Different reflectors for LIONHEART?

[Grumpy]

I have a LIONHEART and it is my favorite flashlight.
I will be using it when fishing at night and would find it usefull to have a reflector with a wider beam (flood).
I would also like to have a reflector with a tighter beam also. I could change these out and use the best reflector for the situation that I am in at the time.
Do they make these reflectors and if so where can I get them and what are they called?

 

[prescottrecorder]

You might try a diffusing lens in place of the clear one that came with your Lionheart. It will give a wider beam at the expense of throw and can be changed out as easily as the reflector. flashlightlens.com had both clear and diffusing lenses for the LH awhile ago. Don't know if they're still available or not.

 

[Grumpy]

Thanks for the info on the duffusing lens. I already have one of these and would like to also try a reflector that has more of a flood than the original. I would also like to have a reflector that has more throw. Is their such a thing as what I am wanting?

 

[prescottrecorder]

Well, since those really in the know don't seem engaged as yet in your topic, I'll throw in my remaining two cents' worth. To get more throw you'll need a larger diameter reflector or a more optimal reflector that has less side spill and puts more light into the main spot. I don't think that you'll notice much improvement without going to a larger reflector, which would require something along the lines of the bulkhead or bigbulkhead used with MrBulk's VIP. Many have asked if something like that could be developed for the Lionheart. I haven't heard of anyone undertaking that development.

As far as making the spot more flood-like, you might be able to de-optimize the current reflector enough to do that. Maybe masking off a significant portion of it or moving the LED further forward a lot by cutting off the bottom of the reflector and adding a spacer at the top to hold the lens in place despite the shorter reflector. I'll leave it to the experienced modders to comment on that.

Or you might look into a modular light like the Alephs (LH heresy /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif) that allow one to screw on a bigger head at will. Or carry two lights: one for throw, one for flood.

Or since the LED could be changed out in the future for a brighter one, wait and hope for technology to march ahead /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Once again, I've probably told you stuff you already knew, but maybe someone with a clue will post.

 

[easilyled]

I'd love to know the answers to Grumpy's questions as well - particularly with regard to a tighter beam.

I've already queried this previously. The reflector used in
the PRT head is a textured metal reflector and gives a lovely even beam. The beam in my L1-PRT-DB917 also looks tighter than that in my LH as well as being smoother.

I don't know whether its tighter because of the reflector or
because the led is driven more highly but I'd expect the LH
led to be driven more highly initially because its DD and I read that its driven to well over an amp.

The PRT reflector seems only marginally wider than that used in the LH. Would it be difficult for a modder to modify it to fit the LH?

Would anyone want to do this or would it be stepping
on Charlie's shoes?

 

[idleprocess]

It will be difficult to optimize the stock LH reflector for throw without going to a larger-diameter head.

For greater flood, you might look at cutting down the stock 27mm reflector or putting in a smaller IMS reflector such as the 21 or 17mm.

 

[Grumpy]

I Thank all for the information on this.

 

[LEDmodMan]

The problem you have with putting in a different reflector is that the LH was engineered with that exact reflector in mind. The reflector plays a very important part in the light, as it holds the Lux III star down against the LH body for thermal contact.

Changing out the stock reflector with a smaller IMS one could lead to potentially FATAL problems with your LH. Unless you permanently attatch the star with a thermal epoxy or figure out an alternate method to keep it in good contact with the bulkhead it sits on, it could overheat and DIE!

Personally, I have yet to see the beam out of an IMS 27mm reflector and Lux III combo that I like. The 17mm reflectors have a MUCH nicer looking beam pattern than the 27mm, but the spot obviously isn't as bright due to the smaller reflector. I would love to be able to use a Mc27R reflector (pretty much the same as the old PM6 reflector) in my LH, but solving the problem with holding the Lux III down (and keeping it from shorting out on the Al of the reflector) is not trivial, unfortunately. It is likey some kind of spacer (made of delrin or the like) would need to be made to fit in between the star and the Mc27R. Don't get me wrong, I love my LH and carry it every day, but it's beam does leave a bit to be desired from an edc light.

 

[bindibadgi]

I think that if a reflector actually fits into the LH's head and comes to focus, then surely something could be arranged. Sadly I do not own or have access to a Mc27R or PM6 or blown Surefire bulb/reflector or the like, so I cannot test it.

Has anybody checked if these things physically fit in the LH and give good focus? All that is needed is to unscrew the bezel on the LH and take out the existing reflector. Turn the LH on and hold any other reflector in there to see how good it is.

Any testers?

 

[idleprocess]

[ QUOTE ]
LEDmodMan said:
The reflector plays a very important part in the light, as it holds the Lux III star down against the LH body for thermal contact.

[/ QUOTE ]

Here I thought that the star in the LH was glued down with thermal adhesive.

 

[cy]

there are a few options. below is a 27mm optic next to SO27 reflector.

you can also speckle your reflector with orange peel to defuse light.

don't know if a 27mm wide refector like Mcflood is available.