the glue. Place the tips of the needle nose pliers in the slots on the driver board. Push steady against the board as you slowly turn the pliers. Be calm and persistent about the whole operation. Little by little is the key.
It is way harder to fit a cree in the L1S head. It requires grinding the heatsink with a dremel and the purchase of either a very small round cree star or a thin board from the sandwich shoppe. seoul ssc and a .30 copper disc is the way to go.

 

[f22shift]

i just tried this. doesn't work. you get a beamshot with a hole in the center.

first of all, the ls1 doesnt open like the other fenixs. inside the head you will see two holes where the positive battery contact meets. put a needle nose plyer and unscrew. it's that simple.

inside you'll see the luxeon. i would recommend a SSC P4 led since it would be an insanely easy swap. plus i think the reflector is designed for that type of led. i've already tried a cree p4 and the beam pattern was horrible. looked like the "dx simple cree".

i'll post pics later the l1s dissambled.

to answer your cree star question, yes you can separate cree from the star. if you have a hot enough soldering iron it can come off. someone recommended using a tea lite candle. that worked much better for me. soldering with a bare cree is very hard. i don't recommend for any amateur.

i ordered a ssc p4 but probably wont see it for another 2 weeks(dx) so i can't tell you if it works for sure but i'm fairly confident it will. it would make for a very easy swap. since there is grease on the threads, when you unscrew the led and pill , it will get lubricated in itself. i would recommend after swapping the led that you put some blue loctite on the area where it would rest after screwing. otherwise when you switch from high/low enough time it will loosen pill causing flickering.

 

[Fallingwater]

I'm looking at a SSC too now. As you say, they seem to be much better as direct luxeon replacements than Crees.
I'll order it soon from DX.
Please do post pictures of the opened head. They'll be very useful to me once the SSC arrives.

 

[Fallingwater]

Bump and a question: once the head is open, is it possible to modify the driver so that it drives the emitter harder? If it is, how?

 

[f22shift]

switch drivers?

http://hamandcheese.smugmug.com/gallery/3797557#219134065
more pix l8r

 

[MarNav1]

I have a couple of these that were modded by EngrPaul. I always liked the L1S and a Seoul really transforms the light. It is well worth it IMO if you can get it open. What his secrets are I don't know. He is retired now, if you contact him he may answer or he might not. Hope this helps.

 

[Fallingwater]

I don't want to replace the driver.
A flashlight without its emitter and driver is just a metal tube with a switch, and if I'm to spend money to replace them I might as well just spend the same money to get a whole new light from DX.
I just want to know if I can, I don't know, just replace a resistor or transistor or something on the driver's board and have it increase the power. I'm not looking for superhigh brightness or overdriving or anything like that. Just, say, doubling the standard 1W to 2 would do.

 

[f22shift]

finished uploading. there are some pics with a cree swapped in. it'll be an easy swap with the SSC. you wouldn't need even more solder. just some thermal compound under the led.

 

[MarNav1]

I don't think he replaced any drivers in mine, just the emitter. Big difference!

 

[nanotech17]

i just replace the stock driver in my old LM301 with this - http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.7880
and the result was great.